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A hard X‐ray full field microscope from Xradia Inc. has been installed at SSRL on a 54‐pole wiggler end station at beam line 6‐2. It has been optimized to operate from 5–14 keV with resolution as high as 30 nm. High quality images are achieved using a vertical beam stabilizer and condenser scanner with high efficiency zone plates with 30 nm outermost zone width. The microscope has been used in Zernike phase contrast, available at 5.4 keV and 8 keV, as well as absorption contrast to image a variety of biological, environmental and materials samples. Calibration of the X‐ray attenuation with crystalline apatite enabled quantification of bone density of plate‐like and rod‐like regions of mouse bone trabecula. 3D tomography of individual lacuna revealed the surrounding cell canaliculi and processes. 3D tomography of chiral branched PbSe nanowires showed orthogonal branches around a central nanowire.

We developed and optimised an optics‐free Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) that can be directly installed on most of the synchrotron radiation end‐stations. The combination of Scanning Probe Microscopies with X‐ray microbeams adds new possibilities to the variety of synchrotron radiation techniques. The instrument can be used for atomic force imaging of the investigated sample or to locally measure the X‐ray absorption or diffraction, or it can also be used to mechanically interact with the sample while simultaneously taking spectroscopy or diffraction measurements. The local character of these measurements is intrinsically linked with the use of the Atomic Force Microscope tip. It is the sharpness of the tip that gives the opportunity to measure the photons flux impinging on it giving beam position monitor features, or allows to locally measure the absorption coefficient or the shape of the diffraction pattern. As an example of the possibilities opened by the instrument we will show diffraction measurements performed on a Ge/Si island while being indented with the AFM tip providing local measure of the Young coefficient. Three ESRF beamlines are going to be equipped with this new instrument.

The Surface/Interface: Microscopy beamline of the Swiss Light Source started operation in 2001. In 2007 the beamline has been significantly upgraded with a second refocusing section and a blazed grating optimized for high photon flux. Two Apple II type undulators with a plane grating monochromator using the collimated light scheme deliver photons with an energy from 90eV to about 2keV with variable polarization for the photoemission electron microscope (PEEM) as the primary user station. We measured a focus of (45×60) μm(ν×h) and a photon flux > 1012 photon/s for all gratings. Polarization switching within a few seconds is realized with the small bandpass of the monochromator and a slight detuning of the undulator.

XRF imaging and analysis at the Siam Photon Laboratory have been recently developed for supporting various applications in x‐ray micro analysis. An experimental setup for white beam x‐ray fluorescent imaging has been installed at the beamline BL2 for elemental and quantitative analyses. A white micro beam of 163×170 μm2 (FWHM) measured by wire scanning has been delivered to samples using a polycapillary x‐ray half‐lens. The fluorescent emissions of characteristic x‐rays (1 keV and above) are detected by a Si‐PIN detector. XRF imaging of Ni grids on supporting glass and XRF analysis on a trace‐element standard were conducted for testing the apparatus. The test results on these samples as well as the necessary software developed for elemental identification and imaging are presented.

Over the energy range 5∼30 keV a suitably contacted, thin (∼100 μm) diamond plate can be operated in situ as a continuous monitor of X‐ray beam intensity and position as the diamond absorbs only a small percentage of the incident beam. Single crystal diamond is a completely homogeneous material showing fast (ns), spatially uniform signal response and negligible (

A tunable X‐Ray focusing apparatus based on compound refractive lenses (CRL), referred to as a transfocator, has been installed for monochromatic beam (IAT in air transfocator) two years ago in the second optics hutch at ID11 at the ESRF. By varying the number of lenses in the beam, the energy focused and the focal length can be varied continuously throughout a large range of energies and distances.Based the success of the IAT, an in‐vacuum transfocator (IVT) has now been built and installed at ID11.The aim of this poster is to describe and show the mechanical and technical solutions used to design and manufacture this new IVT.The IVT was installed last January in the first optics hutch at ID11. The IVT consists of nine water cooled cartridges containing 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 Be lenses, and 32 and 64 Al lenses, and a protective aperture of O/ 900 μm. The mechanical design is based on a system of pneumatically actuated cartridges with an auto positioning on two stainless steel rods. The vacuum vessel has tran...

