Development of scanning electron and x-ray microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matsumura, Tomokazu, E-mail: tomokzau.matsumura@etd.hpk.co.jp; Hirano, Tomohiko, E-mail: tomohiko.hirano@etd.hpk.co.jp; Suyama, Motohiro, E-mail: suyama@etd.hpk.co.jp

We have developed a new type of microscope possessing a unique feature of observing both scanning electron and X-ray images under one unit. Unlike former X-ray microscopes using SEM [1, 2], this scanning electron and X-ray (SELX) microscope has a sample in vacuum, thus it enables one to observe a surface structure of a sample by SEM mode, to search the region of interest, and to observe an X-ray image which transmits the region. For the X-ray observation, we have been focusing on the soft X-ray region from 280 eV to 3 keV to observe some bio samples and softmore » materials. The resolutions of SEM and X-ray modes are 50 nm and 100 nm, respectively, at the electron energy of 7 keV.« less

Imaging properties and its improvements of scanning/imaging x-ray microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takeuchi, Akihisa, E-mail: take@spring8.or.jp; Uesugi, Kentaro; Suzuki, Yoshio

A scanning / imaging X-ray microscope (SIXM) system has been developed at SPring-8. The SIXM consists of a scanning X-ray microscope with a one-dimensional (1D) X-ray focusing device and an imaging (full-field) X-ray microscope with a 1D X-ray objective. The motivation of the SIXM system is to realize a quantitative and highly-sensitive multimodal 3D X-ray tomography by taking advantages of both the scanning X-ray microscope using multi-pixel detector and the imaging X-ray microscope. Data acquisition process of a 2D image is completely different between in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction; a 1D signal is obtained with themore » linear-scanning while the other dimensional signal is obtained with the imaging optics. Such condition have caused a serious problem on the imaging properties that the imaging quality in the vertical direction has been much worse than that in the horizontal direction. In this paper, two approaches to solve this problem will be presented. One is introducing a Fourier transform method for phase retrieval from one phase derivative image, and the other to develop and employ a 1D diffuser to produce an asymmetrical coherent illumination.« less

Design, Fabrication and Testing of Multilayer Coated X-Ray Optics for the Water Window Imaging X-Ray Microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spencer, Dwight C.

1996-01-01

Hoover et. al. built and tested two imaging Schwarzschild multilayer microscopes. These instruments were constructed as prototypes for the "Water Window Imaging X-Ray Microscope," which is a doubly reflecting, multilayer x-ray microscope configured to operate within the "water window." The "water window" is the narrow region of the x-ray spectrum between the K absorption edges of oxygen (lamda = 23.3 Angstroms) and of carbon (lamda = 43.62 Angstroms), where water is relatively highly transmissive and carbon is highly absorptive. This property of these materials, thus permits the use of high resolution multilayer x-ray microscopes for producing high contrast images of carbon-based structures within the aqueous physiological environments of living cells. We report the design, fabrication and testing of multilayer optics that operate in this regime.

Asymetrically driven implosion experiment on the Laser MégaJoule

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philippe, Franck; Seytor, Patricia; Tassin, Veronique; Rosch, Rudolf; Villette, Bruno

2017-10-01

We report on the results of the first implosion experiments performed on the Laser MégaJoule (LMJ) facility. Their main purpose was to study implosion with large polar asymmetries of incident radiative flux on a capsule, while preserving azimuthal symmetry, in the context of ICF. In these experiments, one quad of LMJ is focused axially on a gold shield inside a hohlraum. The shield effectively divides the hohlraum in two compartments, and a capsule placed in the second compartment is indirectly driven by the x-ray flux generated in the first one. The subsequent asymmetric implosion is backlit by an x-ray source generated by another quad of LMJ and imaged with an x-ray microscope coupled to a framing camera. Time-gated x-ray radiographs of the imploding capsule and diode array measurements of the hohlraum x-ray emission are found to be in good agreement with FCI2 radiative hydrodynamics simulations.

Non-destructive determination of thickness of the dielectric layers using EDX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolov, S. A.; Kelm, E. A.; Milovanov, R. A.; Abdullaev, D. A.; Sidorov, L. N.

2016-12-01

In this work a non-destructive method for measuring the thickness of the dielectric layers consisting of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride has been developed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). Rising in accelerating voltage of electron beam leads to increasing in the depth of generation of the characteristic X-ray. If the ratio of the signal intensity of one of the substrate's elements to the noise equal to 3 suggests that the generation's depth of the characteristic X-ray coincides with the thickness of the overlying film. Dependence of the overlying film's thickness on the accelerating voltage can be plotted. Validation of the results was carried out by using the equation of Anderson-Hassler. The generation's volume of the characteristic X-Ray was simulated by CASINO program. The simulations results are in good agreement with experimental results for small thicknesses.

Self-consistent method for quantifying indium content from X-ray spectra of thick compound semiconductor specimens in a transmission electron microscope.

PubMed

Walther, T; Wang, X

2016-05-01

Based on Monte Carlo simulations of X-ray generation by fast electrons we calculate curves of effective sensitivity factors for analytical transmission electron microscopy based energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy including absorption and fluorescence effects, as a function of Ga K/L ratio for different indium and gallium containing compound semiconductors. For the case of InGaN alloy thin films we show that experimental spectra can thus be quantified without the need to measure specimen thickness or density, yielding self-consistent values for quantification with Ga K and Ga L lines. The effect of uncertainties in the detector efficiency are also shown to be reduced. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2015 Royal Microscopical Society.

The Development of a Scanning Soft X-Ray Microscope.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rarback, Harvey Miles

We have developed a scanning soft X-ray microscope, which can be used to image natural biological specimens at high resolution and with less damage than electron microscopy. The microscope focuses a monochromatic beam of synchrotron radiation to a nearly diffraction limited spot with the aid of a high resolution Fresnel zone plate, specially fabricated for us at the IBM Watson Research Center. The specimen at one atmosphere is mechanically scanned through the spot and the transmitted radiation is efficiently detected with a flow proportional counter. A computer forms a realtime transmission image of the specimen which is displayed on a color monitor. Our first generation optics have produced images of natural wet specimens at a resolution of 300 nm.

Development of an adaptable coherent x-ray diffraction microscope with the emphasis on imaging hydrated specimens.

PubMed

Nam, Daewoong; Park, Jaehyun; Gallagher-Jones, Marcus; Shimada, Hiroki; Kim, Sangsoo; Kim, Sunam; Kohmura, Yoshiki; Ishikawa, Tetsuya; Song, Changyong

2013-11-01

This paper describes the development of a versatile coherent x-ray diffraction microscope capable of imaging biological specimens in solution. The microscope is a flexible platform accommodating various conditions, from low vacuum (10(-2) Pa) to helium gas filled ambient pressure. This flexibility greatly expands the application area, from in situ materials science to biology systems in their native state, by significantly relaxing restrictions to the sample environment. The coherent diffraction microscope has been used successfully to image a yeast cell immersed in buffer solution. We believe that the design of this coherent diffraction microscope can be directly adapted to various platforms such as table top soft x-ray laser, synchrotron x-ray sources, and x-ray free electron laser with minor relevant adjustments.

Development of an adaptable coherent x-ray diffraction microscope with the emphasis on imaging hydrated specimens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nam, Daewoong; Park, Jaehyun; Gallagher-Jones, Marcus; Shimada, Hiroki; Kim, Sangsoo; Kim, Sunam; Kohmura, Yoshiki; Ishikawa, Tetsuya; Song, Changyong

2013-11-01

This paper describes the development of a versatile coherent x-ray diffraction microscope capable of imaging biological specimens in solution. The microscope is a flexible platform accommodating various conditions, from low vacuum (10-2 Pa) to helium gas filled ambient pressure. This flexibility greatly expands the application area, from in situ materials science to biology systems in their native state, by significantly relaxing restrictions to the sample environment. The coherent diffraction microscope has been used successfully to image a yeast cell immersed in buffer solution. We believe that the design of this coherent diffraction microscope can be directly adapted to various platforms such as table top soft x-ray laser, synchrotron x-ray sources, and x-ray free electron laser with minor relevant adjustments.

Elemental X-ray mapping of agglutinated foraminifer tests: A non- destructive technique for determining compositional characteristics.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Commeau, R.F.; Reynolds, Leslie A.; Poag, C.W.

1985-01-01

The composition of agglutinated foraminiferal tests vary remarkably in response to local substrate characteristics, physiochemical properties of the water column and species- dependant selectivity of test components. We have employed a technique that combines a scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer system to identify major and minor elemental constituents of agglutinated foraminiferal walls. As a sample is bombarded with a beam of high energy electrons, X-rays are generated that are characteristic of the elements present. As a result, X- ray density maps can be produced for each of several elements present in the tests of agglutinated foraminifers. 

The X-ray microscopy beamline UE46-PGM2 at BESSY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Follath, R.; Schmidt, J. S.; Weigand, M.; Fauth, K.

2010-06-01

The Max Planck Institute for Metal Physics in Stuttgart and the Helmholtz Center Berlin operate a soft X-ray microscopy beamline at the storage ring BESSY II. A collimated PGM serves as monochromator for a scanning X-ray microscope and a full field X-ray microscope at the helical undulator UE46. The selection between both instruments is accomplished via two switchable focusing mirrors. The scanning microscope (SM) is based on the ALS STXM microscope and fabricated by the ACCEL company. The full field microscope (FFM) is currently in operation at the U41-SGM beamline and will be relocated to its final location this year.

Compact scanning transmission x-ray microscope at the photon factory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takeichi, Yasuo, E-mail: yasuo.takeichi@kek.jp; Inami, Nobuhito; Ono, Kanta

We report the design and performance of a compact scanning transmission X-ray microscope developed at the Photon Factory. Piezo-driven linear stages are used as coarse stages of the microscope to realize excellent compactness, mobility, and vibrational and thermal stability. An X-ray beam with an intensity of ∼10{sup 7} photons/s was focused to a diameter of ∼40 nm at the sample. At the soft X-ray undulator beamline used with the microscope, a wide range of photon energies (250–1600 eV) is available. The microscope has been used to research energy materials and in environmental sciences.

Development of x-ray laminography under an x-ray microscopic condition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoshino, Masato; Uesugi, Kentaro; Takeuchi, Akihisa

2011-07-15

An x-ray laminography system under an x-ray microscopic condition was developed to obtain a three-dimensional structure of laterally-extended planar objects which were difficult to observe by x-ray tomography. An x-ray laminography technique was introduced to an x-ray transmission microscope with zone plate optics. Three prototype sample holders were evaluated for x-ray imaging laminography. Layered copper grid sheets were imaged as a laminated sample. Diatomite powder on a silicon nitride membrane was measured to confirm the applicability of this method to non-planar micro-specimens placed on the membrane. The three-dimensional information of diatom shells on the membrane was obtained at a spatialmore » resolution of sub-micron. Images of biological cells on the membrane were also obtained by using a Zernike phase contrast technique.« less

X ray microscope assembly and alignment support and advanced x ray microscope design and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shealy, David L.

1991-01-01

Considerable efforts have been devoted recently to the design, analysis, fabrication, and testing of spherical Schwarzschild microscopes for soft x ray application in microscopy and projection lithography. The spherical Schwarzschild microscope consists of two concentric spherical mirrors configured such that the third order spherical aberration and coma are zero. Since multilayers are used on the mirror substrates for x ray applications, it is desirable to have only two reflecting surfaces in a microscope. In order to reduce microscope aberrations and increase the field of view, generalized mirror surface profiles have been considered in this investigation. Based on incoherent and sine wave modulation transfer function (MTF) calculations, the object plane resolution of a microscope has been analyzed as a function of the object height and numerical aperture (NA) of the primary for several spherical Schwarzschild, conic, and aspherical head reflecting two mirror microscope configurations.

Trace Element Mapping of a Biological Specimen by a Full-Field X-ray Fluorescence Imaging Microscope with a Wolter Mirror

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoshino, Masato; Yamada, Norimitsu; Ishino, Toyoaki; Namiki, Takashi; Watanabe, Norio; Aoki, Sadao

2007-01-01

A full-field X-ray fluorescence imaging microscope with a Wolter mirror was applied to the element mapping of alfalfa seeds. The X-ray fluorescence microscope was built at the Photon Factory BL3C2 (KEK). X-ray fluorescence images of several growing stages of the alfalfa seeds were obtained. X-ray fluorescence energy spectra were measured with either a solid state detector or a CCD photon counting method. The element distributions of iron and zinc which were included in the seeds were obtained using a photon counting method.

Imaging Schwarzschild multilayer X-ray microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, Richard B.; Baker, Phillip C.; Shealy, David L.; Core, David B.; Walker, Arthur B. C., Jr.; Barbee, Troy W., Jr.; Kerstetter, Ted

1993-01-01

We have designed, analyzed, fabricated, and tested Schwarzschild multilayer X-ray microscopes. These instruments use flow-polished Zerodur mirror substrates which have been coated with multilayers optimized for maximum reflectivity at normal incidence at 135 A. They are being developed as prototypes for the Water Window Imaging X-Ray Microscope. Ultrasmooth mirror sets of hemlite grade sapphire have been fabricated and they are now being coated with multilayers to reflect soft X-rays at 38 A, within the biologically important 'water window'. In this paper, we discuss the fabrication of the microscope optics and structural components as well as the mounting of the optics and assembly of the microscopes. We also describe the optical alignment, interferometric and visible light testing of the microscopes, present interferometrically measured performance data, and provide the first results of optical imaging tests.

Microscopy and microanalysis of complex nanosized strengthening precipitates in new generation commercial Al-Cu-Li alloys.

