X-ray analysis techniques including the grazing-incidence specular reflection, grazing-incidence diffraction (GID), and grazing-incidence asymmetric-Bragg diffraction (GIABD) are reviewed. Results are given to illustrate the capabilities of the techniques. The specular reflectivity technique was used for the characterization of surface uniformity and oxidation, layer thickness and density, interface roughness and diffusion of a Si single-crystal substrate, Ni single-layer film, and Pt/Co based multiple-layer film. The GID technique was used for the determination of in-plane crystallography of a superconducting YBa2Cu3Ox film epitaxially growth on a SrTiO3 (110) single-crystal substrate. The GIABD technique was used for surface structural identification and depth profiling determination of a polycrystalline magnetic Fe2O3 film.