The Engineering Science Research II beamline BL14B2 at SPring‐8 is a hard X‐ray bending magnet beamline covering the wide energy range from 3.8 to 72 keV, and has been open to XAFS users since September 2007. The gas distribution and exhaust gas treatment systems have been installed for the in‐situ XAFS measurements. Recent improvements in the speed of XAFS measurements have increased the demand for automated measurements. We have developed such a system, in which the adjustment of X‐ray optics and the XAFS measurement in transmission mode can be performed automatically.

Superconducting undulators show a larger magnetic field strength for the same gap and period length, as compared to permanent magnet devices, which allows to generate X‐ray beams of higher brilliance and with harder spectrum. The worldwide first short period length superconducting undulator is in operation since 2005 at the synchrotron light source ANKA in Karlsruhe [1]. To further drive the development in this field a research and development program is being carried out. In this contribution we report on the last progress of the construction of a 1.5 m long superconducting undulator with a period length of 15 mm, planned to be installed in ANKA beginning 2010 to be the light source of the new beamline NANO for high resolution X‐ray scattering. The key specifications of the system are an undulator parameter K higher than 2 (with a magnetic gap of 5 mm) and a phase error smaller than 3.5 degrees. Cryocoolers will keep the coils at 4.2 K for a beam heat load of 4 W. The ongoing R&D includes improvements in...

The SuperXAS beamline at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) features a permanently installed monochromator for quick scanning EXAFS (QEXAFS) spectroscopy in series with a conventional double crystal monochromator (DCM). All installed optical components like collimating and focussing mirrors can be used by both devices. The remote exchange of the monochromators is possible in less than five minutes while maintaining the beam geometry on the sample. The QEXAFS system allows fast absorption scans down to the millisecond range for the investigation of time dependent processes. Using a Si(111) channel cut crystal the energy range from 5–16 keV can be covered, with a Si(311) cut the range 9.5–30 keV. Usually a quick scanning interval of 0.1°–2° in Bragg angle is selected, thus covering XANES, full EXAFS or multiple edge scans of e.g. all L‐edges of a heavy element. Up to about 80 spectra per second can be collected, corresponding to a time resolution of 12.5 ms. The high intensity of the beamline even facilitates fluorescence measurements on dilute samples.

Completing previous investigations we study a W/B4C transmission multilayer with 350 periods each 1.74 nm as a phase shifter for polarization analysis between 720 eV and 1020 eV. The FWHM of the Bragg curve is as small as 0.18° = 3 mrad and thus smaller than the inherent accuracy of most polarimeters. We discuss some of the experimental implications and limitations. We obtain a phase shift of up to Δ = 24° through out the spectral range.

To minimize the anticlastic curvature and lower the breaking risk of a sagittal bent crystal with a smaller bending radius, three types of crystal models including the stiffening ribs, the golden value and the assembly with metal were discussed in this paper. Overall structures of the models were predicted and the parameters were optimized by the finite element analysis method. Compared with the results of measurement by long‐trace‐profiler, theoretical calculations were in good agreed with practical tests. The single‐crystal silicon strips glued on the titanium is preferred for the second crystal of the sagittal focusing monochromator at the NSRL‐XAFS beamline. Because it not only minimizes the anticlastic distortion but also it achieves small radius less than one meter.

Top‐up operation was successfully demonstrated at UVSOR‐II, which will remove the short beam‐lifetime problem caused by strong Touschek effect due to the small emittance, 27 nm‐rad, and the low electron energy, 750 MeV. In these years, we have improved the accelerators, step by step, towards top‐up operation. The radiation shielding wall was reconstructed. The energy of the booster synchrotron and the beam transport line were successfully upgraded from 600 MeV to 750 MeV, by replacing the magnet power supplies in 2006. Soon after, we succeeded in injecting the electron beam at the full energy. We improved the radiation safety system and constructed a injection control system. In autumn, 2008, we succeeded in operating the ring for 12 hours as keeping the beam current quasi‐constant at 300 mA. Currently, we operated the ring in the top‐up mode for 12 hours on every Thursday night, to check the effects on the users’ experiments. In 2009, we have succeeded in the top‐up operation in single bunch mode. Free e...

