High-resolution X-ray absorption microspectroscopy of lamellar phases in natural ilmenite

摘要

X-ray absorption microscopy is used to study he surface of a mineral, ilmenite. High-quality surface-sensitive micrographs are easily obtained without special sample preparation beyond that usually used in preparing samples for optical microscopy. The X-ray micrographs show an expected lamellar domain structure that has a very strong contrast change at the iron and Titanium L-edges. High-resolution spectroscopy from these two different regions reveals fine structure from iron atoms in two Different change states, and titanium in a single phase.