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International audience; The x-ray atomic properties of nickel (Ni) were investigated in a unique approach combining different experimental techniques to obtain new, useful and reliable values of atomic fundamental parameters for x-ray spectrometric purposes and for comparison with theoretical predictions. We determined the mass attenuation coefficients in an energy range covering the L-and K-absorption edges, the K-shell fluorescence yield and the $K\beta$ / $K\alpha$ and $K\beta_{1,3}$/$K\alpha_{1,2}$ transition probability ratios. The obtained line profiles and linewidths of the $K\alpha$ and $K\beta$ transitions in Ni can be considered as the contribution of the satellite lines arising from the [KM] shake processes suggested by Deutsch et al (1995 Phys. Rev. A 51 283) and Ito et al (2016 Phys. Rev. A 94 042506). Comparison of the new data with several databases showed good agreement, but also discrepancies were found with existing tabulated values.

We report on vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) excited photoluminescence (PL) spectra emitted from a chemical vapor deposited MoS2 few-layered film. The excitation spectrum was recorded by monitoring intensities of PL spectra at ~1.9 eV. A strong wide excitation band peaking at 7 eV was found in the excitation. The PL excitation band is most intensive at liquid helium temperature and completely quenched at 100 K. Through first-principles calculations of photoabsorption in MoS2, the excitation was explicated and attributed to transitions of electrons from p- and d- type states in the valence band to the d- and p-type states in the conduction band. The obtained photon-in/photon-out results clarify the excitation and emission behavior of the low dimensional MoS2 when interacting with the VUV light sources.

In this work two synchrotron radiation-based depth-sensitive X-ray fluorescence techniques, grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence (GIXRF) and grazing emission X-ray fluorescence (GEXRF), are compared and their potential for non-destructive depth-profiling applications is investigated. The depth-profiling capabilities of the two methods are illustrated for five aluminum-implanted silicon wafers all having the same implantation dose of 1016 atoms per cm2 but with different implantation energies ranging from 1 keV up to 50 keV. The work was motivated by the ongoing downscaling effort of the microelectronics industry and the resulting need for more sensitive methods for the impurity and dopant depth-profile control. The principles of GIXRF and GEXRF, both based on the refraction of X-rays at the sample surface to enhance the surface-to-bulk ratio of the detected fluorescence signal, are explained. The complementary experimental setups employed at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) for GIXRF and the University of Fribourg for GEXRF are presented in detail. In particular, for each technique it is shown how the dopant depth profile can be derived from the angular intensity dependence of the Al Kα fluorescence line. The results are compared to theoretical predictions and, for two samples, crosschecked with values obtained from secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) measurements. A good agreement between the different approaches is found proving that the GIXRF and GEXRF methods can be efficiently employed to extract the dopant depth distribution of ion-implanted samples with good accuracy and over a wide range of implantation energies.

We report on a high-resolution transmission-type curved crystal spectrometer based on the modified DuMond slit geometry. The spectrometer was developed at the University of Fribourg for the study of photoinduced X-ray spectra. K and L X-ray transitions with energies above about 10 keV can be measured with an instrumental resolution comparable to their natural linewidths. Construction details and operational characteristics of the spectrometer are presented. The variation of the energy resolution as a function of the focal distance and diffraction order is discussed. The high sensitivity of the spectrometer is demonstrated via the 2s-1s dipole-forbidden X- ray transition of Gd which could be observed despite its extremely low intensity. The precision of the instrument is illustrated by comparing the sum of the energies of the Au K–L 2 and L 2–M 3 cascading transitions with the energy of the crossover K–M 3 transition as well as by considering the energy differences of the Gd Kα1 X-ray line measured at five different diffraction orders. Finally, to demonstrate the versatility of the spectrometer, it is shown that the latter can also be used for in-house extended X- ray absorption fine structure measurements.