PubMed

Guinel, M J-F; Brodusch, N; Sha, G; Shandiz, M A; Demers, H; Trudeau, M; Ringer, S P; Gauvin, R

2014-09-01

Precipitates (ppts) in new generation aluminum-lithium alloys (AA2099 and AA2199) were characterised using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. Results obtained on the following ppts are reported: Guinier-Preston zones, T1 (Al2 CuLi), β' (Al3 Zr) and δ' (Al3 Li). The focus was placed on their composition and the presence of minor elements. X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry in the electron microscopes and mass spectrometry in the atom probe microscope showed that T1 ppts were enriched in zinc (Zn) and magnesium up to about 1.9 and 3.5 at.%, respectively. A concentration of 2.5 at.% Zn in the δ' ppts was also measured. Unlike Li and copper, Zn in the T1 ppts could not be detected using electron energy-loss spectroscopy in the transmission electron microscope because of its too low concentration and the small sizes of these ppts. Indeed, Monte Carlo simulations of EEL spectra for the Zn L2,3 edge showed that the signal-to-noise ratio was not high enough and that the detection limit was at least 2.5 at.%, depending on the probe current. Also, the simulation of X-ray spectra confirmed that the detection limit was exceeded for the Zn Kα X-ray line because the signal-to-noise ratio was high enough in that case, which is in agreement with our observations. © 2014 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2014 Royal Microscopical Society.

Correction of absorption-edge artifacts in polychromatic X-ray tomography in a scanning electron microscope for 3D microelectronics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Laloum, D., E-mail: david.laloum@cea.fr; CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9; STMicroelectronics, 850 rue Jean Monnet, 38926 Crolles

2015-01-15

X-ray tomography is widely used in materials science. However, X-ray scanners are often based on polychromatic radiation that creates artifacts such as dark streaks. We show this artifact is not always due to beam hardening. It may appear when scanning samples with high-Z elements inside a low-Z matrix because of the high-Z element absorption edge: X-rays whose energy is above this edge are strongly absorbed, violating the exponential decay assumption for reconstruction algorithms and generating dark streaks. A method is proposed to limit the absorption edge effect and is applied on a microelectronic case to suppress dark streaks between interconnections.

Design of an imaging microscope for soft X-ray applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoover, Richard B.; Shealy, David L.; Gabardi, David R.; Walker, Arthur B. C., Jr.; Lindblom, Joakim F.

1988-01-01

An imaging soft X-ray microscope with a spatial resolution of 0.1 micron and normal incidence multilayer optics is discussed. The microscope has a Schwarzschild configuration, which consists of two concentric spherical mirrors with radii of curvature which minimize third-order spherical aberration, coma, and astigmatism. The performance of the Stanford/MSFC Cassegrain X-ray telescope and its relevance to the present microscope are addressed. A ray tracing analysis of the optical system indicates that diffraction-limited performance can be expected for an object height of 0.2 mm.

When will Low-Contrast Features be Visible in a STEM X-Ray Spectrum Image?

PubMed

Parish, Chad M

2015-06-01

When will a small or low-contrast feature, such as an embedded second-phase particle, be visible in a scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) X-ray map? This work illustrates a computationally inexpensive method to simulate X-ray maps and spectrum images (SIs), based upon the equations of X-ray generation and detection. To particularize the general procedure, an example of nanostructured ferritic alloy (NFA) containing nm-sized Y2Ti2O7 embedded precipitates in ferritic stainless steel matrix is chosen. The proposed model produces physically appearing simulated SI data sets, which can either be reduced to X-ray dot maps or analyzed via multivariate statistical analysis. Comparison to NFA X-ray maps acquired using three different STEM instruments match the generated simulations quite well, despite the large number of simplifying assumptions used. A figure of merit of electron dose multiplied by X-ray collection solid angle is proposed to compare feature detectability from one data set (simulated or experimental) to another. The proposed method can scope experiments that are feasible under specific analysis conditions on a given microscope. Future applications, such as spallation proton-neutron irradiations, core-shell nanoparticles, or dopants in polycrystalline photovoltaic solar cells, are proposed.

Electron and fluorescence spectra of a water molecule irradiated by an x-ray free-electron laser pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schäfer, Julia M.; Inhester, Ludger; Son, Sang-Kil; Fink, Reinhold F.; Santra, Robin

2018-05-01

With the highly intense x-ray light generated by x-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs), molecular samples can be ionized many times in a single pulse. Here we report on a computational study of molecular spectroscopy at the high x-ray intensity provided by XFELs. Calculated photoelectron, Auger electron, and x-ray fluorescence spectra are presented for a single water molecule that reaches many electronic hole configurations through repeated ionization steps. The rich details shown in the spectra depend on the x-ray pulse parameters in a nonintuitive way. We discuss how the observed trends can be explained by the competition of microscopic electronic transition processes. A detailed comparison between spectra calculated within the independent-atom model and within the molecular-orbital framework highlights the chemical sensitivity of the spectral lines of multiple-hole configurations. Our results demonstrate how x-ray multiphoton ionization-related effects such as charge-rearrangement-enhanced x-ray ionization of molecules and frustrated absorption manifest themselves in the electron and fluorescence spectra.

Laboratory-size three-dimensional water-window x-ray microscope with Wolter type I mirror optics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ohsuka, Shinji; The Graduate School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries, 1955-1 Kurematsu-cho, Nishi-ku, Hamamatsu-City, 431-1202; Ohba, Akira

2016-01-28

We constructed a laboratory-size three-dimensional water-window x-ray microscope that combines wide-field transmission x-ray microscopy with tomographic reconstruction techniques. It consists of an electron-impact x-ray source emitting oxygen Kα x-rays, Wolter type I grazing incidence mirror optics, and a back-illuminated CCD for x-ray imaging. A spatial resolution limit better than 1.0 line pairs per micrometer was obtained for two-dimensional transmission images, and 1-μm-scale three-dimensional fine structures were resolved.

PtyNAMi: ptychographic nano-analytical microscope at PETRA III: interferometrically tracking positions for 3D x-ray scanning microscopy using a ball-lens retroreflector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroer, Christian G.; Seyrich, Martin; Kahnt, Maik; Botta, Stephan; Döhrmann, Ralph; Falkenberg, Gerald; Garrevoet, Jan; Lyubomirskiy, Mikhail; Scholz, Maria; Schropp, Andreas; Wittwer, Felix

2017-09-01

In recent years, ptychography has revolutionized x-ray microscopy in that it is able to overcome the diffraction limit of x-ray optics, pushing the spatial resolution limit down to a few nanometers. However, due to the weak interaction of x rays with matter, the detection of small features inside a sample requires a high coherent fluence on the sample, a high degree of mechanical stability, and a low background signal from the x-ray microscope. The x-ray scanning microscope PtyNAMi at PETRA III is designed for high-spatial-resolution 3D imaging with high sensitivity. The design concept is presented with a special focus on real-time metrology of the sample position during tomographic scanning microscopy.

Eight-channel Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope for multiframe x-ray imaging diagnostics in laser plasma experiments.

PubMed

Yi, Shengzhen; Zhang, Zhe; Huang, Qiushi; Zhang, Zhong; Mu, Baozhong; Wang, Zhanshan; Fang, Zhiheng; Wang, Wei; Fu, Sizu

2016-10-01

Because grazing-incidence Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB) microscopes have better resolution and collection efficiency than pinhole cameras, they have been widely used for x-ray imaging diagnostics of laser inertial confinement fusion. The assembly and adjustment of a multichannel KB microscope must meet stringent requirements for image resolution and reproducible alignment. In the present study, an eight-channel KB microscope was developed for diagnostics by imaging self-emission x-rays with a framing camera at the Shenguang-II Update (SGII-Update) laser facility. A consistent object field of view is ensured in the eight channels using an assembly method based on conical reference cones, which also allow the intervals between the eight images to be tuned to couple with the microstrips of the x-ray framing camera. The eight-channel KB microscope was adjusted via real-time x-ray imaging experiments in the laboratory. This paper describes the details of the eight-channel KB microscope, its optical and multilayer design, the assembly and alignment methods, and results of imaging in the laboratory and at the SGII-Update.

Water window imaging x ray microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, Richard B. (Inventor)

1992-01-01

A high resolution x ray microscope for imaging microscopic structures within biological specimens has an optical system including a highly polished primary and secondary mirror coated with identical multilayer coatings, the mirrors acting at normal incidence. The coatings have a high reflectivity in the narrow wave bandpass between 23.3 and 43.7 angstroms and have low reflectivity outside of this range. The primary mirror has a spherical concave surface and the secondary mirror has a spherical convex surface. The radii of the mirrors are concentric about a common center of curvature on the optical axis of the microscope extending from the object focal plane to the image focal plane. The primary mirror has an annular configuration with a central aperture and the secondary mirror is positioned between the primary mirror and the center of curvature for reflecting radiation through the aperture to a detector. An x ray filter is mounted at the stage end of the microscope, and film sensitive to x rays in the desired band width is mounted in a camera at the image plane of the optical system. The microscope is mounted within a vacuum chamber for minimizing the absorption of x rays in air from a source through the microscope.

Integrated circuit authentication using photon-limited x-ray microscopy.

PubMed

Markman, Adam; Javidi, Bahram

2016-07-15

A counterfeit integrated circuit (IC) may contain subtle changes to its circuit configuration. These changes may be observed when imaged using an x-ray; however, the energy from the x-ray can potentially damage the IC. We have investigated a technique to authenticate ICs under photon-limited x-ray imaging. We modeled an x-ray image with lower energy by generating a photon-limited image from a real x-ray image using a weighted photon-counting method. We performed feature extraction on the image using the speeded-up robust features (SURF) algorithm. We then authenticated the IC by comparing the SURF features to a database of SURF features from authentic and counterfeit ICs. Our experimental results with real and counterfeit ICs using an x-ray microscope demonstrate that we can correctly authenticate an IC image captured using orders of magnitude lower energy x-rays. To the best of our knowledge, this Letter is the first one on using a photon-counting x-ray imaging model and relevant algorithms to authenticate ICs to prevent potential damage.

Sub-25-nm laboratory x-ray microscopy using a compound Fresnel zone plate.

PubMed

von Hofsten, Olov; Bertilson, Michael; Reinspach, Julia; Holmberg, Anders; Hertz, Hans M; Vogt, Ulrich

2009-09-01

Improving the resolution in x-ray microscopes is of high priority to enable future applications in nanoscience. However, high-resolution zone-plate optics often have low efficiency, which makes implementation in laboratory microscopes difficult. We present a laboratory x-ray microscope based on a compound zone plate. The compound zone plate utilizes multiple diffraction orders to achieve high resolution while maintaining reasonable efficiency. We analyze the illumination conditions necessary for this type of optics in order to suppress stray light and demonstrate microscopic imaging resolving 25 nm features.

Design and analysis of multilayer x ray/XUV microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shealy, David L.

1990-01-01

The design and analysis of a large number of normal incidence multilayer x ray microscopes based on the spherical mirror Schwarzschild configuration is examined. Design equations for the spherical mirror Schwarzschild microscopes are summarized and used to evaluate mirror parameters for microscopes with magnifications ranging from 2 to 50x. Ray tracing and diffraction analyses are carried out for many microscope configurations to determine image resolution as a function of system parameters. The results are summarized in three publication included herein. A preliminary study of advanced reflecting microscope configurations, where aspherics are used in place of the spherical microscope mirror elements, has indicated that the aspherical elements will improve off-axis image resolution and increase the effective field of view.

Time-Resolved, High-Resolution, X-Ray Microscopy of In-Vitro Biological and Life Science Specimens with the Aid of Laser Plasmas

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-30

transmissive Fresnel lens. We have made considerable effort in the last few years to explore the potential of x-ray multilayer-coated Schwarzschild x-ray...ray mirror fabrication and efficient x-ray mirror design. A 120mm diameter, NA = 0.35, 15X Schwarzschild microscope coated with Ni/C multilayer mios for...et al 2 developed a smaller, 33mm diameter, NA - 0.28, 15X Schwarzschild microscope coated with a W/C multilayer mirror for 4.4nm, in the socalled

When will low-contrast features be visible in a STEM X-ray spectrum image?

DOE PAGES

Parish, Chad M.

2015-04-01

When will a small or low-contrast feature, such as an embedded second-phase particle, be visible in a scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) X-ray map? This work illustrates a computationally inexpensive method to simulate X-ray maps and spectrum images (SIs), based upon the equations of X-ray generation and detection. To particularize the general procedure, an example of nanostructured ferritic alloy (NFA) containing nm-sized Y 2Ti 2O 7 embedded precipitates in ferritic stainless steel matrix is chosen. The proposed model produces physically appearing simulated SI data sets, which can either be reduced to X-ray dot maps or analyzed via multivariate statistical analysis.more » Comparison to NFA X-ray maps acquired using three different STEM instruments match the generated simulations quite well, despite the large number of simplifying assumptions used. A figure of merit of electron dose multiplied by X-ray collection solid angle is proposed to compare feature detectability from one data set (simulated or experimental) to another. The proposed method can scope experiments that are feasible under specific analysis conditions on a given microscope. As a result, future applications, such as spallation proton–neutron irradiations, core-shell nanoparticles, or dopants in polycrystalline photovoltaic solar cells, are proposed.« less

Monte Carlo Simulation to Determine Geometry Effects on Quantitative X-ray Microanalysis in Plant Cell Walls Using Gelatin Standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tylko, Grzegorz; Dubchak, Sergyi; Banach, Zuzanna; Turnau, Katarzyna

2010-04-01

Monte Carlo simulations of gelatin matrices with known elemental concentrations confirmed the suitability of protein standards to quantify elements of cellulose material in x-ray microanalysis. However, gelatin standards and cellulose plant cell walls differ in structure, what influences x-ray generation and emission in both specimens. The goal of the project was to establish the influence of gelatin structure on x-ray generation and its usefulness to calculate elemental concentrations in plant cell walls of different width. Roots of Medicago truncatula as well as gelatin standards with known elemental composition were prepared according to freeze-drying protocols. The thermanox polymer was chosen to establish background formation for flat and compact organic materials. All analyses were performed with the scanning electron microscope operated at 10 keV and probe current of 350 pA. The Monte Carlo code Casino was applied to calculate the intensities of the generated and the emitted x-rays from biological matrix of different width. No topography effects of gelatin structure were visible when the raster mode of electron impact was applied to the specimen. Monte Carlo simulations of gelatin of different width revealed that a significant decrease of the generated x-ray intensity appears at the width of the specimen around 3.5 μm. However, an increase of emission of low energy x-ray intensities (Na, Mg) was noted at 3.5 μm size with constant emission of higher energy x-rays (Cl, K) down to 2.5 μm width. It determines the minimal size of plant specimen useful for comparison to bulk gelatin standard when quantitative analysis is performed for biologically important elements.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosch, R.; Boutin, J. Y.; Le Breton, J. P.