The mechanical design and performance of a device to suppress higher orders of a spherical grating monochromator at a constant deviation angle is described. The higher order suppressor (HOS) is used for a scanning transmission x‐ray microspectroscope beamline (PolLux) at a bending magnet of the Swiss Light Source (SLS). The instruments allow microspectroscopy in polymer science, of biological samples in the water window as well as the study of magnetic materials with circular or linear polarized light in a photon energy range of 200 eV to 1400 eV. The HOS uses three mirrors acting as a low pass filter for soft x‐rays to improve the absorption spectroscopy of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen 1s core levels. The successful installation and operation of the HOS located after the monochromator is reported. First results obtained using samples from materials research and environmental sciences exemplify the improved spectroscopy capabilities of the instrument.

A novel compact polarimeter for the use in soft x‐ray region having high‐precision eight‐axis automatically driven and two‐axis manually driven equipped with multilayer polarizers was developed at the Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF). The polarimeter was designed to utilize reflection and transmission geometry. Four operational modes have been designed and carried out with the polarimeter. Some experiments have been performed by using this polarimeter with various modes.

We present a dedicated beamline branch for high flux and ultra-high resolution (R>100000) gas and vapor phase studies in the vacuum-ultra-violet (VUV) region of light on the undulator beamline I3, located on the 700 MeV MAX-III storage ring. The mechanical and optical design of the branch-line, the differential pumping setup as well as performance characteristics are presented.

The Soft X‐ray Micro‐characterization Beamline (SXRMB) is a medium energy, bending magnet based beamline, designed to cover an energy range of 1.7–10 keV using two sets of crystals—InSb(111) and Si(111). The design goal is to deliver a flux of 2×1011 photons sec−1/100 mA with a resolution up to 10,000 for X‐ray Absorption Spectroscopy. A KB mirror stage is designed to provide microprobe capability, with a spot size of 10×10 μm2 and a flux of >109 at the microprobe station. The beamline has been in the commissioning phase since 2008, and access to the X‐ray absorption endstation is now open to general users. The optical commissioning and performance of the beamline is presented with some early experimental results.

The objectives of this project is install at the 2.75 GeV SOLEIL synchrotron radiation source a calibration and metrology test facility for the R&D of optical components and detectors. We have build, on a bending magnet, two branches to cover an energy range from few eV to 28 keV and give access to white beam. This installation will first address the needs of the SOLEIL experimental groups (Optics and Detectors) and will be used by a large community. This beamline will also be valuable as a general‐purpose beamline to prepare, test and set up a wide range of experiments in the field of Astrophysics, laser plasma etc … A complementary important aspect of this installation is the realization of primary standard: the metrology beamline of SOLEIL could become the national primary standard source in collaboration with the Laboratoire National d’Essais (LNE) and help in the design and characterization of several diagnostics for the Megajoule Laser in Bordeaux in collaboration with the CEA DIF. The beamline has ...

The XMaS beamline at the ESRF has been in regular user operation since April 1998 and operates over an energy range of 2.4–15 keV. It has developed a wide range of unique instrumentation, primarily dedicated to high resolution magnetic and single crystal diffraction. With the upcoming ESRF upgrade program a number of instrumental developments are planned for the beamline to maximize the benefits of the increased photon flux at low energies. Firstly we report on the optimisation of the beamline and its core components. A novel attenuator system which is actuated by fast acting solenoids thereby avoiding problems of gas bursts into the beamline vacuum seen on some commercially available instruments is introduced. Secondly we discuss developments to the low temperature sample environments that have been integrated into the beamline vacuum system, minimizing both air and beryllium absorption. Finally we demonstrate the current capabilities of the beamline by describing preliminary reflectivity measurements that have been made on an [Fe(2ML)Pd(15ML)]x20 multilayer recorded around the Pd L3 edge using circular polarised light produced from a thin diamond phase plate.

