Some simple ideas on x-ray reflection and grazing-incidence diffraction from thin surfactant films

For Langmuir films of long linear amphiphilic molecules at the air-water interface, grazing-incidence diffraction data resolved in terms of both the horizontal and vertical components of the scattering angle can be evaluated to a fair level of detail by means of a slide rule. Specular reflection data require more sophisticated means although some rules of thumb can be formulated.