US Patent 9976971 Systems and methods for X-ray diffraction

An x-ray diffraction system includes an x-ray source having a first interchangeable x-ray generating component, a second interchangeable x-ray generating component, an actuator and a controller operatively connected to the actuator. The first and second interchangeable x-ray generating components are interchangeable with one another. The actuator is operatively connected to the first and second interchangeable x-ray generating components. A method for non-destructive x-ray diffraction includes emitting a first x-ray beam from an x-ray source with a first interchangeable x-ray generating component based on a first desired depth to measure a crystallographic signature of a sample at the first desired depth, interchanging the first interchangeable x-ray generating component with a second interchangeable x-ray generating component to form a modified x-ray source, and emitting a second x-ray beam from the modified x-ray source based on a second desired depth, to non-destructively measure a crystallographic signature of the sample at the second desired depth.