Observation samples 16 in a sample solution 15 are held due to absorption or the like on the rear face of a first X-ray transmission film 14a. In a mirror body, while an X-ray emission film 13 and X-ray transmission films 14a and 14b are bent to be convex outward due to the pressure difference, an X-ray transmission film 14c is bent to be convex toward the X-ray transmission film 14a side due to gas expansion in a second cavity part 11b. This bending results in widening of a gap between the first and second X-ray transmission films 14a and 14b in the center part of these more compared with a gap between the end parts of these. However, despite the fact that lengthening of the X-ray optical path length over the primary visual field region of X-ray microscope observation arises between the X-ray transmission films 14b and 14c, there is almost no change between the X-ray transmission films 14a and 14c. Accordingly, even when the X-ray emission film and the X-ray transmission films are bent inside the mirror body, lengthening of the X-ray optical path length takes place in the second cavity part 11 b (gas portion) in which X-ray absorption does not take place, this enabling absorption of the X-rays by the sample solution 15 to be suppressed.

There is described an apparatus for measuring protein characteristics comprising an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer comprising a source of polychromatic X-rays, an X-ray detector, a protein, a molecule that has been exposed to and at least weakly binds to the protein, a plurality of X-ray fluorescence signal data obtained by irradiating chemical elements in the protein and molecule with the polychromatic X-rays and a security system for maintaining records for the data from the plurality of X-ray fluorescence signal measurements. There is also described an x-ray microscope for measuring a sample.

[Object] The present invention provides an X-ray irradiation device capable of adjusting the energy of X-rays in a wide range, and an analysis device equipped with the X-ray irradiation device.

[Solving Means] An X-ray irradiation device according to an embodiment of the present invention focuses X-rays emitted from an X-ray generation mechanism to a predetermined focal position by a focusing mechanism. The X-ray generation mechanism has a structure which generates a plurality of X-rays having different wavelengths. The focusing mechanism has a structure in which the plurality of X-rays are focused to the same focal position by focusing elements having diffraction characteristics suitable for the wavelengths of the respective X-rays generated by the X-ray generation mechanism.

The invention relates to a method of acquiring two images with e.g. a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and combine the images to form a combined image in which information of the surface layer or a subsurface layer is enhanced. To that end the probe parameters of the electron beam (110,120,140) of the SEM are different for the two images, one image is made at a lower energy than the other image. By reducing the mutual information between the two images, the combined image shows enhanced information of a subsurface layer.

A soft X-ray microscope includes a table (10); a housing (20) installed to the upper side of the table (10) and having a partition (22); a light source chamber (30) installed lower than the partition (22) of the housing (20) to project a light to liquid jetted under a high pressure to generate plasma; a mirror chamber (40), installed above the partition (22) of the housing (20), in which first and second mirror (410 and 430) are respectively installed to upper and lower sides of a holder (420) for storing a living sample, the soft X-ray generated by the plasma generated in the light source chamber (30) illuminates the living sample, and the soft X-ray penetrated the living sample is amplified to obtain an image in an image capturing chamber; and an image capturing chamber (50) installed to the upper side of the housing (20) to amplify a light image signal amplified through the mirror chamber (40) and to capture the light image on an external screen to allow distinguishing the light image from exterior.