Development of synchrotron x-ray micro-spectroscopic techniques and application to problems in low temperature geochemistry. Progress report.

摘要

The focus of the technical development effort has been the development of apparatus and techniques for the utilization of X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) and X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) spectroscopies in a microprobe mode. The present XRM uses white synchrotron radiation (3 to 30 keV) from a bending magnet for trace element analyses using the x-ray fluorescence technique Two significant improvements to this device have been recently implemented. Focusing Mirror: An 8:1 ellipsoidal mirror was installed in the X26A beamline to focus the incident synchrotron radiation and thereby increase the flux on the sample by about a factor of 30. Incident Beam Monochromator: The monochromator has been successfully installed and commissioned in the X26A beamline upstream of the mirror to permit analyses with focused monochromatic radiation. The monochromator consists of a channel-cut silicon (111) crystal driven by a Klinger stepping motor translator. We have demonstrated the operating range of this instrument is 4 and 20 keV with 0.01 eV steps and produces a beam with a (approximately)10(sup (minus)4) energy bandwidth. The primary purpose of the monochromator is for x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements but it is also used for selective excitation in trace element microanalysis. To date, we have conducted XANES studies on Ti, Cr, Fe, Ce and U, spanning the entire accessible energy range and including both K and L edge spectra. Practical detection limits for microXANES are 10--100 ppM for 100 (mu)m spots.