The Sector 7 undulator beamline (7‐ID) of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) is dedicated to time‐resolved x‐ray research and is capable of ultrafast measurements on the order of 100 ps. Beamline 7‐ID has a laser laboratory featuring a Ti:Sapphire system (average power of 2.5 W, pulse duration

We have built a new small furnace to perform high temperature studies up to 1200 °C in vacuum or in oxygen atmosphere. This furnace was originally used as a catalytic reactor optimized for the in situ X‐ray Absorption Spectroscopy experiments on beamline ID24. It has now been redesigned for use on the ESRF beamline ID01 for in situ Grazing Incidence Small Angle X‐ray Scattering experiments. For these experiments high mechanical stability of the sample holder is necessary to keep the alignment of the sample during heating.

In recent years there has been a lot of activity aimed at producing smaller and more intense beams. However, experience has shown that with these beams the quality of the data obtained is highly sensitive to alignment issues, mechanical (in)stabilities, source instabilities, material choices and surface degradations of optical components. Over several years the ESRF has investigated many beamline optical components with the view to improve both beam and sample stability. The measures that have been taken to achieve these improvements are described together with possible improvements that could be envisaged in the future.

The penetrating power of X‐rays coupled with the high flux of 3rd generation synchrotron sources makes X‐ray tomography to excel among fast imaging methods . To exploit this asset of synchrotron sources is the motivation for setting up an ultra‐fast tomography endstation at the TOMCAT beamline. The state of the art instruments at synchrotron sources offer routinely a temporal resolution of tens of seconds in tomography. For a number of applications, for example biomedical studies, the relevant time scales (breathing, heartbeat) are rather in the range of 0.5–2 seconds. To overcome motion artifacts when imaging such systems a new ultra‐fast tomographic data acquisition scheme is being developed at the TOMCAT beamline. We can acquire a full set of projections at sub‐second timescale in monochromatic or white‐beam configuration. We present a feasibility study with the ultimate aim to achieve sub‐second temporal resolution in 3D without significant deterioration of the spatial resolution. For the first time, ...

The Micro‐ and Nanofocus X‐ray Scattering Beamline (MINAXS) of the new 3rd generation source PETRA III is equipped with two endstations, out of which the farthest from the high beta undulator source is designed to provide a high flux, monochromatic X‐ray beam focused to a size in the order of 100 nm×100 nm routinely used for microdiffraction experiments (nanofocus endstation). This contribution presents an overview on the current status of the nanofocus endstation and outlines the to‐be‐used experimental setup.

In order to visualize molecular interaction by the experimental electrostatic potential analysis we have optimized the optical parameters and developed the high‐resolution Debye‐Scherrer camera at the RIKEN materials science beamline, BL44B2 of SPring‐8. For the purpose the camera was designed to be equipped with the hybrid X‐ray detector system. One is the conventional detector, the imaging plate readout off‐line to carry out high d (interplanar spacing)‐resolution measurements and the other is the CCD detector, which can be operated in a camera at variable distances for high angle‐resolution measurements. In addition we have been developing an in‐situ properties measurement system to visualize the electrostatic interaction completely synchronized with material functions.

Time resolved experiments require precision timing equipment and careful configuration of the machine and the beamline. The Australian Synchrotron has a state of the art timing system that allows flexible, real‐time control of the machine and beamline timing parameters to target specific electron bunches. Results from a proof‐of‐principle measurement with a pulsed laser and a streak camera on the optical diagnostic beamline will be presented. The timing system was also used to fast trigger the PILATUS detector on an x‐ray beamline to measure the fill pattern dependent effects of the detector. PILATUS was able to coarsely measure the fill pattern in the storage ring which implies that fill pattern intensity variations need to be corrected for when using the detector in this mode.

We have installed and tested an Olympus LEXT confocal microscope at the 34‐ID‐C beamline of the Advanced Photon Source (APS). The beamline is for Coherent X‐ray Diffraction (CXD) experiments in which a nanometre‐sized crystal is aligned inside a focussed X‐ray beam. The microscope was required for three‐dimensional (3D) sample alignment to get around sphere‐of‐confusion issues when locating Bragg peaks in reciprocal space. In this way, and by use of strategic sample preparations, we have succeeded in measuring six Bragg peaks from a single 200 nm gold crystal and obtained six projections of its internal displacement field. This enables the clear identification of stacking‐fault bands within the crystal. The confocal alignment method will allow a full determination of the strain tensor provided three or more Bragg reflections from the same crystal are found.

