A new method of quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis that can
be named as computed depth profiling of X-ray polycrystalline diffrac
tion patterns has been developed. In this method, the XRD data are col
lected at different incident angles, and then the XRD pattern diffract
ed from a thin layer at certain depth is solved by a mathematical meth
od. The algorithm was deduced theoretically, and the feasibility lest
of this method was performed with a Ni/Mo film sample. This method has
the prospective application not only in non-destructive testing of th
e depth profile of the peak intensity, peak position and line profile
quantitatively, but also in the analysis of thin surface and interface
layers.