X-RAY SCATTERING APPARATUS AND X-RAY SCATTERING METHOD

The invention refers to an X-ray scattering apparatus (10), comprising:- a sample vacuum chamber (26);- a sample holder (20) placed inside the sample vacuum chamber (26) for aligning and/or orienting a sample (18) to be analyzed by X-ray scattering;- an X-ray beam delivery system (11) comprising a 2D X-ray source and a 2D monochromator and being arranged upstream of the sample holder (20) for generating and directing an X-ray beam along a beam path in a propagation direction (Y) towards the sample holder (20);- an X-ray detector (22), placed inside a diffraction chamber connected to the sample vacuum chamber (26), wherein the X-ray detector (22) is arranged downstream of the sample holder (20) and is movable, in particular in a motorized way, along the propagation direction such as to detect the X-ray beam and X-rays scattered at different scattering angles from the sample (18);- wherein the X-ray beam delivery system (11) is configured to focus the X-ray beam onto a focal spot on or near the X-ray detector (22) when placed at its distal position having the largest distance from the sample holder (20) or to produce a parallel beam,- a Bonse Hart monochromator module (12) positioned upstream of the sample holder (20) and being equipped with a motorized monochromator holder;- a Bonse Hart analyzer module (14) positioned downstream of the sample holder (20) and being equipped with a motorized analyzer holder (14a);wherein both the motorized monochromator holder and the motorized analyzer holder (14a) are configured such as to simultaneously position their respective modules (12, 14) in an active position in the X-ray beam for USAXS measurements and in an inactive position out of the X-ray beam for SAXS measurements,characterized in thatthe X-ray scattering apparatus (10) furthermore comprises a storage chamber (32) integral with or connected to the sample vacuum chamber (26) and/or the diffraction chamber, and that the motorized analyzer holder (14a) is furthermore configured to position the Bonse Hart analyzer module (14) in a storage position in the storage chamber (32). The invention furthermore refers to an X-ray scattering method carried out using the X-ray scattering apparatus.