BL8A and 8B are new beamlines for structural materials science at Photon Factory. The primary characteristics of both beamlines are similar. The incident beam is monochromatized by the Si(111) double‐flat crystal monochromator and focused at the sample position by a Rh‐coated bent cylindrical quartz mirror. The Weissenberg‐camera‐type imaging‐plate (IP) diffractometers were installed. The X‐ray diffraction experiments for structural studies of strongly correlated materials, such as transition metals, molecular conductors, endohedral fullerenes, nano‐materials, etc, are conducted at these stations.

The 5C1 beamline at Pohang Light Source (PLS) was reconfigured into a beamline for X‐ray microdiffraction (XMD) experiments through works during the year 2008 and has been commissioned recently. A slit, two ionization chambers, a shutter, a monochromator, a Kirkpatrick‐Baez (K‐B) mirror system, a sample stage assembly, and an X‐ray CCD detector were newly installed and a series of LabVIEW applications to control these experimental equipments and to execute the data acquisition was completed. After the alignment of the equipments, a 100 μm×100 μm beam defined by the slit was focused down to less than 3 μm in the horizontal and vertical planes by a pair of vertically and horizontally focusing mirrors. Then, the X‐ray CCD detector took test diffraction images of a Ge single crystal on the sample holder of the sample stage assembly. The paper describes the details of the equipments and several new improvements of the new 5C1 beamline, reports the processes and results of the commissioning work, and shows the ...

We present a X‐ray training course for students. The course covers fundamental properties of synchrotron radiation and basic techniques like scattering and absorption. We prepared ten experiments together with a tutorial. The whole course takes about a week. A first student group from the University of Copenhagen passed the course in June 2009. The experiments were performed at the optics beamline of the Swiss Light Source which can be part‐time allocated for training purposes. Two experiments are described in more detail: scattering from a hanging drop of water turning into ice and measurement of the power of a pink synchrotron beam using a simple calorimeter.

SPring‐8 standard double‐crystal monochromators containing water‐cooled crystals were stabilized to a sufficient level to function as a part of optics components to supply stable microfocused x‐ray beams, by determining causes of the instability and then removing them. The instability was caused by two factors—thermal deformation of fine stepper stages in the monochromator, which resulted in reduction in beam intensity with time, and vibrations of coolant supply units and vacuum pumps, which resulted in fluctuation in beam intensity. We remodeled the crystal holders to maintain the stage temperatures constant with water, attached x‐ray and electron shields to the stages in order to prevent their warming up, introduced accumulators in the water circuits to absorb pressure pulsation, used polyurethane tubes to stabilize water flow, and placed rubber cushions un der scroll vacuum pumps. As a result, the intensity reduction rate of the beam decreased from 26% to 1% per hour and the intensity fluctuation from 13% to 1%. The monochromators were also modified to prevent radiation damage to the crystals, materials used as a water seal, and motor cables.

The optical design of a soft x‐ray beamline on the bending magnet of Indus‐2 synchrotron source is presented. A Varied Line Spacing Plane Grating Monochromator (VLS‐PGM) was adopted with Hettrick type optics. The VLS‐PGM consists of a spherical mirror and three interchangeable gratings of line densities 1200 l/mm, 400 l/mm and 150 l/mm to efficiently cover the energy region 50–1500 eV. The VLS groove parameters were obtained by minimizing defocus aberration, coma and spherical aberration. The overall performance of the beamline was estimated by detailed raytracing calculations. The beamline design, results of the raytracing calculations and the expected performances are presented.

Among the possibilities for a next‐generation hard x‐ray source is a so‐called “ultimate storage ring.” This refers to a large, high‐energy storage ring with very low emittance and high current. Such a ring has the potential to deliver significantly higher spectral brightness and transverse coherence than present third‐generation rings. At the same time, it promises the stability and reliability that users have come to expect in a light source. In this paper, we present a design for a 7‐GeV, 40‐sector storage ring with a circumference of 3.1 km and an emittance of 15 pm in both planes.