This article describes x-ray imaging with grazing-incidence microscopes, developed for the experimental program carried out on the Ligne d'Integration Laser (LIL) facility [J. P. Le Breton et al., Inertial Fusion Sciences and Applications 2001 (Elsevier, Paris, 2002), pp. 856-862] (24 kJ, UV--0.35 nm). The design includes a large target-to-microscope (400-700 mm) distance required by the x-ray ablation issues anticipated on the Laser MegaJoule facility [P. A. Holstein et al., Laser Part. Beams 17, 403 (1999)] (1.8 MJ) which is under construction. Two eight-image Kirkpatrick-Baez microscopes [P. Kirkpatrick and A. V. Baez J. Opt. Soc. Am. 38, 766 (1948)] with differentmore » spectral wavelength ranges and with a 400 mm source-to-mirror distance image the target on a custom-built framing camera (time resolution of {approx}80 ps). The soft x-ray version microscope is sensitive below 1 keV and its spatial resolution is better than 30 {mu}m over a 2-mm-diam region. The hard x-ray version microscope has a 10 {mu}m resolution over an 800-{mu}m-diam region and is sensitive in the 1-5 keV energy range. Two other x-ray microscopes based on an association of toroidal/spherical surfaces (T/S microscopes) produce an image on a streak camera with a spatial resolution better than 30 {mu}m over a 3 mm field of view in the direction of the camera slit. Both microscopes have been designed to have, respectively, a maximum sensitivity in the 0.1-1 and 1-5 keV energy range. We present the original design of these four microscopes and their test on a dc x-ray tube in the laboratory. The diagnostics were successfully used on LIL first experiments early in 2005. Results of soft x-ray imaging of a radiative jet during conical shaped laser interaction are shown.« less

Overview of nanoscale NEXAFS performed with soft X-ray microscopes.

PubMed

Guttmann, Peter; Bittencourt, Carla

2015-01-01

Today, in material science nanoscale structures are becoming more and more important. Not only for the further miniaturization of semiconductor devices like carbon nanotube based transistors, but also for newly developed efficient energy storage devices, gas sensors or catalytic systems nanoscale and functionalized materials have to be analysed. Therefore, analytical tools like near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy has to be applied on single nanostructures. Scanning transmission X-ray microscopes (STXM) as well as full-field transmission X-ray microscopes (TXM) allow the required spatial resolution to study individual nanostructures. In the soft X-ray energy range only STXM was used so far for NEXAFS studies. Due to its unique setup, the TXM operated by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) at the electron storage ring BESSY II is the first one in the soft X-ray range which can be used for NEXAFS spectroscopy studies which will be shown in this review. Here we will give an overview of the different microscopes used for NEXAFS studies and describe their advantages and disadvantages for different samples.

Development of a scanning transmission x-ray microscope for the beamline P04 at PETRA III DESY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andrianov, Konstantin; Ewald, Johannes; Nisius, Thomas

We present a scanning transmission x-ray microscope (STXM) built on top of our existing modular platform for high resolution imaging experiments. This platform consists of up to three separate vacuum chambers and custom designed piezo stages. These piezo stages are able to move precisely in x-, y- and z-direction, this makes it possible to adjust the components for different imaging modes. During recent experiments the endstation was operated mainly as a transmission x-ray microscope (TXM) [1, 2].

High-Performance X-ray Detection in a New Analytical Electron Microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyman, C. E.; Goldstein, J. I.; Williams, D. B.; Ackland, D. W.; vonHarrach, S.; Nicholls, A. W.; Statham, P. J.

1994-01-01

X-ray detection by energy-dispersive spectrometry in the analytical electron microscope (AEM) is often limited by low collected X-ray intensity (P), modest peak-to-background (P/B) ratios, and limitations on total counting time (tau) due to specimen drift and contamination. A new AFM has been designed with maximization of P. P/B, and tau as the primary considerations. Maximization of P has been accomplished by employing a field-emission electron gun, X-ray detectors with high collection angles, high-speed beam blanking to allow only one photon into the detector at a time, and simultaneous collection from two detectors. P/B has been maximized by reducing extraneous background signals generated at the specimen holder, the polepieces and the detector collimator. The maximum practical tau has been increased by reducing specimen contamination and employing electronic drift correction. Performance improvments have been measured using the NIST standard Cr thin film. The 0-3 steradian solid angle of X-ray collection is the highest value available. The beam blanking scheme for X-ray detection provides 3-4 times greater throughput of X-rays at high count rates into a recorded spectrum than normal systems employing pulse-pileup rejection circuits. Simultaneous X-ray collection from two detectors allows the highest X-ray intensity yet recorded to be collected from the NIST Cr thin film. The measured P/B of 6300 is the highest level recorded for an AEM. In addition to collected X-ray intensity (cps/nA) and P/B measured on the standard Cr film, the product of these can be used as a figure-of-merit to evaluate instruments. Estimated minimum mass fraction (MMF) for Cr measured on the standard NIST Cr thin film is also proposed as a figure-of-merit for comparing X-ray detection in AEMs. Determinations here of the MMF of Cr detectable show at least a threefold improvement over previous instruments.

Biological soft X-ray tomography on beamline 2.1 at the Advanced Light Source.

PubMed

Le Gros, Mark A; McDermott, Gerry; Cinquin, Bertrand P; Smith, Elizabeth A; Do, Myan; Chao, Weilun L; Naulleau, Patrick P; Larabell, Carolyn A

2014-11-01

Beamline 2.1 (XM-2) is a transmission soft X-ray microscope in sector 2 of the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. XM-2 was designed, built and is now operated by the National Center for X-ray Tomography as a National Institutes of Health Biomedical Technology Research Resource. XM-2 is equipped with a cryogenic rotation stage to enable tomographic data collection from cryo-preserved cells, including large mammalian cells. During data collection the specimen is illuminated with `water window' X-rays (284-543 eV). Illuminating photons are attenuated an order of magnitude more strongly by biomolecules than by water. Consequently, differences in molecular composition generate quantitative contrast in images of the specimen. Soft X-ray tomography is an information-rich three-dimensional imaging method that can be applied either as a standalone technique or as a component modality in correlative imaging studies.

Hard x-ray nanoprobe of beamline P06 at PETRA III

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schroer, C. G., E-mail: christian.schroer@desy.de; Department Physik, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, D-22761 Hamburg; Baumbach, C.

2016-07-27

The hard x-ray scanning microscope at beamline P06 of PETRA III at DESY in Hamburg serves a large user community, from physics, chemistry, and nanotechnology to the bio-medical, materials, environmental, and geosciences. It has been in user operation since 2012, and is mainly based on nanofocusing refractive x-ray lenses. Using refractive optics, nearly gaussian-limited nanobeams in the range from 50 to 100 nm can be generated in the hard x-ray energy range from 8 to 30 keV. The degree of coherence can be traded off against the flux in the nanobeam by a two-stage focusing scheme. We give a briefmore » overview on published results from this instrument and describe its most important components and parameters.« less

X-ray/EUV optics for astronomy, microscopy, polarimetry, and projection lithography; Proceedings of the Meeting, San Diego, CA, July 9-13, 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, Richard B. (Editor); Walker, Arthur B. C., Jr. (Editor)

1991-01-01

Topics discussed in this issue include the fabrication of multilayer X-ray/EUV coatings; the design, characterization, and test of multilayer X-ray/EUV coatings; multilayer X-ray/EUV monochromators and imaging microscopes; X-ray/EUV telescopes; the test and calibration performance of X-ray/EUV instruments; XUV/soft X-ray projection lithography; X-ray/EUV space observatories and missions; X-ray/EUV telescopes for solar research; X-ray/EUV polarimetry; X-ray/EUV spectrographs; and X-ray/EUV filters and gratings. Papers are presented on the deposition-controlled uniformity of multilayer mirrors, interfaces in Mo/Si multilayers, the design and analysis of an aspherical multilayer imaging X-ray microscope, recent developments in the production of thin X-ray reflecting foils, and the ultraprecise scanning technology. Consideration is also given to an active sun telescope array, the fabrication and performance at 1.33 nm of a 0.24-micron-period multilayer grating, a cylindrical proportional counter for X-ray polarimetry, and the design and analysis of the reflection grating arrays for the X-Ray Multi-Mirror Mission.

Procurement of novel microanalysis equipment for construction materials.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-02-01

The equipment procured (i.e. an Orbis micro X-ray Fluorescence (MXRF) and an APSEX personal Scanning Electron Microscope (PSEM)) is part of the next generation of micro analytical equipment. These tools have the ability to make large volumes of...

Total rate imaging with x-rays (TRIX)--a simple method of forming a non-projection x-ray image in the SEM using an energy dispersive detector and its application to biological specimens.

PubMed

Ingram, P; Shelburne, J D

1980-01-01

X-ray images can be formed in a conventional scanning electron microscope equipped with a Si(Li) energy dispersive spectrometer. All the x-ray events generated in the electron beam scanning process are synchronously displayed in the same manner as for dot maps. The quasi-digital image formed using Total Rate Imaging with X-rays (TRIX) exhibits good gray scale contrast and is dependent on topography, orientation and atomic number. Although this latter dependence is complex, it has been found useful in locating several types of inclusions in lung tissue (silicosis), human alveolar macrophages and cigarette smoke condensate. This is because of the greater depth of penetration of x-rays than backscattered electrons (BSE) usually used for such localizations in a matrix, and the negligible sensitivity of the Si(Li) detector to x-rays from an organic biological matrix. The optimum procedure is to use a combination of TRIX and BSE to investigate such specimens.

X-ray transmission microscope development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaukler, William F.; Rosenberger, Franz E.

1995-01-01

We are developing a hard x-ray microscope for direct observation of solidification dynamics in metal alloys and metal matrix composites. The Fein-Focus Inc. x-ray source was delivered in September and found to perform better than expected. Confirmed resolution of better than 2 micrometers was obtained and magnifications up to 800X were measured. Nickel beads of 30 micrometer diameter were easily detected through 6mm of aluminum. X-ray metallography was performed on several specimens showing high resolution and clear definition of 3-dimensional structures. Prototype furnace installed and tested.

Laboratory-size three-dimensional x-ray microscope with Wolter type I mirror optics and an electron-impact water window x-ray source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohsuka, Shinji; Ohba, Akira; Onoda, Shinobu; Nakamoto, Katsuhiro; Nakano, Tomoyasu; Miyoshi, Motosuke; Soda, Keita; Hamakubo, Takao

2014-09-01

We constructed a laboratory-size three-dimensional water window x-ray microscope that combines wide-field transmission x-ray microscopy with tomographic reconstruction techniques, and observed bio-medical samples to evaluate its applicability to life science research fields. It consists of a condenser and an objective grazing incidence Wolter type I mirror, an electron-impact type oxygen Kα x-ray source, and a back-illuminated CCD for x-ray imaging. A spatial resolution limit of around 1.0 line pairs per micrometer was obtained for two-dimensional transmission images, and 1-μm scale three-dimensional fine structures were resolved.

Laboratory-size three-dimensional x-ray microscope with Wolter type I mirror optics and an electron-impact water window x-ray source.

PubMed

Ohsuka, Shinji; Ohba, Akira; Onoda, Shinobu; Nakamoto, Katsuhiro; Nakano, Tomoyasu; Miyoshi, Motosuke; Soda, Keita; Hamakubo, Takao

2014-09-01

We constructed a laboratory-size three-dimensional water window x-ray microscope that combines wide-field transmission x-ray microscopy with tomographic reconstruction techniques, and observed bio-medical samples to evaluate its applicability to life science research fields. It consists of a condenser and an objective grazing incidence Wolter type I mirror, an electron-impact type oxygen Kα x-ray source, and a back-illuminated CCD for x-ray imaging. A spatial resolution limit of around 1.0 line pairs per micrometer was obtained for two-dimensional transmission images, and 1-μm scale three-dimensional fine structures were resolved.

Soft x-ray spectromicroscopy using compact scanning transmission x-ray microscope at the photon factory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takeichi, Yasuo, E-mail: yasuo.takeichi@kek.jp; Inami, Nobuhito; Ono, Kanta

We report the stability and recent performances of a new type of scanning transmission X-ray microscopy. The optics and compact design of the microscope realized mobility and robust performance. Detailed consideration to the vibration control will be described. The insertion device upgraded to elliptical polarization undulator enabled linear dichroism and circular dichroism experiments.

