PETRA IV Workshop on Research with High-Energy X-rays at Ultra-Low Emittance Sources

Recent advances in storage ring technology pioneered by MAX IV (Sweden) allow synchrotron radiation sources to achieve significantly smaller emittances than those currently in operation. This new, multi-bend achromat technology can thus boost spectral brightness, enabling unprecedented experimental possibilities. The high-energy synchrotron radiation facilities ESRF (France), SPring-8 (Japan), and APS (USA) have settled upgrade plans to improve their storage ring emittance by up to two orders of magnitude at 6 GeV electron energy. PETRA III at DESY has the largest circumference with 2.3 km. As the emittance scales favorably with the storage ring size, an upgrade of PETRA III offers the unique potential to reach a diffraction limit up to X-ray energies of 10 keV. Operating at 6 GeV with an emittance of 10 pmrad, this PETRA IV facility would pave the way for new experimental opportunities, especially for those using high photon energies.     

From Atoms to Aerosols: A Workshop on Opportunities for Chemical Physics at the ALS

Can the capabilities of the “big three” synchrotron radiation facilities still be “big” in the future? The three third-generation synchrotron radiation facilities — ESRF, APS, and SPring-8 — were inaugurated with performances significantly beyond that of smaller, lower-energy machines. For the past few years, though, mid-scale (～3 GeV) low-emittance machines, both operating and planned, have been gaining ground, in part taking advantage of the technological developments at the larger rings. The future competitiveness of the big three was one of the issues addressed during the ESRF/APS/SPring-8 Three-Way Meeting.     

Broad band infrared near-field spectroscopy at finger print region using SPring-8

The authors report infrared near-field spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation at BL43IR, SPring-8 in the finger print region. At the microspectroscopy station, the infrared synchrotron radiation beam is focused on a cantilever probe with a 3 μm square aperture. A comb-shaped Au electrode with the width of 3 μm and the distance of 3 μm is used for the reflection measurement. The Au electrodes can be resolved at 650 cm⁻¹ and the resolution is estimated to be λ/5.     

In situ X-ray observation of decomposition of hydrous aluminum silicate AlSiO3OH and aluminum oxide hydroxide d-AlOOH at high pressure and temperature

We clarified the stability limit of phase Egg, AlSiO₃OH, a candidate for water reservoir in the siliceous sediment of slabs in the transition zone conditions by in situ X-ray observation using high energy X-ray from synchrotron radiation source of SPring-8. Phase Egg is stable at least up to 1625 °C at 17 GPa. We observed decomposition of phase Egg into δ-AlOOH and stishovite at pressures greater than 23 GPa at temperatures below 1200 °C. No water release occurs associated with the decomposition. At temperatures above 1200 °C at 23 GPa, we observed decomposition of phase Egg into corundum+stishovite+fluid. We also determined the phase boundary of the decomposition reaction of δ-AlOOH to corumdum+fluid based on the in situ X-ray diffraction at high pressure and temperature.     

Ksrs inaugurated in moscow

To foster scientific collaborations among the Advanced Photon Source (APS), the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), and the Super Photon Ring-8 GeV (SPring-8), the three facilities meet on a regular basis to hold technical discussions on accelerator and beamline topics and management and operational issues of common interest. The 2008 Three-Way Meeting (3WM) was held on March 18–19 at the APS with more than 20 representatives from each facility. Satellite workshops were also held on the topics of X-ray Optics, Nanoscience with X-rays, User Services, and Accelerator R&;D. The 3WM and satellite workshops served as platforms for presentations and discussions of new and exciting developments at the three synchrotron sources.     

Structural and magnetic properties of the phase transition in absorbed and non-absorbed copper(II) trans-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate

A large amount of toluene can be absorbed into the 1-dimensional tunnels in copper(II) trans-1,4-cyclohexane dicarboxylate (Cu(trans-1,4-OOCC₆H₁₀C)) at room temperature, and it can be desorbed by evacuation at elevated temperatures. The reversible absorption/desorption behavior of toluene was studied by magnetic susceptibility measurements using SQUID magnetometer and by powder X-ray diffractometry with high-energy synchrotron radiation at SPring-8, Japan. The first order phase transition was observed at 160 K in the magnetic susceptibility curve for the empty (non-absorbed or desorbed) sample, and the structural difference between the low and high temperature phases was detected in the powder X-ray diffraction patterns. On the other hand, no phase transition was observed in fully toluene-absorbed sample, and the structure was similar to that of the low temperature phase of the empty sample. The absorption/desorption behavior observed in the present study coincides with the results of heat capacity measurements by adiabatic calorimetry reported previously.     