We describe a revolutionary new approach to high spectral resolution soft x-ray optics. Conventionally in the soft x-ray energy range, high spectral resolution is obtained by use of a relatively low line density grating operated in 1st order with small slits. This severely limits throughput. This limitation can be removed by use of a grating either in very high order, or with very high line density, if one can maintain high diffraction efficiency. We have developed a new technology for achieving both of these goals which should allow high throughput spectroscopy, at resolving powers of up to 106 at 1 keV. Such optics should provide a revolutionary advance for high resolution lifetime free spectroscopy, such as RIXS, and for pulse compression of chirped beams. We report recent developmental fabrication and characterization of a prototype grating optimized for 14.2 nm EUV light. The prototype grating with a 200 nm period of the blazed grating substrate coated with 20 Mo/Si bilayers with a period of 7.1 nm demonstrates good dispersion in the third order (effective groove density of 15,000 lines per mm) with a diffraction efficiency of more than 33percent.

The ESRF synchrotron beamline ID19, dedicated to full‐field parallel‐beam imaging techniques such as phase‐contrast and absorption microtomography and X‐ray topography, is one of the most versatile instruments of its kind. This paper presents key characteristics of ID19 in its present form, names examples for research and development performed on the beamline, and outlines the plans for an upgrade on the beamline in coming years, to adapt to the growing needs of the user community. The technical goals envisioned include an increase in available beam size and maximum photon energy, and a substantial increase in flux density for applications using beams of small and intermediate size.

We report on a hard X‐ray phase imaging microscopy (a phase‐difference microscopy) that consists of an objective and a transmission grating. The simple optical system provides a quantitative phase image, and does not need a wave field mostly coherent on the objective. Our method has a spatial resolution almost same as that of the absorption contrast microscope image obtained by removing the grating. We demonstrate how our approach provides a phase image from experimentally obtained images. Our approach is attractive for easily appending a quantitative phase‐sensitive mode to normal X‐ray microscopes, and has potentially broad applications in biology and material sciences.

We report on the design and construction of a higher energy Scanning Transmission X‐ray Microscope on a new bend magnet beam line at the Advanced Light Source. Previously we have operated such an instrument on a bend magnet for C, N and O 1s NEXAFS spectroscopy. The new instrument will have similar performance at higher energies up to and including the S 1s edge at 2472eV. A new microscope configuration is planned. A more open geometry will allow a fluorescence detector to count emitted photons from the front surface of the sample. There will be a capability for zone plate scanning in addition to the more conventional sample scanning mode. This will add the capability for imaging a massive sample at high resolution over a limited field of view, so that heavy reaction cells may be used to study processes in‐situ, exploiting the longer photon attenuation length and the longer zone plate working distances available at higher photon energy. The energy range will extend down to include the C1s edge at 300eV, to allow high energy NEXAFS microscopic studies to correlate with the imaging of organics in the same sample region of interest.

In this paper results from the commissioning phase and from first user experiments of a new EXAFS beamline at the DORIS III storage ring are presented. The bending magnet EXAFS beamline A1 underwent a complete rebuild and now covers the energy range 2.4–8 keV. A Ni‐coated toroidal mirror, placed in a 2:1 focusing position and a plane mirror with one Ni coated stripe and one uncoated (SiO2) stripe are used for effective higher harmonics suppression and focusing. The UHV‐compatible fixed‐exit Double Crystal Monochromator (DCM) is equipped with two Si(111) crystal pairs. The second crystal of one of the two crystal pairs is tilted by 90° around the surface normal to shift the position of glitches. It allows Bragg angles between 5° and 55.5° and continuous scans in quick‐EXAFS mode. Test measurements during the commissioning phase proved the excellent performance of the monochromator and a high quality of the XAFS spectra over the entire working range.