Resonant Soft X-ray Scattering of Cellulose Microstructure in Plant Primary Cell Walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Dan; Kiemle, Sarah N.; Wang, Cheng; Cosgrove, Daniel J.; Gomez, Esther W.; Gomez, Enrique D.

Cellulosic biomass is the most abundant raw material available for the production of renewable and sustainable biofuels. Breaking down cellulose is the rate-limiting step in economical biofuel production; therefore, a detailed understanding of the microscopic structure of plant cell walls is required to develop efficient biofuel conversion methods. Primary cell walls are key determinants of plant growth and mechanics. Their structure is complex and heterogeneous, making it difficult to elucidate how various components such as pectin, hemicellulose, and cellulose contribute to the overall structure. The electron density of these wall components is similar; such that conventional hard X-ray scattering does not generate enough contrast to resolve the different elements of the polysaccharide network. The chemical specificity of resonant soft X-ray scattering allows contrast to be generated based on differences in chemistry of the different polysaccharides. By varying incident X-ray energies, we have achieved increased scattering contrast between cellulose and other polysaccharides from primary cell walls of onions. By performing scattering at certain energies, features of the network structure of the cell wall are resolved. From the soft X-ray scattering results, we obtained the packing distance of cellulose microfibrils embedded in the polysaccharide network.

Photoluminescence studies on Cd(1-x)Zn(x)S:Mn2+ nanocrystals.

PubMed

Sethi, Ruchi; Kumar, Lokendra; Pandey, A C

2009-09-01

Highly monodispersed, undoped and doped with Mn2+, binary and ternary (CdS, ZnS, Cd(1-x)Zn(x)S) compound semiconductor nanocrystals have been synthesized by co-precipitation method using citric acid as a stabilizer. As prepared sample are characterized by X-ray diffraction, Small angle X-ray scattering, Transmission electron microscope, Optical absorption and Photoluminescence spectroscopy, for their optical and structural properties. X-ray diffraction, Small angle X-ray scattering and Transmission electron microscope results confirm the preparation of monodispersed nanocrystals. Photoluminescence studies show a significant blue shift in the wavelength with an increasing concentration of Zn in alloy nanocrystals.

Micro and Nano Systems for Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manohara, Harish

2007-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the use of micro and nano systems in Space exploration. Included are: an explanation of the rationales behind nano and micro technologies for space exploration, a review of how the devices are fabricated, including details on lithography with more information on Electron Beam (E-Beam) lithography, and X-ray lithography, a review of micro gyroscopes and inchworm Microactuator as examples of the use of MicroElectoMechanical (MEMS) technology. Also included is information on Carbon Nanotubes, including a review of the CVD growth process. These micro-nano systems have given rise to the next generation of miniature X-ray Diffraction, X-ray Fluorescence instruments, mass spectrometers, and terahertz frequency vacuum tube oscillators and amplifiers, scanning electron microscopes and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscope. The nanotechnology has also given rise to coating technology, such as silicon nanotip anti-reflection coating.

Cryo X-ray microscope with flat sample geometry for correlative fluorescence and nanoscale tomographic imaging.

PubMed

Schneider, Gerd; Guttmann, Peter; Rehbein, Stefan; Werner, Stephan; Follath, Rolf

2012-02-01

X-ray imaging offers a new 3-D view into cells. With its ability to penetrate whole hydrated cells it is ideally suited for pairing fluorescence light microscopy and nanoscale X-ray tomography. In this paper, we describe the X-ray optical set-up and the design of the cryo full-field transmission X-ray microscope (TXM) at the electron storage ring BESSY II. Compared to previous TXM set-ups with zone plate condenser monochromator, the new X-ray optical layout employs an undulator source, a spherical grating monochromator and an elliptically shaped glass capillary mirror as condenser. This set-up improves the spectral resolution by an order of magnitude. Furthermore, the partially coherent object illumination improves the contrast transfer of the microscope compared to incoherent conditions. With the new TXM, cells grown on flat support grids can be tilted perpendicular to the optical axis without any geometrical restrictions by the previously required pinhole for the zone plate monochromator close to the sample plane. We also developed an incorporated fluorescence light microscope which permits to record fluorescence, bright field and DIC images of cryogenic cells inside the TXM. For TXM tomography, imaging with multi-keV X-rays is a straightforward approach to increase the depth of focus. Under these conditions phase contrast imaging is necessary. For soft X-rays with shrinking depth of focus towards 10nm spatial resolution, thin optical sections through a thick specimen might be obtained by deconvolution X-ray microscopy. As alternative 3-D X-ray imaging techniques, the confocal cryo-STXM and the dual beam cryo-FIB/STXM with photoelectron detection are proposed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A combined scanning tunnelling microscope and x-ray interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yacoot, Andrew; Kuetgens, Ulrich; Koenders, Ludger; Weimann, Thomas

2001-10-01

A monolithic x-ray interferometer made from silicon and a scanning tunnelling microscope have been combined and used to calibrate grating structures with periodicities of 100 nm or less. The x-ray interferometer is used as a translation stage which moves in discrete steps of 0.192 nm, the lattice spacing of the silicon (220) planes. Hence, movements are traceable to the definition of the metre and the nonlinearity associated with the optical interferometers used to measure displacement in more conventional metrological scanning probe microscopes (MSPMs) removed.

Hard X-Ray Scanning Microscope with Multilayer Laue Lens Nanofocusing Optics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nazaretski, Evgeny

Evgeny Nazaretski, a physicist at Brookhaven Lab’s National Synchrotron Light Source II, spearheaded the development of a one-of-a-kind x-ray microscope with novel nanofocusing optics called multilayer Laue lenses.

Design and performance of an X-ray scanning microscope at the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe beamline of NSLS-II

DOE PAGES

Nazaretski, E.; Yan, H.; Lauer, K.; ...

2017-10-05

A hard X-ray scanning microscope installed at the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe beamline of the National Synchrotron Light Source II has been designed, constructed and commissioned. The microscope relies on a compact, high stiffness, low heat dissipation approach and utilizes two types of nanofocusing optics. It is capable of imaging with ~15 nm × 15 nm spatial resolution using multilayer Laue lenses and 25 nm × 26 nm resolution using zone plates. Fluorescence, diffraction, absorption, differential phase contrast, ptychography and tomography are available as experimental techniques. The microscope is also equipped with a temperature regulation system which allows the temperature ofmore » a sample to be varied in the range between 90 K and 1000 K. The constructed instrument is open for general users and offers its capabilities to the material science, battery research and bioscience communities.« less

Design and performance of an X-ray scanning microscope at the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe beamline of NSLS-II

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nazaretski, E.; Yan, H.; Lauer, K.

A hard X-ray scanning microscope installed at the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe beamline of the National Synchrotron Light Source II has been designed, constructed and commissioned. The microscope relies on a compact, high stiffness, low heat dissipation approach and utilizes two types of nanofocusing optics. It is capable of imaging with ~15 nm × 15 nm spatial resolution using multilayer Laue lenses and 25 nm × 26 nm resolution using zone plates. Fluorescence, diffraction, absorption, differential phase contrast, ptychography and tomography are available as experimental techniques. The microscope is also equipped with a temperature regulation system which allows the temperature ofmore » a sample to be varied in the range between 90 K and 1000 K. The constructed instrument is open for general users and offers its capabilities to the material science, battery research and bioscience communities.« less

Multimodality hard-x-ray imaging of a chromosome with nanoscale spatial resolution

DOE PAGES

Yan, Hanfei; Nazaretski, Evgeny; Lauer, Kenneth R.; ...

2016-02-05

Here, we developed a scanning hard x-ray microscope using a new class of x-ray nano-focusing optic called a multilayer Laue lens and imaged a chromosome with nanoscale spatial resolution. The combination of the hard x-ray's superior penetration power, high sensitivity to elemental composition, high spatial-resolution and quantitative analysis creates a unique tool with capabilities that other microscopy techniques cannot provide. Using this microscope, we simultaneously obtained absorption-, phase-, and fluorescence-contrast images of Pt-stained human chromosome samples. The high spatial-resolution of the microscope and its multi-modality imaging capabilities enabled us to observe the internal ultra-structures of a thick chromosome without sectioningmore » it.« less

Multimodality hard-x-ray imaging of a chromosome with nanoscale spatial resolution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, Hanfei; Nazaretski, Evgeny; Lauer, Kenneth R.

Here, we developed a scanning hard x-ray microscope using a new class of x-ray nano-focusing optic called a multilayer Laue lens and imaged a chromosome with nanoscale spatial resolution. The combination of the hard x-ray's superior penetration power, high sensitivity to elemental composition, high spatial-resolution and quantitative analysis creates a unique tool with capabilities that other microscopy techniques cannot provide. Using this microscope, we simultaneously obtained absorption-, phase-, and fluorescence-contrast images of Pt-stained human chromosome samples. The high spatial-resolution of the microscope and its multi-modality imaging capabilities enabled us to observe the internal ultra-structures of a thick chromosome without sectioningmore » it.« less

Table-top soft x-ray microscope using laser-induced plasma from a pulsed gas jet.

PubMed

Müller, Matthias; Mey, Tobias; Niemeyer, Jürgen; Mann, Klaus

2014-09-22

An extremely compact soft x-ray microscope operating in the "water window" region at the wavelength λ = 2.88 nm is presented, making use of a long-term stable and nearly debris-free laser-induced plasma from a pulsed nitrogen gas jet target. The well characterized soft x-ray radiation is focused by an ellipsoidal grazing incidence condenser mirror. Imaging of a sample onto a CCD camera is achieved with a Fresnel zone plate using magnifications up to 500x. The spatial resolution of the recorded microscopic images is about 100 nm as demonstrated for a Siemens star test pattern.

Hard X-Ray Scanning Microscope with Multilayer Laue Lens Nanofocusing Optics

ScienceCinema

Nazaretski, Evgeny

2018-06-13

Evgeny Nazaretski, a physicist at Brookhaven Lab’s National Synchrotron Light Source II, spearheaded the development of a one-of-a-kind x-ray microscope with novel nanofocusing optics called multilayer Laue lenses.

Nm-scale spatial resolution x-ray imaging with MLL nanofocusing optics: instrumentational requirements and challenges

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nazaretski, E.; Yan, H.; Lauer, K.

2016-08-30

The Hard X-ray Nanoprobe (HXN) beamline at NSLS-II has been designed and constructed to enable imaging experiments with unprecedented spatial resolution and detection sensitivity. The HXN X-ray Microscope is a key instrument for the beamline, providing a suite of experimental capabilities which includes scanning fluorescence, diffraction, differential phase contrast and ptychography utilizing Multilayer Laue Lenses (MLL) and zoneplate (ZP) as nanofocusing optics. In this paper, we present technical requirements for the MLL-based scanning microscope, outline the development concept and present first ~15 x 15 nm 2 spatial resolution x-ray fluorescence images.

Imaging Research With Non-Periodic Multilayers for Inertial Confinement Fusion Diagnostic Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

L. Wang, F.; Mu, B. Z.; Wang, Z. S.; Gu, C. S.; Zhang, Z.; Qin, S. J.; Chen, L. Y.

A grazing Kirkpatrick-Baez (K-B) microscope was designed for hard x-ray (8keV; Cu Ka radiation) imaging in Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) diagnostic experiments. Ray tracing software was used to simulate optical system performance. The optimized theoretical resolution of K-B microscope was about 2 micron and better than 10 micron in 200 micron field of view. Tungsten and boron carbide were chosen as multilayer materials and the multilayer was deposited onto the silicon wafer substrate and the reflectivity was measured by x-ray diffraction (XRD). The reflectivity of supermirror was about 20 % in 0.3 % of bandwidth. 8keV Cu target x-ray tube source was used in x-ray imaging experiments and the magnification of 1x and 2x x-ray images were obtained.

Biological soft X-ray tomography on beamline 2.1 at the Advanced Light Source

PubMed Central

Le Gros, Mark A.; McDermott, Gerry; Cinquin, Bertrand P.; Smith, Elizabeth A.; Do, Myan; Chao, Weilun L.; Naulleau, Patrick P.; Larabell, Carolyn A.

2014-01-01

Beamline 2.1 (XM-2) is a transmission soft X-ray microscope in sector 2 of the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. XM-2 was designed, built and is now operated by the National Center for X-ray Tomography as a National Institutes of Health Biomedical Technology Research Resource. XM-2 is equipped with a cryogenic rotation stage to enable tomographic data collection from cryo-preserved cells, including large mammalian cells. During data collection the specimen is illuminated with ‘water window’ X-rays (284–543 eV). Illuminating photons are attenuated an order of magnitude more strongly by biomolecules than by water. Consequently, differences in molecular composition generate quantitative contrast in images of the specimen. Soft X-ray tomography is an information-rich three-dimensional imaging method that can be applied either as a standalone technique or as a component modality in correlative imaging studies. PMID:25343808

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Thomas Martin; Patton, Bruce W.; Weber, Charles F.

