Method of performing X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectrometer system

A system for performing x-ray absorption spectroscopy, the system comprising:

• an x-ray source;
• a mount configured to support an object to be examined;
• at least one focusing x-ray optic configured to collect x-rays from said x-ray source with an energy bandwidth greater than 0.1% of an x-ray energy corresponding to an absorption edge of an atomic element to be detected in the object, the energy bandwidth inclusive of the x-ray energy corresponding to the absorption edge, the at least one focusing x-ray optic further configured to focus a portion of the collected x-rays onto a focal spot at the object with a focus size less than 500 micrometers;
• at least one single crystal spectrometer with an energy resolution better than 3 eV, the at least one single crystal spectrometer comprising:
• at least one single crystal analyzer curved at least in the dispersion direction, and
• at least one spatially resolving x-ray detector configured to detect x-rays transmitted through the object;
• and in which the focal spot, said at least one single crystal analyzer, and said at least one spatially resolving x-ray detector are positioned in an off-Rowland circle geometry.

A system for performing x-ray absorption spectroscopy, the system comprising:

• an x-ray source;
• a mount configured to support an object to be examined;
• at least one focusing x-ray optic configured to collect x-rays from the x-ray source and to focus at least a portion of the collected x-rays onto a focal spot at the object with a focus size less than 500 micrometers;
• at least one spatially resolving x-ray detector;
• at least one single crystal curved at least in the dispersion direction, the focal spot, the at least one single crystal, and the at least one spatially resolving x-ray detector configured to be in an off-Rowland circle geometry;
• at least one mosaic crystal curved at least in the sagittal direction, the focal spot, the at least one mosaic crystal, and the at least one spatially resolving x-ray detector configured to be in a Von Hamos geometry;
• and
• a processing system configured to normalize and align a single-crystal x-ray absorption spectrum obtained with the single crystal and a mosaic-crystal x-ray absorption spectrum obtained with the mosaic crystal to produce a combined x-ray absorption spectrum in which the mosaic-crystal x-ray absorption spectrum within an energy bandwidth corresponding to the single-crystal x-ray absorption spectrum is refined using the single-crystal x-ray absorption spectrum.