The Physikalisch‐Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), the German national metrology institute, has set up the low‐energy electron storage ring Metrology Light Source (MLS) in close cooperation with the Helmholtz‐Zentrum Berlin (HZB, formerly BESSY). This new storage ring has been in regular user operation since April 2008 and is dedicated to synchrotron‐radiation‐based metrology and technological developments in the far‐IR/THz, IR, UV, VUV and EUV spectral range. The MLS has a double‐bend‐achromate lattice structure, injection is from a 105 MeV racetrack microtron. The electron energy can be ramped to any value from 105 MeV up to 630 MeV and the electron beam current covers the range from one stored electron (1 pA) up to 200 mA. The MLS is the first electron storage ring optimized for the generation of coherent synchrotron radiation, based on an electron bunch shortening mode. In this mode, MLS delivers coherent radiation in the far‐IR/THz spectral range with enhanced intensity as compared to the normal mode of operation. Several beamlines are in operation or in construction, including one undulator beamline, bending magnet beamlines for the calibration of radiation sources and detectors and for reflectometry, an EUV metrology beamline and three IR/THz beamlines.

Lithography using synchrotron radiation in the x‐ray regime provides a powerful method to produce mechanical components of sub‐millimeter size with a very good quality for microtechnological applications. In recent years the demand for x‐ray lithography beamtime for industrial production of microparts increased rapidly resulting in the development of new experimental endstations at synchrotron radiation sources dedicated for the production of micromechanical devices. We present in this work the layout of the new x‐ray lithography beamline BL1 at the synchrotron radiation source DELTA in Dortmund and discuss first results of exposure tests.

SyLMAND, the Synchrotron Laboratory for Micro and Nano Devices at the Canadian Light Source, consists of a dedicated X‐ray lithography beamline on a bend magnet port, and process support laboratories in a clean room environment. The beamline includes a double mirror system with flat, chromium‐coated silicon mirrors operated at varying grazing angles of incidence (4 mrad to 45 mrad) for spectral adjustment by high energy cut‐off. Each mirror can be independently moved by two stepper motors to precisely control the pitch and vertical position. We present in this paper the machine protection system implemented in the double mirror system to allow for safe operation of the two mirrors and to avoid consequences of potential stepper motor malfunction.

We present an overview of the two SPring‐8 diagnostics beamlines, the beamline I (dipole magnet source) and II (insertion device source). At the beamline I, synchrotron radiation (SR) in both the X‐ray and the visible bands is exploited for characterizations of the electron beam. At the beamline II, by observing the spectral, spatial, and temporal characteristics of X‐ray SR of the insertion device (ID), new techniques for accelerator diagnostics are investigated. Irradiation experiments with the ID to develop accelerator components such as photon absorbers, and production of intensive 10 MeV γ‐rays by backward Compton scattering of external far infrared (FIR) laser photons are being prepared at the beamline II.

Diamond crystals are becoming more important or indispensable as critical 3rd‐ and 4th‐generation synchrotron optical components. However, diamond generally contains various defects, among which stacking faults (SFs) are most detrimental since they are planar defects that can exist in all kinds of diamonds with dimensions up to square millimeters. Here we introduce our topographic studies of common defects and particularly SFs in diamonds. In monochromatic topography, SFs show strong black contrast on the rocking curve tails, thus broadening the rocking curve width and reducing the cleanness of the diffraction spectrum. On the Bragg peak, SFs appear as white‐line contrast (absence of diffraction), indicating that they can significantly reduce the Bragg reflectivity. SFs always show black contrast in white‐beam topography caused by the simultaneous diffraction of a range of wavelengths from the SFs. These results may provide clear guidelines for understanding the performance of diamonds in synchrotron opti...

Flux is a simple yet key indicator of overall beamline alignment. For many synchrotron measurements, the energy resolution and reproducibility are important characteristics as well. However, many beamlines do not have diffractometers capable of measuring the energy resolution in the experimental hutches. For absolute flux measurements, we have found that thickness calibrated Si photodiodes make very convenient, robust detectors capable of handling a wide flux range. For measuring the energy resolution, we have developed a simple, portable instrument analyzer applicable to any beamline with a scanning monochromator. This same instrument is capable of measuring the energy stability and reproducibility as well. We have used these to characterize many of the beamlines on the NSLS X‐ray ring, and will present the methods and our experience to date to demonstrate their usefulness.