We report on the design and performance of a wavelength-dispersive type spectrometer based on the von Hamos geometry. The spectrometer is equipped with a segmented-type crystal for x-ray diffraction and provides an energy resolution in the order of 0.25 eV and 1 eV over an energy range of 8000 eV–9600 eV. The use of a segmented crystal results in a simple and straightforward crystal preparation that allows to preserve the spectrometer resolution and spectrometer efficiency. Application of the spectrometer for time-resolved resonant inelastic x-ray scattering and single-shot x-ray emission spectroscopy is demonstrated.

The mechanisms leading to the production of hollow K shell atoms via single photon impact were investigated for a variety of light elements with 12 ≤ Z ≤ 23. The double 1s vacancy states were produced by irradiating the samples with intense monoenergetic synchrotron radiation beams. The double-to-single K-shell photoionization probabilities PKK and the absolute double K-shell photoionization cross sections σ²⁺ were determined by measuring with a high-resolution bent von Hamos crystal spectrometer the Kαh hypersatellite X-ray emission of the samples. The measurements were performed over a wide range of incoming photon energies from threshold up to energies beyond the broad maximum of the double-to-single photoionization cross section ratios. The PKK and σ²⁺ were determined from the relative yields of the resolved Kαh hypersatellite lines. For Mg, Al and Si, the two-electron one-photon (TEOP) Kααh transitions which represent an alternative but much weaker decay channel for double 1s vacancy states could be also observed, using a highly efficient flat crystal wavelength dispersive spectrometer. This observation of single photon-induced TEOP transitions has shown that the I(Kαh)/I(Kααh) branching ratios are very poorly reproduced by most of existing theoretical models. Besides the relative yields of the hypersatellite and TEOP transitions, the energies and natural linewidths of the Kαh and Kααh X-ray lines were also determined. The energies are found to be in good agreement with different theoretical predictions, whereas the linewidths are significantly underestimated by the calculations, except if non-lifetime broadening effects such as the outer-shell ionization and the open valence configuration are taken into consideration.

The multiple ionization of the L- and M-shells of Pd by fast oxygen ions has been studied by measuring with high-resolution the satellite structures of the Lα1,2 X-ray transitions. Relativistic multi-configuration Dirac-Fock (MCDF) calculations were used to interpret the complex X-ray spectrum, allowing to derive the number of L- and M-shell spectator vacancies at the moment of the X-ray emission. After correcting these numbers for the atomic vacancy rearrangement processes that take place prior to the X-ray emission, the ionization probabilities corresponding to the collision time were obtained. The latter were compared to predictions of the semiclassical approximation (SCA) and the geometrical model. The SCA calculations were performed using relativistic hydrogenic and self-consistent Dirac-Hartree-Fock (DHF) electronic wave functions. It was found that the use of the more realistic DHF wave functions in the SCA calculations leads to a much better description of the measured ionization probabilities for both the L- and M-shells.

Using 98% linearly polarized radiation at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, the performance of a prototype two-dimensional microstrip Ge(i) detector for x-ray imaging and as a Compton polarimeter has been evaluated. Using the energy and position sensitivity of the detector, the ability to obtain a complete reconstruction of the Compton event has been demonstrated. The modulation coefficient of the polarimeter is in good agreement with the theoretical limit of a perfect detector.

International audience; A twin crystal-spectrometer assembly, operated in the focusing compensated asymmetric Laue geometry has been developed for accurate spectroscopy of fast highly charged heavy ions in the hard-X-ray region. Coupled to the focusing crystal optics is a specially developed two-dimensional position-sensitive X-ray detector which is necessary for retaining spectral resolution also for fast moving sources. We summarize the crystal optics and demonstrate the usefulness of the instrument for spectroscopy of both stationary and fast moving X-ray sources. Results are reported from several tests employing a 169Yb gamma-ray source and the Lyman radiation of one-electron Pb81+ ions traveling at a velocity corresponding to [beta]†[reverse not equivalent]†v/c†[approximate]†0.59. The features of the instrument presented may be useful in many applications where it appears difficult to make the leap from conventional X-ray energy measurements to wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy based on crystal optics.