Status of PRESS-MAG-O: The experimental apparatus to probe materials and phenomena under extreme conditions at Frascati

In this contribution we up-to-date the status of the PRESS-MAG-O device, a new instrument under commissioning at the INFN designed to perform magnetic and spectroscopic experiments on samples under extreme conditions. The system has been designed to work at SINBAD, the IR synchrotron radiation beamline operational at DAΦNE. The instrument, that is the result of a significant R&D, will allow performing concurrent high harmonic ac magnetic susceptibility measurements and magneto-optic experiments on a sample under high pressure, with a variable DC magnetic field in a wide temperature range. The vacuum vessel has been designed with four crossing windows to allow optical measurements in the transmission geometry on the sample loaded inside a Diamond Anvil Cell. A new superconducting miniaturized micro-SQUID gradiometer has been also developed to detect the low magnetic signal of the sample and a customized optical system has also been designed to perform IR synchrotron radiation experiments.     

The study of orbital ordering with resonant x‐ray scattering

Japan has nearly 50 years of history in synchrotron radiation (SR) research and has realized the importance of synchrotron radiation in science advancement since the very beginning. As a result, many SR facilities have been constructed. Today, there are eight SR facilities in operation and three facilities under construction in Japan. Figure 1 shows the location of these facilities with their opening years. Japan has built the world's largest storage ring with circumference of 1.4 km (SPring-8) and the world's smallest ring with circumference of 3 m (Ritsumeikan SRC).     

Direct observation of charge transfer in double-perovskite-like RbMn[Fe(CN)6

The charge density distribution has been determined for a transition metal cyanide, RbMn[Fe(CN)(6)], by means of the maximum entropy-Rietveld method combined with the highly angularly resolved synchrotron radiation x-ray powder diffraction at SPring-8 BL02B2. We directly observed a charge transfer from the Mn site to the Fe site in the low-temperature phase. On the basis of a local density approximation calculation, we discuss the origin for the anisotropic bonding electron distribution around the Mn3+ ion in the low-temperature phase.     

High resolution hard X-ray photoemission using synchrotron radiation as an essential tool for characterization of thin solid films

Recently, we have shown that hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy using undulator X-rays at SPring-8 is quite feasible with both high resolution and high throughput. Here we report an application of hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy to the characterization of electronic and chemical states of thin solid films, for which conventional PES is not applicable. As a typical example, we focus on the problem of the scatter in the reported band-gap values for InN. We show that oxygen incorporation into the InN film strongly modifies the valence and plays a crucial role in the band gap problem. The present results demonstrate the powerful applicability of high resolution photoemission spectroscopy with hard X-rays from a synchrotron source.     

AOFSRR 2014 in Taiwan

The Asia-Oceania Forum for Synchrotron Radiation Research (AOFSRR) was formally established by Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand in 2006. Its objective is to strengthen the collaboration, as well as the inter-communication, among the synchrotron radiation facilities and to promote synchrotron radiation sciences and accelerator-based research in the Asia-Oceania region. Regular meetings have been organized to uphold its objective. The first scientific meeting of AOFSRR took place at KEK, Japan, in 2006. Member countries have been taking turns to organize meetings: Taiwan (NSRRC, 2007), Australia (Australian Synchrotron, 2008), China (SSRF, 2009), South Korea (POSTEC, 2010), Thailand (SLRI, 2012), and Japan (SPring-8, 2013). In 2014, the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC) hosted the Eighth Asia-Oceania Forum for Synchrotron Radiation Research (AOFSRR 2014) from September 15th to 18th in Hsinchu, Taiwan. The NSRRC is located in the Hsinchu Science Park, within an hour's drive from Taipei, the largest city in Taiwan. Hsinchu is a city not only composed of historical landmarks but also the heartland of high-tech semiconductor industries in Taiwan.     

Single-nanometer focusing of hard x-rays by Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors

We have constructed an extremely precise optical system for hard-x-ray nanofocusing in a synchrotron radiation beamline. Precision multilayer mirrors were fabricated, tested, and employed as Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors with a novel phase error compensator. In the phase compensator, an at-wavelength wavefront error sensing method based on x-ray interferometry and an in situ phase compensator mirror, which adaptively deforms with nanometer precision, were developed to satisfy the Rayleigh criterion to achieve diffraction-limited focusing in a single-nanometer range. The performance of the optics was tested at BL29XUL of SPring-8 and was confirmed to realize a spot size of approximately 7 nm.     

同步辐射X射线荧光光谱国内外研究进展

同步辐射光源是带电粒子在加速器储存环中以接近光速的速度运动时,沿轨道切线方向发射出的辐射,同步辐射X射线荧光分析(SR-XRF)是以同步辐射X射线作为激发光源的X荧光光谱分析技术.同步辐射X射线荧光分析包括了用于微区及微量元素分析的同步辐射XRF、用于表面及薄膜分析的同步辐射全反射X射线荧光(SR-TXRF)以及用于三...     