The primary goal of this project is to evaluate x-ray spectra generated within a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to determine elemental composition of small samples. This will be accomplished by performing Monte Carlo simulations of the electron and photon interactions in the sample and in the x-ray detector. The elemental inventories will be determined by an inverse process that progressively reduces the difference between the measured and simulated x-ray spectra by iteratively adjusting composition and geometric variables in the computational model. The intended benefit of this work will be to develop a method to perform quantitative analysis on substandard samplesmore » (heterogeneous phases, rough surfaces, small sizes, etc.) without involving standard elemental samples or empirical matrix corrections (i.e., true standardless quantitative analysis).« less

Hard x-ray phase contrastmicroscopy - techniques and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holzner, Christian

In 1918, Einstein provided the first description of the nature of the refractive index for X-rays, showing that phase contrast effects are significant. A century later, most x-ray microscopy and nearly all medical imaging remains based on absorption contrast, even though phase contrast offers orders of magnitude improvements in contrast and reduced radiation exposure at multi-keV x-ray energies. The work presented is concerned with developing practical and quantitative methods of phase contrast for x-ray microscopy. A theoretical framework for imaging in phase contrast is put forward; this is used to obtain quantitative images in a scanning microscope using a segmented detector, and to correct for artifacts in a commercial phase contrast x-ray nano-tomography system. The principle of reciprocity between scanning and full-field microscopes is then used to arrive at a novel solution: Zernike contrast in a scanning microscope. These approaches are compared on a theoretical and experimental basis in direct connection with applications using multi-keV x-ray microscopes at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Phase contrast provides the best means to image mass and ultrastructure of light elements that mainly constitute biological matter, while stimulated x-ray fluorescence provides high sensitivity for studies of the distribution of heavier trace elements, such as metals. These approaches are combined in a complementary way to yield quantitative maps of elemental concentration from 2D images, with elements placed in their ultrastructural context. The combination of x-ray fluorescence and phase contrast poses an ideal match for routine, high resolution tomographic imaging of biological samples in the future. The presented techniques and demonstration experiments will help pave the way for this development.

Inverse Tomo-Lithography for Making Microscopic 3D Parts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Victor; Wiberg, Dean

2003-01-01

According to a proposal, basic x-ray lithography would be extended to incorporate a technique, called inverse tomography, that would enable the fabrication of microscopic three-dimensional (3D) objects. The proposed inverse tomo-lithographic process would make it possible to produce complex shaped, submillimeter-sized parts that would be difficult or impossible to make in any other way. Examples of such shapes or parts include tapered helices, paraboloids with axes of different lengths, and even Archimedean screws that could serve as rotors in microturbines. The proposed inverse tomo-lithographic process would be based partly on a prior microfabrication process known by the German acronym LIGA (lithographie, galvanoformung, abformung, which means lithography, electroforming, molding). In LIGA, one generates a precise, high-aspect ratio pattern by exposing a thick, x-ray-sensitive resist material to an x-ray beam through a mask that contains the pattern. One can electrodeposit metal into the developed resist pattern to form a precise metal part, then dissolve the resist to free the metal. Aspect ratios of 100:1 and patterns into resist thicknesses of several millimeters are possible.

SLAC All Access: X-ray Microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nelson, Johanna; Liu, Yijin

2012-08-14

SLAC physicists Johanna Nelson and Yijin Liu give a brief overview of the X-ray microscope at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) that is helping improve rechargeable-battery technology by letting researchers peek into the inner workings of batteries as they operate.

SLAC All Access: X-ray Microscope

ScienceCinema

Nelson, Johanna; Liu, Yijin

2018-01-16

SLAC physicists Johanna Nelson and Yijin Liu give a brief overview of the X-ray microscope at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) that is helping improve rechargeable-battery technology by letting researchers peek into the inner workings of batteries as they operate.

High resolution projection X-ray microscope equipped with fluorescent X-ray analyzer and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minami, K.; Saito, Y.; Kai, H.; Shirota, K.; Yada, K.

2009-09-01

We have newly developed an open type fine-focus X-ray tube "TX-510" to realize a spatial resolution of 50nm and to radiate low energy characteristic X-rays for giving high absorption contrast to images of microscopic organisms. The "TX-510" employs a ZrO/W(100) Schottky emitter and an "In-Lens Field Emission Gun". The key points of the improvements are (1) reduced spherical aberration coefficient of magnetic objective lens, (2) easy and accurate focusing, (3) newly designed astigmatism compensator, (4) segmented thin film target for interchanging the target materials by electron beam shift and (5) fluorescent X-ray analysis system.

21 CFR 1000.15 - Examples of electronic products subject to the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

.... (a) Examples of electronic products which may emit x-rays and other ionizing electromagnetic radiation, electrons, neutrons, and other particulate radiation include: Ionizing electromagnetic radiation... radiation and ionizing electromagnetic radiation: Electron microscopes. Neutron generators. (b) Examples of...

21 CFR 1000.15 - Examples of electronic products subject to the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

.... (a) Examples of electronic products which may emit x-rays and other ionizing electromagnetic radiation, electrons, neutrons, and other particulate radiation include: Ionizing electromagnetic radiation... radiation and ionizing electromagnetic radiation: Electron microscopes. Neutron generators. (b) Examples of...

21 CFR 1000.15 - Examples of electronic products subject to the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

.... (a) Examples of electronic products which may emit x-rays and other ionizing electromagnetic radiation, electrons, neutrons, and other particulate radiation include: Ionizing electromagnetic radiation... radiation and ionizing electromagnetic radiation: Electron microscopes. Neutron generators. (b) Examples of...

21 CFR 1000.15 - Examples of electronic products subject to the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

.... (a) Examples of electronic products which may emit x-rays and other ionizing electromagnetic radiation, electrons, neutrons, and other particulate radiation include: Ionizing electromagnetic radiation... radiation and ionizing electromagnetic radiation: Electron microscopes. Neutron generators. (b) Examples of...

21 CFR 1000.15 - Examples of electronic products subject to the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

.... (a) Examples of electronic products which may emit x-rays and other ionizing electromagnetic radiation, electrons, neutrons, and other particulate radiation include: Ionizing electromagnetic radiation... radiation and ionizing electromagnetic radiation: Electron microscopes. Neutron generators. (b) Examples of...

Design and analysis of aspherical multilayer imaging X-ray microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shealy, David L.; Jiang, WU; Hoover, Richard B.

1991-01-01

Spherical Schwarzschild microscopes for soft X-ray applications in microscopy and projection lithography employ two concentric spherical mirrors that are configured such that the third-order spherical aberration and coma are zero. Based on incoherent, sine-wave MTF calculations, the object-plane resolution of a magnification-factor-20 microscope is presently analyzed as a function of object height and numerical aperture of the primary for several spherical Schwarzschild, conic, and aspherical two-mirror microscope configurations.

A laboratory 8 keV transmission full-field x-ray microscope with a polycapillary as condenser for bright and dark field imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baumbach, S., E-mail: baumbach@rheinahrcampus.de; Wilhein, T.; Kanngießer, B.

2015-08-15

This article introduces a laboratory setup of a transmission full-field x-ray microscope at 8 keV photon energy. The microscope operates in bright and dark field imaging mode with a maximum field of view of 50 μm. Since the illumination geometry determines whether the sample is illuminated homogeneously and moreover, if different imaging methods can be applied, the condenser optic is one of the most significant parts. With a new type of x-ray condenser, a polycapillary optic, we realized bright field imaging and for the first time dark field imaging at 8 keV photon energy in a laboratory setup. A detectormore » limited spatial resolution of 210 nm is measured on x-ray images of Siemens star test patterns.« less

A laboratory 8 keV transmission full-field x-ray microscope with a polycapillary as condenser for bright and dark field imaging.

PubMed

Baumbach, S; Kanngießer, B; Malzer, W; Stiel, H; Wilhein, T

2015-08-01

This article introduces a laboratory setup of a transmission full-field x-ray microscope at 8 keV photon energy. The microscope operates in bright and dark field imaging mode with a maximum field of view of 50 μm. Since the illumination geometry determines whether the sample is illuminated homogeneously and moreover, if different imaging methods can be applied, the condenser optic is one of the most significant parts. With a new type of x-ray condenser, a polycapillary optic, we realized bright field imaging and for the first time dark field imaging at 8 keV photon energy in a laboratory setup. A detector limited spatial resolution of 210 nm is measured on x-ray images of Siemens star test patterns.

Chromium mapping in male mice reproductive glands exposed to CrCl 3 using proton and X-ray synchrotron radiation microbeams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortega, R.; Devès, G.; Bonnin-Mosbah, M.; Salomé, M.; Susini, J.; Anderson, L. M.; Kasprzak, K. S.

2001-07-01

Preconception exposure to certain chemicals may increase risk of tumors in offspring, especially with regard to occupational metals such as chromium. However, the mechanism of chromium trans-generation carcinogenicity remains unknown. Using scanning proton X-ray microanalysis we have been able to detect chromium in testicular tissue sections from mice treated by intraperitoneal injection of 1 mmol/kg CrCl 3. Chromium concentration was about 5 μg/g dry mass in average, but higher concentrations were found within the limiting membrane of the testes, the tunica albuginea. In addition, synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence measurements, with microscopic resolution, clearly demonstrated the presence of chromium in the tunica albuginea but also within isolated cells from the interstitial connective tissue.

In situ x-ray diffraction measurements of the capillary fountain jet produced via ultrasonic atomization.

PubMed

Yano, Yohko F; Douguchi, Junya; Kumagai, Atsushi; Iijima, Takao; Tomida, Yukinobu; Miyamoto, Toshiaki; Matsuura, Kazuo

2006-11-07

In situ x-ray diffraction measurements were carried out for investigating the liquid structure in the ultrasonic fountain jet to consider the mechanism of the "ultrasonic ethanol separation" reported by Sato et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 114, 2382 (2001)]. For pure liquids (water and ethanol), it was found that the high frequency ultrasound does not affect the liquid structure microscopically. For the 20 mol % ethanol-water mixture, the estimated ethanol mole fraction in the ultrasonic fountain jet by using the position of the main maximum in the x-ray diffraction profile coincided with that in the reservoir. This result suggests that the ethanol separation is not caused by any distorted liquid structure under the ultrasound irradiation and occurs when or after the generation of the liquid droplet mist.

In situ x-ray diffraction measurements of the capillary fountain jet produced via ultrasonic atomization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yano, Yohko F.; Douguchi, Junya; Kumagai, Atsushi; Iijima, Takao; Tomida, Yukinobu; Miyamoto, Toshiaki; Matsuura, Kazuo

2006-11-01

In situ x-ray diffraction measurements were carried out for investigating the liquid structure in the ultrasonic fountain jet to consider the mechanism of the "ultrasonic ethanol separation" reported by Sato et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 114, 2382 (2001)]. For pure liquids (water and ethanol), it was found that the high frequency ultrasound does not affect the liquid structure microscopically. For the 20mol% ethanol-water mixture, the estimated ethanol mole fraction in the ultrasonic fountain jet by using the position of the main maximum in the x-ray diffraction profile coincided with that in the reservoir. This result suggests that the ethanol separation is not caused by any distorted liquid structure under the ultrasound irradiation and occurs when or after the generation of the liquid droplet mist.

Hartmann characterization of the PEEM-3 aberration-corrected X-ray photoemission electron microscope.

PubMed

Scholl, A; Marcus, M A; Doran, A; Nasiatka, J R; Young, A T; MacDowell, A A; Streubel, R; Kent, N; Feng, J; Wan, W; Padmore, H A

2018-05-01

Aberration correction by an electron mirror dramatically improves the spatial resolution and transmission of photoemission electron microscopes. We will review the performance of the recently installed aberration corrector of the X-ray Photoemission Electron Microscope PEEM-3 and show a large improvement in the efficiency of the electron optics. Hartmann testing is introduced as a quantitative method to measure the geometrical aberrations of a cathode lens electron microscope. We find that aberration correction leads to an order of magnitude reduction of the spherical aberrations, suggesting that a spatial resolution of below 100 nm is possible at 100% transmission of the optics when using x-rays. We demonstrate this improved performance by imaging test patterns employing element and magnetic contrast. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Surface modification of platinum by laser-produced X-rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latif, Hamid; Shahid Rafique, M.; Khaleeq-ur-Rahaman, M.; Sattar, Abdul; Anjum, S.; Usman, A.; Zaheer, S.; Rawat, R. S.

2014-11-01

Laser-induced plasma is used as an X-ray source for the growth of hillocks like nanostructures on platinum surface. To generate X-rays, plasma is produced by Nd:YAG laser, which is operated at second harmonics (λ = 532 nm, E = 400 mJ). Analytical grade 5 N pure Al, Cu and W are used as laser targets for X-rays production. X-rays produced from Al, Cu and W plasmas are used to irradiate three analytical grade (5 N pure) platinum substrates, respectively, under the vacuum ∼10-4 torr. XRD analysis shows considerable structural changes in the exposed platinum. The decrement in reflection intensities, increment in dislocation line density, change in d-spacing and disturbance in the periodicity of planes evidently prove these structural changes. Atomic force microscope AFM topographic analysis of the platinum exposed to X-rays emitted from Al, Cu and W targets showed that nanometer-size hillocks are produced on the platinum surface irrespective of the source. It has also been observed that due to these hillocks, the roughness of the surface has increased. Conductivity of hillocks produced from X-rays produced by Al, Cu and W targets is compared and it is shown that the hillocks produced by Al target X-rays have better conductivity compared to the hillocks produced by X-rays from Cu and W targets.

Characterization of calcium crystals in Abelia using x-ray diffraction and electron microscopes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Localization, chemical composition, and morphology of calcium crystals in leaves and stems of Abelia mosanensis and A. ×grandiflora were analyzed with a variable pressure scanning electron microscope (VP-SEM) equipped with an X-ray diffraction system, low temperature SEM (LT-SEM) and a transmission ...

Plasmon-resonance-enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity of Ag quantum dots/TiO2 microspheres for methyl orange degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Xin; Shang, Liwei; Wang, Dongjun; An, Li; Li, Zhonghua; Liu, Jiawen; Shen, Jun

2018-06-01

We successfully prepared Ag quantum dots modified TiO2 microspheres by facile solvothermal and calcination method. The as-prepared Ag quantum dots/TiO2 microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The Ag quantum dots/TiO2 photocatalyst showed excellent visible light absorption and efficient photocatalytic activity for methyl orange degradation. And the sample with the molar ratio of 0.05 (Ag to Ti) showed the best visible light photocatalytic activity for methyl orange degradation, mainly because of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effects of Ag quantum dots to generate electron and hole pairs for enhanced visible light photocatalysis. Finally, possible visible light photocatalytic mechanism of Ag quantum dots/TiO2 microspheres for methyl orange degradation was proposed in detail.