We demonstrate that in order to interpret the x-ray satellite structure of Pd Lα1,2(L₃M4,5) transitions excited by fast O ions, which was measured using a high-resolution von Hamos crystal spectrometer, the vacancy rearrangement processes, taking place prior to the x-ray emission, have to be taken into account. The measured spectra were compared with the predictions of the multi- con.guration Dirac-Fock (MCDF) calculations using the fluorescence and Coster- Kronig yields which were modiffed due to a reduced number of electrons available for relaxation processes and the effect of closing the Coster-Kronig transitions. We demonstrate that the vacancy rearrangement processes can be described in terms of the rearrangement factor, which can be calculated by solving the system of rate equations modelling the flow of vacancies in the multiply ionized atom. By using this factor, the ionization probability at the moment of collision can be extracted from the measured intensity distribution of x-ray satellites. The present results support the independent electron picture of multiple ionization and indicate the importance of use of Dirac-Hartree-Fock wave functions to calculate the ionization probabilities.

The x-ray satellite structure of Pd Lalpha1,2(L3M4,5) transition excited by an impact of O7+ and Ne6+ ions with energies 279 and 178 MeV, respectively, which were measured using a high-resolution von Hamos crystal spectrometer, is discussed in terms of the multi-configuration Dirac-Fock (MCDF) calculations. We demonstrate, by using the arguments of the general central limit theorem (GCLT), that a structure of complex M-shell satellites of Pd Lalpha1,2(M-m) transitions for a higher number of spectator vacancies (m > 4), which consists of hundreds of thousands of individual x-ray transitions as obtained from the MCDF calculations, can be well described by a single Voigtian profile. The Lorentzian width of such Voigtian line can be well modeled by using the results of the MCDF calculations for simpler configurations with a number of vacancies m < 4 . This method allows one to describe realistically a complex structure of M-shell satellites, thus extending the applicability of the MCDF calculations, which are limited by an increasing complexity of numerical calculations.

High-resolution measurements of the resonant X-ray Raman scattering (RRS) of Al and Si and their oxides were performed at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France, using a von Hamos Bragg-type curved crystal spectrometer. To probe the influence of chemical effects on the RRS X-ray spectra, Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2 samples were also investigated. The X-ray RRS spectra were measured at different photon beam energies tuned below the K-absorption edge. The measured spectra are compared to results of RRS calculations based on the second-order perturbation theory within the Kramers–Heisenberg approach.

K-X-ray spectra of Zr, Nb, Mo and Pd targets bombarded with 250 MeV carbon and 360 MeV oxygen ions are studied with high resolution diffraction spectrometry. Relative yields and natural widths of the Khα1,2 hypersatellite lines are determined and compared with those of the diagram lines. The widths of Khα1,2 lines are compared with the new phenomenological formula which takes into account the retardation of the Khα₁ transition in the LS coupling scheme. The data significantly exceed the expected values. Deduced lifetimes of the double K-hole states are shorter than expected.

High-spin states in 162Tm and 164Tm have been studied by 152,154Sm(14N, 4n) reactions. Measurements of γ-rays, angular distributions and γγ-coincidences were performed using Ge detectors. In each isotope, two side bands are observed besides the yrast band, which are followed up to high-spin states. An interpretation of the experimental results is proposed in the framework of the cranked shell-model. Results on gyromagnetic ratios in the yrast band of a series of odd-N Tm nuclei are presented. Magnetic properties of the side bands are also discussed.

High-spin rotational states of 158,160,162,164Tm were investigated by in-beam γ-spectroscopy using the (14N, 4n) and (14N, 6n) reactions. The strongly-aligned band π[ h 11 2 ]ν[ i 13 2 ] has been observed in all these nuclei. Our experimental results, together with the data obtained by another group on 166Tm, are interpreted in the frame of a cranking-model analysis. The behaviour of the moment of inertia versus rotational frequency and the existence of a triaxial shape is discussed.