GM/CA‐CAT has developed a 1‐μm beam for challenging micro‐diffraction experiments with macromolecular crystals (e.g. small crystals) and for radiation damage studies. Reflective (Kirkpatrick‐Baez mirrors) and diffractive (Fresnel zone plates) optics have been used to focus the beam. Both cases are constrained by the need to maintain a small beam convergence. Using two different zone plates, 1.0×1.0 and 0.8×0.9 μm2 (V×H,FWHM) beams were created at 15.2 keV and 18.5 keV, respectively. Additionally, by introducing a vertical focusing mirror upstream of the zone plate, a line focus at 15.2 keV was created (28×1.4 μm2 V×H,FWHM) with the line oriented perpendicular to the X‐ray polarization and the crystal rotation axis. Crystal‐mounting stages with nanometer resolution have been assembled to profile these beams and to perform diffraction experiments.

At the high energy synchrotron radiation beamline BW5 at DORIS III at DESY a new monochromator providing broad energy bandwidth and high reflectivity is in use. On a small 10×10×5 mm3 silicon crystal scattering at the (311) reflection a thermal gradient is applied, which tunes the scattered energy bandwidth. The (311) reflection strongly suppresses the higher harmonics allowing the use of an image plate detector for crystallography. The monochromator can be used at photon energies above 60 keV.

On the 700 MeV MAX III ring at MAX‐lab, a 6.65 m off‐axis eagle type monochromator beamline has recently been commissioned. The beamline is sourced by an apple type variable polarization undulator. The energy range of the beamline is 4.6–50 eV and the resolving power achieved is more than 100,000. There are two branch lines, one for angle and spin resolved photoemission studies from solids and the other for gas phase and luminescence experiments. We present the design and performance of the beamline.

X‐ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD) spectra from a 5 μm polycrystalline Gd foil were measured in transmission across the Gd L2,3 edges using the Multipurpose Unit for Synchronisation, Sequencing and Triggering (MUSST) card developed at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF). The circularly polarized x‐rays were produced by a diamond phase‐plate and their helicity was rapidly reversed through the use of a piezo driven device. The signal measured for each helicity was recorded by the MUSST card synchronized to the helicity reversal. The results are compared to those obtained using an analogue lock‐in technique.

For the development of an X‐ray beam position monitor (XBPM) for the superconducting wiggler (SW) at the NSRRC, two XBPM are installed in the SW front end. The blades of the XBPM were manufactured with material of three types; tungsten, Glidcop and aluminium, to test the effect of the material on the performance of the XBPM. These three materials are compared with blades of molybdenum that were previously installed. The vibration and thermal expansion of the pillar of a XBPM affects the position reading of the XBPM. For pillars of XBPM of various designs, each type has a distinct thermal isolating material and is filled with a separate damping material for comparison. The design requirements of these XBPM include high spatial resolution of the monitor and mechanical stability of the structure with a large thermal load. The design, fabrication and measurement results are presented here.

Synchrotron radiation (SR) is a fundamental tool for X-ray research. In particular, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) accesses information as electronic properties, local structure or chemical-physical state in condensed-matter studies. Ionization chambers (ICs) are the most widely used XAS detectors for transmission measurements because of their reliability, high linearity and good stability. Recently, solid-state detectors have been considered and Si p-i-n has been applied to high fluxes (10{sup 11} ph/s), where the linearity of ICs is no longer guaranteed. Silicon photodiodes exhibit an extremely linear response in at least 5 decades but show diffraction peaks. Diamond is an ideal substrate to produce radiation-hard, low dark current (

The Maia detector system is engineered for energy dispersive x‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy and elemental imaging at photon rates exceeding 107/s, integrated scanning of samples for pixel transit times as small as 50μs and high definition images of 108 pixels and real‐time processing of detected events for spectral deconvolution and online display of pure elemental images. The system developed by CSIRO and BNL combines a planar silicon 384 detector array, application‐specific integrated circuits for pulse shaping and peak detection and sampling and optical data transmission to an FPGA‐based pipelined, parallel processor. This paper describes the system and the underpinning engineering solutions.