Hybrid setup for micro- and nano-computed tomography in the hard X-ray range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fella, Christian; Balles, Andreas; Hanke, Randolf; Last, Arndt; Zabler, Simon

2017-12-01

With increasing miniaturization in industry and medical technology, non-destructive testing techniques are an area of ever-increasing importance. In this framework, X-ray microscopy offers an efficient tool for the analysis, understanding, and quality assurance of microscopic samples, in particular as it allows reconstructing three-dimensional data sets of the whole sample's volume via computed tomography (CT). The following article describes a compact X-ray microscope in the hard X-ray regime around 9 keV, based on a highly brilliant liquid-metal-jet source. In comparison to commercially available instruments, it is a hybrid that works in two different modes. The first one is a micro-CT mode without optics, which uses a high-resolution detector to allow scans of samples in the millimeter range with a resolution of 1 μm. The second mode is a microscope, which contains an X-ray optical element to magnify the sample and allows resolving 150 nm features. Changing between the modes is possible without moving the sample. Thus, the instrument represents an important step towards establishing high-resolution laboratory-based multi-mode X-ray microscopy as a standard investigation method.

X-ray Microscopic Characterization of Protein Crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hu, Z. W.; Holmes, A.; Thomas, B.R.; Chernov, a. A.; Chu, Y. S.; Lai, B.

2004-01-01

The microscopic mapping of the variation in degree of perfection and in type of defects in entire protein crystals by x-rays may well be a prerequisite for better understanding causes of lattice imperfections, the growth history, and properties of protein crystals. However, x-ray microscopic characterization of bulk protein crystals, in the as-grown state, is frequently more challenging than that of small molecular crystals due to the experimental difficulties arising largely from the unique features possessed by protein crystals. In this presentation, we will illustrate ssme recent activities in employing coherence-based phase contrast x-ray imaging and high-angular-resolution diffraction techniques for mapping microdefects and the degree of perfection of protein crystals, and demonstrate a correlation between crystal perfection, diffraction phenomena., and crystallization conditions. The observed features and phenomena will be discussed in context to gain insight into the nature of defects, nucleation and growth, and the properties of protein crystals.

Dark-field imaging with the scanning transmission x-ray microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrison, G. R.; Browne, M. T.

1992-01-01

The King's College London scanning transmission x-ray microscope in use on beam line 5U2 at the SRS, SERC Daresbury Laboratory, has been modified to allow dark-field images to be formed using only the x rays scattered by the specimen. Experiments have been performed with a number of different detector geometries, and this has confirmed that the strongest scattering arises from edges or thickness gradients in the specimen. Although the dark-field signal is only a small fraction of the normal transmitted bright-field signal, features can be revealed with high contrast, and it has proved possible to detect the presence of features that are below the resolution limit of the microscope.

Magnified hard x-ray microtomography: toward tomography with submicron resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroer, Christian G.; Benner, Boris; Guenzler, Til F.; Kuhlmann, Marion; Lengeler, Bruno; Rau, Christoph; Weitkamp, Timm; Snigirev, Anatoly A.; Snigireva, Irina

2002-01-01

Parabolic compound refractive lenses (PCRLs) are high quality imaging optics for hard x-rays that can be used as an objective lens in a new type of hard x-ray full field microscope. Using an aluminium PCRL, this new type of microscope has been shown to have a resolution of 350 nm. Further improvement of the resolution down to 50 nm can be expected using beryllium as a lens material. The large depth of field (several mm) of the microscope results in sharp projection images for samples that fit into the field of view of about 300 micrometers. This allows to combine magnified imaging with tomographic techniques. First results of magnified microtomography are shown. Contrast formation in the microscope and the consequences for tomographic reconstruction are discussed. An outlook on further developments is given.

Quantitative phase tomography by using x-ray microscope with Foucault knife-edge scanning filter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Watanabe, Norio; Tsuburaya, Yuji; Shimada, Akihiro

2016-01-28

Quantitative phase tomography was evaluated by using a differential phase microscope with a Foucault knife-edge scanning filter. A 3D x-ray phase image of polystyrene beads was obtained at 5.4 keV. The reconstructed refractive index was fairly good agreement with the Henke’s tabulated data.

Nanoscale characterization of local structures and defects in photonic crystals using synchrotron-based transmission soft X-ray microscopy

PubMed Central

Nho, Hyun Woo; Kalegowda, Yogesh; Shin, Hyun-Joon; Yoon, Tae Hyun

2016-01-01

For the structural characterization of the polystyrene (PS)-based photonic crystals (PCs), fast and direct imaging capabilities of full field transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) were demonstrated at soft X-ray energy. PS-based PCs were prepared on an O2-plasma treated Si3N4 window and their local structures and defects were investigated using this label-free TXM technique with an image acquisition speed of ~10 sec/frame and marginal radiation damage. Micro-domains of face-centered cubic (FCC (111)) and hexagonal close-packed (HCP (0001)) structures were dominantly found in PS-based PCs, while point and line defects, FCC (100), and 12-fold symmetry structures were also identified as minor components. Additionally, in situ observation capability for hydrated samples and 3D tomographic reconstruction of TXM images were also demonstrated. This soft X-ray full field TXM technique with faster image acquisition speed, in situ observation, and 3D tomography capability can be complementally used with the other X-ray microscopic techniques (i.e., scanning transmission X-ray microscopy, STXM) as well as conventional characterization methods (e.g., electron microscopic and optical/fluorescence microscopic techniques) for clearer structure identification of self-assembled PCs and better understanding of the relationship between their structures and resultant optical properties. PMID:27087141

Installation of Multiple Application X-ray Imaging Undulator Microscope (MAXIMUM) at ALS: Final report, 8/15/95-8/15/96

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-12-31

MAXIMUM is short for Multiple Application X-ray IMaging Undulator Microscope, a project started in 1988 by our group at the Synchrotron Radiation Center of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is a scanning x-ray photoemission microscope that uses a multilayer-coated Schwarzschild objective as the focusing element. It was designed primarily for materials science studies of lateral variations in surface chemistry. Suitable problems include: lateral inhomogeneities in Schottky barrier formation, heterojunction formation, patterned samples and devices, insulating samples. Any system which has interesting properties that are not uniform as a function of spatial dimension can potentially be studied with MAXIMUM. 6 figs.,more » 3 tabs.« less

X-ray dense cellular inclusions in the cells of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as seen by soft-x-ray microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stead, A.D.; Ford, T.W.; Page, A.M.

1997-04-01

Soft x-rays, having a greater ability to penetrate biological material than electrons, have the potential for producing images of intact, living cells. In addition, by using the so-called {open_quotes}water window{close_quotes} area of the soft x-ray spectrum, a degree of natural contrast is introduced into the image due to differential absorption of the wavelengths by compounds with a high carbon content compared to those with a greater oxygen content. The variation in carbon concentration throughout a cell therefore generates an image which is dependent upon the carbon density within the specimen. Using soft x-ray contact microscopy the authors have previously examinedmore » the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and the most prominent feature of the cells are the numerous x-ray absorbing spheres, But they were not seen by conventional transmission electron microscopy. Similar structures have also been reported by the Goettingen group using their cryo transmission x-ray microscope at BESSY. Despite the fact that these spheres appear to occupy up to 20% or more of the cell volume when seen by x-ray microscopy, they are not visible by transmission electron microscopy. Given the difficulties and criticisms associated with soft x-ray contact microscopy, the present study was aimed at confirming the existence of these cellular inclusions and learning more of their possible chemical composition.« less

High-resolution x-ray imaging for microbiology at the Advanced Photon Source

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lai, B.; Kemner, K. M.; Maser, J.

1999-11-02

Exciting new applications of high-resolution x-ray imaging have emerged recently due to major advances in high-brilliance synchrotrons sources and high-performance zone plate optics. Imaging with submicron resolution is now routine with hard x-rays: the authors have demonstrated 150 run in the 6--10 keV range with x-ray microscopes at the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a third-generation synchrotrons radiation facility. This has fueled interest in using x-ray imaging in applications ranging from the biomedical, environmental, and materials science fields to the microelectronics industry. One important application they have pursued at the APS is a study of the microbiology of bacteria and theirmore » associated extracellular material (biofilms) using fluorescence microanalysis. No microscopy techniques were previously available with sufficient resolution to study live bacteria ({approx}1 {micro}m x 4 {micro}m in size) and biofilms in their natural hydrated state with better than part-per-million elemental sensitivity and the capability of determining g chemical speciation. In vivo x-ray imaging minimizes artifacts due to sample fixation, drying, and staining. This provides key insights into the transport of metal contaminants by bacteria in the environment and potential new designs for remediation and sequestration strategies.« less

Comparison of the Effects of Carbon Ion and Photon Irradiation on the Angiogenic Response in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kamlah, Florentine, E-mail: Kamlah@staff.uni-marburg.de; Haenze, Joerg; Arenz, Andrea

2011-08-01

Purpose: Radiotherapy resistance is a commonly encountered problem in cancer treatment. In this regard, stabilization of endothelial cells and release of angiogenic factors by cancer cells contribute to this problem. In this study, we used human lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cells to compare the effects of carbon ion and X-ray irradiation on the cells' angiogenic response. Methods and Materials: A549 cells were irradiated with biologically equivalent doses for cell survival of either carbon ions (linear energy transfer, 170 keV/{mu}m; energy of 9.8 MeV/u on target) or X-rays and injected with basement membrane matrix into BALB/c nu/nu mice to generate a plug,more » allowing quantification of angiogenesis by blood vessel enumeration. The expression of angiogenic factors (VEGF, PlGF, SDF-1, and SCF) was assessed at the mRNA and secreted protein levels by using real-time reverse transcription-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Signal transduction mediated by stem cell factor (SCF) was assessed by phosphorylation of its receptor c-Kit. For inhibition of SCF/c-Kit signaling, a specific SCF/c-Kit inhibitor (ISCK03) was used. Results: Irradiation of A549 cells with X-rays (6 Gy) but not carbon ions (2 Gy) resulted in a significant increase in blood vessel density (control, 20.71 {+-} 1.55; X-ray, 36.44 {+-} 3.44; carbon ion, 16.33 {+-} 1.03; number per microscopic field). Concordantly, irradiation with X-rays but not with carbon ions increased the expression of SCF and subsequently caused phosphorylation of c-Kit in endothelial cells. ISCK03 treatment of A549 cells irradiated with X-rays (6 Gy) resulted in a significant decrease in blood vessel density (X-ray, 36.44 {+-} 3.44; X-ray and ISCK03, 4.33 {+-} 0.71; number of microscopic field). These data indicate that irradiation of A549 cells with X-rays but not with carbon ions promotes angiogenesis. Conclusions: The present study provides evidence that SCF is an X-ray-induced mediator of angiogenesis in A549 cells, a phenomenon that could not be observed with carbon ion irradiation. Thus, in this model system evaluating angiogenesis, carbon ion irradiation may have a therapeutic advantage. This observation should be confirmed in orthotopic lung tumor models.« less

Improved normal tissue protection by proton and X-ray microchannels compared to homogeneous field irradiation.

PubMed

Girst, S; Marx, C; Bräuer-Krisch, E; Bravin, A; Bartzsch, S; Oelfke, U; Greubel, C; Reindl, J; Siebenwirth, C; Zlobinskaya, O; Multhoff, G; Dollinger, G; Schmid, T E; Wilkens, J J

2015-09-01

The risk of developing normal tissue injuries often limits the radiation dose that can be applied to the tumour in radiation therapy. Microbeam Radiation Therapy (MRT), a spatially fractionated photon radiotherapy is currently tested at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) to improve normal tissue protection. MRT utilizes an array of microscopically thin and nearly parallel X-ray beams that are generated by a synchrotron. At the ion microprobe SNAKE in Munich focused proton microbeams ("proton microchannels") are studied to improve normal tissue protection. Here, we comparatively investigate microbeam/microchannel irradiations with sub-millimetre X-ray versus proton beams to minimize the risk of normal tissue damage in a human skin model, in vitro. Skin tissues were irradiated with a mean dose of 2 Gy over the irradiated area either with parallel synchrotron-generated X-ray beams at the ESRF or with 20 MeV protons at SNAKE using four different irradiation modes: homogeneous field, parallel lines and microchannel applications using two different channel sizes. Normal tissue viability as determined in an MTT test was significantly higher after proton or X-ray microchannel irradiation compared to a homogeneous field irradiation. In line with these findings genetic damage, as determined by the measurement of micronuclei in keratinocytes, was significantly reduced after proton or X-ray microchannel compared to a homogeneous field irradiation. Our data show that skin irradiation using either X-ray or proton microchannels maintain a higher cell viability and DNA integrity compared to a homogeneous irradiation, and thus might improve normal tissue protection after radiation therapy. Copyright © 2015 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic x-ray imaging of laser-driven nanoplasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fennel, Thomas

2016-05-01

A major promise of current x-ray science at free electron lasers is the realization of unprecedented imaging capabilities for resolving the structure and ultrafast dynamics of matter with nanometer spatial and femtosecond temporal resolution or even below via single-shot x-ray diffraction. Laser-driven atomic clusters and nanoparticles provide an ideal platform for developing and demonstrating the required technology to extract the ultrafast transient spatiotemporal dynamics from the diffraction images. In this talk, the perspectives and challenges of dynamic x-ray imaging will be discussed using complete self-consistent microscopic electromagnetic simulations of IR pump x-ray probe imaging for the example of clusters. The results of the microscopic particle-in-cell simulations (MicPIC) enable the simulation-assisted reconstruction of corresponding experimental data. This capability is demonstrated by converting recently measured LCLS data into a ultrahigh resolution movie of laser-induced plasma expansion. Finally, routes towards reaching attosecond time resolution in the visualization of complex dynamical processes in matter by x-ray diffraction will be discussed.

Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and its effects on elemental distributions in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells in x-ray fluorescence microanalysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin, Qiaoling; Vogt, Stefan; Lai, Barry

Rapidly-frozen hydrated (cryopreserved) specimens combined with cryo-scanning x-ray fluorescence microscopy provide an ideal approach for investigating elemental distributions in biological cells and tissues. However, because cryopreservation does not deactivate potentially infectious agents associated with Risk Group 2 biological materials, one must be concerned with contamination of expensive and complicated cryogenic x-ray microscopes when working with such materials. We employed ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to decontaminate previously cryopreserved cells under liquid nitrogen, and then investigated its effects on elemental distributions under both frozen hydrated and freeze dried states with x-ray fluorescence microscopy. We show that the contents and distributions of most biologicallymore » important elements remain nearly unchanged when compared with non-ultraviolet-irradiated counterparts, even after multiple cycles of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and cryogenic x-ray imaging. This provides a potential pathway for rendering Risk Group 2 biological materials safe for handling in multiuser cryogenic x-ray microscopes without affecting the fidelity of the results.« less

Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and its effects on elemental distributions in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells in x-ray fluorescence microanalysis

DOE PAGES

Jin, Qiaoling; Vogt, Stefan; Lai, Barry; ...

2015-02-23

Rapidly-frozen hydrated (cryopreserved) specimens combined with cryo-scanning x-ray fluorescence microscopy provide an ideal approach for investigating elemental distributions in biological cells and tissues. However, because cryopreservation does not deactivate potentially infectious agents associated with Risk Group 2 biological materials, one must be concerned with contamination of expensive and complicated cryogenic x-ray microscopes when working with such materials. We employed ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to decontaminate previously cryopreserved cells under liquid nitrogen, and then investigated its effects on elemental distributions under both frozen hydrated and freeze dried states with x-ray fluorescence microscopy. We show that the contents and distributions of most biologicallymore » important elements remain nearly unchanged when compared with non-ultraviolet-irradiated counterparts, even after multiple cycles of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and cryogenic x-ray imaging. This provides a potential pathway for rendering Risk Group 2 biological materials safe for handling in multiuser cryogenic x-ray microscopes without affecting the fidelity of the results.« less

Design and fabrication of x-ray Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope for ICF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Baozhong; Wang, Zhanshan; Huang, Shengling; Yi, Shengzhen; Shen, Zhengxiang

2007-12-01

A hard x-ray (8 keV, Kα line of Cu) Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB) microscope was designed for the diagnostics of inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Three main parts including optical design, fabrication of multilayers, and alignment method were discussed in this paper. According to the deduced equation of aberration in whole field, an optical system was designed, which gives attention to not only spatial resolution but also the collection efficiency. Tungsten (W) and boron carbide (B4C) were chosen as multilayer materials and the non-periodic multilayer with 40 layers was deposited. The measured reflectivity by XRD is better than 18% in the bandwidth range of about 0.3%. Super accurately alignment is another difficulty in the application of KB microscope. To meet the requirements of pointing and co-focusing, a binocular laser pointer which is flexible enough was designed. Finally, an 8keV x-ray tube was used as source in x-ray imaging experiment and images with magnification of 2× were obtained.

X-Ray Optics at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Dell, Stephen L.; Atkins, Carolyn; Broadway, David M.; Elsner, Ronald F.; Gaskin, Jessica A.; Gubarev, Mikhail V.; Kilaru, Kiranmayee; Kolodziejczak, Jeffery J.; Ramsey, Brian D.; Roche, Jacqueline M.;

Scanning transmission x-ray microscope for materials science spectromicroscopy at the ALS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Warwick, T.; Seal, S.; Shin, H.

1997-04-01

The brightness of the Advanced Light Source will be exploited by several new instruments for materials science spectromicroscopy over the next year or so. The first of these to become operational is a scanning transmission x-ray microscope with which near edge x-ray absorption spectra (NEXAFS) can be measured on spatial features of sub-micron size. Here the authors describe the instrument as it is presently implemented, its capabilities, some studies made to date and the developments to come. The Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscope makes use of a zone plate lens to produce a small x-ray spot with which to perform absorptionmore » spectroscopy through thin samples. The x-ray beam from ALS undulator beamline 7.0 emerges into the microscope vessel through a silicon nitride vacuum window 160nm thick and 300{mu}m square. The vessel is filled with helium at atmospheric pressure. The zone plate lens is illuminated 1mm downstream from the vacuum window and forms an image in first order of a pinhole which is 3m upstream in the beamline. An order sorting aperture passes the first order converging light and blocks the unfocused zero order. The sample is at the focus a few mm downstream of the zone plate and mounted from a scanning piezo stage which rasters in x and y so that an image is formed, pixel by pixel, by an intensity detector behind the sample. Absorption spectra are measured point-by-point as the photon energy is scanned by rotating the diffraction grating in the monochromator and changing the undulator gap.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aoki, Sadao; Namikawa, Tadahiro; Hoshino, Masato

A Zernike-type phase contrast hard X-ray microscope was constructed at the Photon Factory BL3C2 (KEK). A white beam from a bending magnet was monochromatized by a silicon double crystal monochromator. Monochromatic parallel X-ray beam illuminated a sample, and transmitted and diffracted X-ray beams were imaged by a Fresnel zone plate (FZP) which had the outer zone width of 100 nm. A phase plate made of a thin aluminum foil with a pinhole was set at the back focal plane of the FZP. The phase plate modulated the diffraction beam from the FZP, whereas a direct beam passed through the pinhole.more » The resolution of the microscope was measured by observing a tantalum test pattern at an X-ray energy of 9 keV. A 100nm line-and-space pattern could be resolved. X-ray montage pictures of growing eggs of artemia (plankton) were obtained.« less

Surface modification of tooth root canal after application of an X-ray opaque waveguide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dostálová, T.; Jelínková, H.; Šulc, J.; Němec, M.; Koranda, P.; Bartoňová, M.; Radina, P.; Miyagi, M.; Shi, Y.-W.; Matsuura, Y.

The interest in endodontic use of dental laser systems has been increasing. With the development of thin and flexible delivery systems for various wavelengths, laser applications in endodontics may become even more desirable. The aim of this study is to check the X-ray opacity of a hollow waveguide and to observe the results after laser root canal treatment. The root canal systems of 10 molars were treated endodontically by laser. For the laser radiation source, an Er:YAG laser system generating a wavelength of 2940 nm and an Alexandrite laser system generating a wavelength of 375 nm were used. The hollow waveguide used was checked under X-ray . A root canal surface treated by laser radiation was analyzed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The special hollow glass waveguide used was visible in the root canal system under X-ray imaging. Surface modification of the root canal after laser treatment was not found. After conventional treatment the root canal was enlarged. The surface was covered with a smear layer. After application of both laser systems, the smear layer was removed. The resulting canal surface was found to be clean and smooth. Under SEM observation open dentinal tubules were visible. No cracks were present, nor were surface modifications observed.

The application of scanning electron microscopy to fractography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brooks, C.R.; McGill, B.L.

1994-10-01

Many failures involve fracture, and determination of the fracture process is a key factor in understanding the failure. This is frequently accomplished by characterizing the topography of the fracture surface. Scanning electron microscopy has a prominent role in fractography due to three features of the scanning electron microscope (SEM): high resolution, great depth of field, and the ability to obtain chemical information via analysis of the X-rays generated by the electrons. A qualitative treatment is presented of the interaction of electrons with a sample and the effect of the SEM operating parameters on image formation, quality, and X-ray analysis. Fractographsmore » are presented to illustrate these features of scanning electron microscopy and to illustrate the limitations and precautions in obtaining fractographs and x-ray analyses. The review is concluded with examples of fracture surface features of metallic, ceramic, and polymeric materials.« less

Relative merits and limiting factors for x-ray and electron microscopy of thick, hydrated organic materials

DOE PAGES

Du, Ming; Jacobsen, Chris

2017-10-07

Electron and x-ray microscopes allow one to image the entire, unlabeled structure of hydrated materials at a resolution well beyond what visible light microscopes can achieve. However, both approaches involve ionizing radiation, so that radiation damage must be considered as one of the limits to imaging. Drawing upon earlier work, we describe here a unified approach to estimating the image contrast (and thus the required exposure and corresponding radiation dose) in both x-ray and electron microscopy. This approach accounts for factors such as plural and inelastic scattering, and (in electron microscopy) the use of energy filters to obtain so-called "zeromore » loss" images. As expected, it shows that electron microscopy offers lower dose for specimens thinner than about 1 mu m (such as for studies of macromolecules, viruses, bacteria and archaebacteria, and thin sectioned material), while x-ray microscopy offers superior characteristics for imaging thicker specimen such as whole eukaryotic cells, thick-sectioned tissues, and organs. The required radiation dose scales strongly as a function of the desired spatial resolution, allowing one to understand the limits of live and frozen hydrated specimen imaging. Lastly, we consider the factors limiting x-ray microscopy of thicker materials, suggesting that specimens as thick as a whole mouse brain can be imaged with x-ray microscopes without significant image degradation should appropriate image reconstruction methods be identified.« less

Relative merits and limiting factors for x-ray and electron microscopy of thick, hydrated organic materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Du, Ming; Jacobsen, Chris

Electron and x-ray microscopes allow one to image the entire, unlabeled structure of hydrated materials at a resolution well beyond what visible light microscopes can achieve. However, both approaches involve ionizing radiation, so that radiation damage must be considered as one of the limits to imaging. Drawing upon earlier work, we describe here a unified approach to estimating the image contrast (and thus the required exposure and corresponding radiation dose) in both x-ray and electron microscopy. This approach accounts for factors such as plural and inelastic scattering, and (in electron microscopy) the use of energy filters to obtain so-called "zeromore » loss" images. As expected, it shows that electron microscopy offers lower dose for specimens thinner than about 1 mu m (such as for studies of macromolecules, viruses, bacteria and archaebacteria, and thin sectioned material), while x-ray microscopy offers superior characteristics for imaging thicker specimen such as whole eukaryotic cells, thick-sectioned tissues, and organs. The required radiation dose scales strongly as a function of the desired spatial resolution, allowing one to understand the limits of live and frozen hydrated specimen imaging. Lastly, we consider the factors limiting x-ray microscopy of thicker materials, suggesting that specimens as thick as a whole mouse brain can be imaged with x-ray microscopes without significant image degradation should appropriate image reconstruction methods be identified.« less

Practical application of HgI2 detectors to a space-flight scanning electron microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bradley, J. G.; Conley, J. M.; Albee, A. L.; Iwanczyk, J. S.; Dabrowski, A. J.

1989-01-01

Mercuric iodide X-ray detectors have been undergoing tests in a prototype scanning electron microscope system being developed for unmanned space flight. The detector program addresses the issues of geometric configuration in the SEM, compact packaging that includes separate thermoelectric coolers for the detector and FET, X-ray transparent hermetic encapsulation and electrical contacts, and a clean vacuum environment.

A Compact Soft X-Ray Microscope using an Electrode-less Z-Pinch Source.

PubMed

Horne, S F; Silterra, J; Holber, W

2009-01-01

Soft X-rays (< 1Kev) are of medical interest both for imaging and microdosimetry applications. X-ray sources at this low energy present a technological challenge. Synchrotrons, while very powerful and flexible, are enormously expensive national research facilities. Conventional X-ray sources based on electron bombardment can be compact and inexpensive, but low x-ray production efficiencies at low electron energies restrict this approach to very low power applications. Laser-based sources tend to be expensive and unreliable. Energetiq Technology, Inc. (Woburn, MA, USA) markets a 92 eV, 10W(2pi sr) electrode-less Z-pinch source developed for advanced semiconductor lithography. A modified version of this commercial product has produced 400 mW at 430 eV (2pi sr), appropriate for water window soft X-ray microscopy. The US NIH has funded Energetiq to design and construct a demonstration microscope using this source, coupled to a condenser optic, as the illumination system. The design of the condenser optic matches the unique characteristics of the source to the illumination requirements of the microscope, which is otherwise a conventional design. A separate program is underway to develop a microbeam system, in conjunction with the RARAF facility at Columbia University, NY, USA. The objective is to develop a focused, sub-micron beam capable of delivering > 1 Gy/second to the nucleus of a living cell. While most facilities of this type are coupled to a large and expensive particle accelerator, the Z-pinch X-ray source enables a compact, stand-alone design suitable to a small laboratory. The major technical issues in this system involve development of suitable focusing X-ray optics. Current status of these programs will be reported.