In situ investigation of synchrotron radiation damage effect of ancient paintings by time-resolved ED-XAS and IR combined techniques

Advanced synchrotron radiation light is a powerful tool for archaeometry research. However, its applications to precious cultural relics, especially for color painting, have been hindered to some degree due to potential X-ray radiation damage. Compared to inorganic mineral pigments, organic binders in the painting are easier to be damaged by synchrotron radiation X-ray beam. The radiation damage effect of two typical painting samples, pure rabbit skin glue and the mixed sample of rabbit skin glue and zinc white, has been investigated by in situ time-resolved ED-XAS and IR combined techniques. The results show that the radiation damage effect of pure rabbit skin glue is more serious at low X-ray energy (7775 eV). The radiation damage effect of the mixed sample increases significantly due to more X-ray absorption by inorganic pigments. Furthermore, the radiation damage is more serious at the energy near Zn K-edge and is somewhat slight at higher energy (13,054 eV). These damages are more obvious from the point of view of protein secondary structures. The irradiation damage effects increase more rapidly at the beginning and are not linear with the irradiating time. The results indicate that synchrotron radiation damage can be reduced effectively by using X-ray energy far away from the X-ray absorption edge of the major element in the pigments during XRF, XRD and CT experiments, or by using time-resolved techniques such as QXAFS and ED-XAS during XAFS experiments.     

BL43IR at SPring-8 redirected

BL43IR at SPring-8 is overviewed regarding the beamline properties on the flux, the brilliance and the noise in comparison with the conventional thermal radiation (TR). The flux is comparable to the TR, and what makes the most of BL43IR is to utilize the high brilliance. We redirect our strategy to concentrate on the microscopes with highly brilliant infrared radiation from SPring-8 and attract the vast TR spectroscopy community.     

Measurement of hard X-ray coherence in the presence of a rotating random-phase-screen diffuser

A suitably large coherence area is important in coherent X-ray optics, when using techniques such as interferometry or phase contrast imaging (PCI). The work done by Suzuki using a prism interferometer to measure X-ray coherence at 12.4 keV [1] is here extended to consider the use of a diffuser at the bio-medical imaging energy of 25 keV. In order to achieve a broader, more even X-ray field and eliminate speckle, a spinning piece of paper may be used as a rotating random-phase screen to diffuse the hard X-ray beam, but this will concomitantly decrease the magnitude of the complex degree of second-order coherence. We also study the effect of source size and source-to-sample distance on coherence, where imaging area and required flux must be considered. Coherence measurements at the 20XU beamline at the SPring-8 synchrotron are compared to results from wave-optical computer modelling. These show that while the diffuser will decrease the magnitude of the complex degree of coherence, further free-space propagation will lessen this effect. In the design of an experiment, the collimating slit size and use of a diffuser must therefore be balanced with distance from the source, in order to maximise coherence while maintaining the desired field of view and exposure time.     

同步辐射讲座第五讲微电子机械系统加工新方法--LIGA技术

简述了微电子机械系统的起源和特点，介绍了LIGA技术的基本原理以及一些相关技术，对同步辐射深度光刻的技术要求进行了详细地说明，并介绍了国内外利用LIGA技术进行微电子机械系统研发的现状。     

International Perspective on Government Nanotechnology Funding in 2005

The worldwide investment in nanotechnology research and development (R&D) reported by national government organizations and EC has increased approximately 9-fold in the last 8 years – from $432 million in 1997 to about $4,100 million in 2005. The proportion of national government investments for: academic R&D and education are between 20% (Korea, Taiwan) and 65% (US), industrial R&D – between 5% (US) and 60% (Korea, Taiwan), and core facilities and government laboratories – about 20–25% in all major contributing economies. This evaluation uses the NNI definition of nanotechnology (that excludes MEMS or microelectronics), and is based on direct information and analysis with managers of nanotechnology R&D programs in the respective countries.     

Modeling and simulations of the cascading failure of multiple interdependent R&D networks under risk propagation

In this paper, we study the robustness of multiple interrelated R&D networks under risk propagation. Firstly, using a bi-partite graph to represent the interrelated R&D networks is emphasized and proposed. Secondly, a risk propagation model is built by defining risk load and risk capacity of each enterprise on a specific R&D network, Thirdly, we use simulations to study risk propagation in interrelated R&D networks. Our results indicate that there exist three critical thresholds to quantify the robustness of R&D networks. Risk propagation in R&D networks is highly affected by the heterogeneity of all enterprises' scales and risk capacities.     

Structure of nanosize bimetals Fe-Co and Fe-Ni

The phase composition and structural features of nano-size powders of Fe-Co and Fe-Ni systems synthesized by reducing the metal salts from strongly alkaline aqueous solutions are investigated by XAFS (XANES/EXAFS) and X-ray diffraction methods by using the synchrotron radiation (EXAFS spectrometer and diffractometer of Siberian SR Center) in combination with ordinary X-ray diffraction methods by using DRON-3.0 and Bruker D8 Advance diffractometers.