A Compact Soft X-Ray Microscope using an Electrode-less Z-Pinch Source

PubMed Central

Silterra, J; Holber, W

2009-01-01

Soft X-rays (< 1Kev) are of medical interest both for imaging and microdosimetry applications. X-ray sources at this low energy present a technological challenge. Synchrotrons, while very powerful and flexible, are enormously expensive national research facilities. Conventional X-ray sources based on electron bombardment can be compact and inexpensive, but low x-ray production efficiencies at low electron energies restrict this approach to very low power applications. Laser-based sources tend to be expensive and unreliable. Energetiq Technology, Inc. (Woburn, MA, USA) markets a 92 eV, 10W(2pi sr) electrode-less Z-pinch source developed for advanced semiconductor lithography. A modified version of this commercial product has produced 400 mW at 430 eV (2pi sr), appropriate for water window soft X-ray microscopy. The US NIH has funded Energetiq to design and construct a demonstration microscope using this source, coupled to a condenser optic, as the illumination system. The design of the condenser optic matches the unique characteristics of the source to the illumination requirements of the microscope, which is otherwise a conventional design. A separate program is underway to develop a microbeam system, in conjunction with the RARAF facility at Columbia University, NY, USA. The objective is to develop a focused, sub-micron beam capable of delivering > 1 Gy/second to the nucleus of a living cell. While most facilities of this type are coupled to a large and expensive particle accelerator, the Z-pinch X-ray source enables a compact, stand-alone design suitable to a small laboratory. The major technical issues in this system involve development of suitable focusing X-ray optics. Current status of these programs will be reported. PMID:20198115

Soft X-ray microscope with nanometer spatial resolution and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wachulak, P. W.; Torrisi, A.; Bartnik, A.; Wegrzynski, L.; Fok, T.; Patron, Z.; Fiedorowicz, H.

2016-12-01

A compact size microscope based on nitrogen double stream gas puff target soft X-ray source, which emits radiation in water-window spectral range at the wavelength of λ = 2.88 nm is presented. The microscope employs ellipsoidal grazing incidence condenser mirror for sample illumination and silicon nitride Fresnel zone plate objective for object magnification and imaging. The microscope is capable of capturing water-window images of objects with 60 nm spatial resolution and exposure time as low as a few seconds. Details about the microscopy system as well as some examples of different applications from various fields of science, are presented and discussed.

Mechanical design of a precision linear flexural stage for 3D x-ray diffraction microscope at the Advanced Photon Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, D.; Liu, W.; Kearney, S.; Anton, J.; Tischler, J. Z.

2015-09-01

The 3-D X-ray diffraction microscope is a new nondestructive tool for the three-dimensional characterization of mesoscopic materials structure. A flexural-pivot-based precision linear stage has been designed to perform a wire scan as a differential aperture for the 3-D diffraction microscope at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. The mechanical design and finite element analyses of the flexural stage, as well as its initial mechanical test results with laser interferometer are described in this paper.

Lightweight Target Generates Bright, Energetic X-Rays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hazi, A

Radiography with x rays is a long-established method to see inside objects, from human limbs to weapon parts. Livermore scientists have a continuing need for powerful x rays for such applications as backlighting, or illuminating, inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments and imaging still or exploding materials for the nation's Stockpile Stewardship Program. X-radiography is one of the prime diagnostics for ICF experiments because it captures the fine detail needed to determine what happens to nearly microscopic targets when they are compressed by laser light. For example, Livermore scientists participating in the National Ignition Facility's (NIF's) 18-month-long Early Light experimental campaign,more » which ended in 2004, used x rays to examine hydrodynamic instabilities in jets of plasma. In these experiments, one laser beam irradiated a solid target of titanium, causing it to form a high-temperature plasma that generated x rays of about 4.65 kiloelectronvolts (keV). These x rays backlit a jet of plasma formed when two other laser beams hit a plastic ablator and sent a shock to an aluminum washer. Livermore physicist Kevin Fournier of the Physics and Advanced Technologies Directorate leads a team that is working to increase the efficiency of converting laser energy into x rays so the resulting images provide more information about the object being illuminated. The main characteristics of x-ray sources are energy and brightness. ''As experimental targets get larger and as compression of the targets increases, the backlighter sources must be brighter and more energetic'', says Fournier. The more energetic the x rays, the further they penetrate an object. The brighter the source--that is, the more photons it has--the clearer the image. historically, researchers have used solid targets such as thin metal foils to generate x rays. however, when photon energies are greater than a few kiloelectronvolts, the conversion efficiency of solid targets is only a fraction of 1 percent. Solid targets have low efficiencies because much of the laser energy is deposited far from the target's x-ray emitting region, and the energy is carried by the relatively slow process of thermal conduction. ''The laser beam ablates material from the massive target, and that material moves away from the target's surface'', says Fournier. With a nanosecond pulse or longer, the laser interacts with the blow-off plasma rather than the remaining bulk sample. As a result, much of the laser's energy goes into the kinetic energy of the blow-off material, not into heating the bulk of the foil.« less

Diffusion length measurement using the scanning electron microscope. [for silicon solar cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weizer, V. G.

1975-01-01

The present work describes a measuring technique employing the scanning electron microscope in which values of the true bulk diffusion length are obtained. It is shown that surface recombination effects can be eliminated through application of highly doped surface field layers. The effects of high injection level and low-high junction current generation are investigated. Results obtained with this technique are compared to those obtained by a penetrating radiation (X-ray) method, and a close agreement is found. The SEM technique is limited to cells that contain a back surface field layer.

King's College London/SERC Daresbury Scanning X-ray Microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burge, R. E.; Browne, M. T.; Buckley, C. J.; Cave, R.; Charalambous, P.; Duke, P. J.; Freake, A. J.; Hare, A.; Hills, C. P. B.; Kenney, J. M.; Kuriyama, T.; Lidiard, D.; MacDowell, A.; Michette, A. G.; Morrison, G. R.; Ogawa, K.; Rogoyski, A. M.

1986-01-01

The present status of the soft X-ray microscope is described and a short description is given, with likely development paths for the future, of the Daresbury synchrotron source, the monochromator, the high-resolution zone-plates, the scanning specimen stage, image recording and methods of image enhancement. It is considered that the instrumental developments needed for images at 10 nm resolution will take a further two or three years.

The approach to reflection x-ray microscopy below the critical angles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artyukov, Igor A.; Busarov, Alexander; Popov, Nikolay L.; Vinogradov, Alexander V.

2017-05-01

There is a quest for new knowledge and methods to study various materials and processes on surfaces and interfaces at the nanoscale. It concerns ablation, phase transitions, physical and chemical transformations, dissolution, selforganization etc. Obviously, to achieve an appropriate resolution it is necessary to use a corresponding wavelength . Higher resolution can be obtained with shorter wavelengths. On the other hand, in surface modification, ablation, study of buried interfaces etc. the penetration length of radiation into the materials, which depends on the wavelength and angle of incidence, plays important role... Considering these factors the experimental studies in nano-physics and nanotechnology are usually carried out using X-ray radiation with a photon energy of 0.1-10 keV. As far as surfaces and films are investigated, it is reasonable to use an X-ray microscope operating in the reflection mode. However, in this spectral range a substantial portion of the radiation is reflected only at small grazing angles (e.g. <= 10°). Thus, the idea of grazing incidence reflection-mode X-ray microscope has been developed. In this paper, we consider one of possible schemes of such an X-ray microscope. Our analysis and simulation is based on the extension of the Fresnel propagation theory to tilted object problems.

X-ray mosaic nanotomography of large microorganisms.

PubMed

Mokso, R; Quaroni, L; Marone, F; Irvine, S; Vila-Comamala, J; Blanke, A; Stampanoni, M

2012-02-01

Full-field X-ray microscopy is a valuable tool for 3D observation of biological systems. In the soft X-ray domain organelles can be visualized in individual cells while hard X-ray microscopes excel in imaging of larger complex biological tissue. The field of view of these instruments is typically 10(3) times the spatial resolution. We exploit the assets of the hard X-ray sub-micrometer imaging and extend the standard approach by widening the effective field of view to match the size of the sample. We show that global tomography of biological systems exceeding several times the field of view is feasible also at the nanoscale with moderate radiation dose. We address the performance issues and limitations of the TOMCAT full-field microscope and more generally for Zernike phase contrast imaging. Two biologically relevant systems were investigated. The first being the largest known bacteria (Thiomargarita namibiensis), the second is a small myriapod species (Pauropoda sp.). Both examples illustrate the capacity of the unique, structured condenser based broad-band full-field microscope to access the 3D structural details of biological systems at the nanoscale while avoiding complicated sample preparation, or even keeping the sample environment close to the natural state. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Broadband X-ray edge-enhancement imaging of a boron fibre on lithium fluoride thin film detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nichelatti, E.; Bonfigli, F.; Vincenti, M. A.; Cecilia, A.; Vagovič, P.; Baumbach, T.; Montereali, R. M.

2016-10-01

The white beam (∼6-80 keV) available at the TopoTomo X-ray beamline of the ANKA synchrotron facility (KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany) was used to perform edge-enhancement imaging tests on lithium fluoride radiation detectors. The diffracted X-ray image of a microscopic boron fibre, consisting of tungsten wire wrapped by boron cladding, was projected onto lithium fluoride thin films placed at several distances, from contact to 1 m . X-ray photons cause the local formation of primary and aggregate colour centres in lithium fluoride; these latter, once illuminated under blue light, luminesce forming visible-light patterns-acquired by a confocal laser scanning microscope-that reproduce the intensity of the X-ray diffracted images. The tests demonstrated the excellent performances of lithium fluoride films as radiation detectors at the investigated photon energies. The experimental results are here discussed and compared with those calculated with a model that takes into account all the processes that concern image formation, storing and readout.

Spectro-microscopic Characterization of Physical Properties and Phase Separations in Individual Atmospheric Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

OBrien, R. E.; Wang, B.; Neu, A.; Kelly, S. T.; Lundt, N.; Epstein, S. A.; MacMillan, A.; You, Y.; Laskin, A.; Nizkorodov, S.; Bertram, A. K.; Moffet, R.; Gilles, M.

2013-12-01

The phase state and liquid-liquid phase separations of ambient and laboratory generated aerosol particles were investigated using (1) scanning transmission x-ray microscopy/near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (STXM/NEXAFS) coupled to a relative humidity (RH) controlled in-situ chamber and (2) environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The phase states of the particles were determined from measurements of their size and optical density. A comparison is made between the observed phase states of ambient samples and of laboratory generated aerosols to determine how well laboratory samples represent the phase of ambient samples. In addition, liquid-liquid phase separations in laboratory generated particles were investigated. Preliminary results showing that liquid-liquid phase separations occur at RH's between the deliquescence and efflorescence points and that the organic phase surrounds the inorganic phase will be presented. The STXM/NEXAFS technique provides insight into the degree of mixing at the deliquescence point and the degree of phase separation for particles of atmospherically relevant sizes.

The qualitative f-ratio method applied to electron channelling-induced x-ray imaging with an annular silicon drift detector in a scanning electron microscope in the transmission mode.

PubMed

Brodusch, Nicolas; Gauvin, Raynald

2017-09-01

Electron channelling is known to affect the x-ray production when an accelerated electron beam is applied to a crystalline material and is highly dependent on the local crystal orientation. This effect, unless very long counting time are used, is barely noticeable on x-ray energy spectra recorded with conventional silicon drift detectors (SDD) located at a small elevation angle. However, the very high count rates provided by the new commercially available annular SDDs permit now to observe this effect routinely and may, in some circumstances, hide the true elemental x-ray variations due to the local true specimen composition. To circumvent this issue, the recently developed f-ratio method was applied to display qualitatively the true net intensity x-ray variations in a thin specimen of a Ti-6Al-4V alloy in a scanning electron microscope in transmission mode. The diffraction contrast observed in the x-ray images was successfully cancelled through the use of f-ratios and the true composition variations at the grain boundaries could be observed in relation to the dislocation alignment prior to the β-phase nucleation. The qualitative effectiveness in removing channelling effects demonstrated in this work makes the f-ratio, in its quantitative form, a possible alternative to the ZAF method in channelling conditions. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2017 Royal Microscopical Society.

Relative merits and limiting factors for x-ray and electron microscopy of thick, hydrated organic materials.

PubMed

Du, Ming; Jacobsen, Chris

2018-01-01

Electron and x-ray microscopes allow one to image the entire, unlabeled structure of hydrated materials at a resolution well beyond what visible light microscopes can achieve. However, both approaches involve ionizing radiation, so that radiation damage must be considered as one of the limits to imaging. Drawing upon earlier work, we describe here a unified approach to estimating the image contrast (and thus the required exposure and corresponding radiation dose) in both x-ray and electron microscopy. This approach accounts for factors such as plural and inelastic scattering, and (in electron microscopy) the use of energy filters to obtain so-called "zero loss" images. As expected, it shows that electron microscopy offers lower dose for specimens thinner than about 1 µm (such as for studies of macromolecules, viruses, bacteria and archaebacteria, and thin sectioned material), while x-ray microscopy offers superior characteristics for imaging thicker specimen such as whole eukaryotic cells, thick-sectioned tissues, and organs. The required radiation dose scales strongly as a function of the desired spatial resolution, allowing one to understand the limits of live and frozen hydrated specimen imaging. Finally, we consider the factors limiting x-ray microscopy of thicker materials, suggesting that specimens as thick as a whole mouse brain can be imaged with x-ray microscopes without significant image degradation should appropriate image reconstruction methods be identified. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Direct observation of X-ray induced atomic motion using scanning tunneling microscope combined with synchrotron radiation.

PubMed

Saito, Akira; Tanaka, Takehiro; Takagi, Yasumasa; Hosokawa, Hiromasa; Notsu, Hiroshi; Ohzeki, Gozo; Tanaka, Yoshihito; Kohmura, Yoshiki; Akai-Kasaya, Megumi; Ishikawa, Tetsuya; Kuwahara, Yuji; Kikuta, Seishi; Aono, Masakazu

2011-04-01

X-ray induced atomic motion on a Ge(111)-c(2 x 8) clean surface at room temperature was directly observed with atomic resolution using a synchrotron radiation (SR)-based scanning tunneling microscope (STM) system under ultra high vacuum condition. The atomic motion was visualized as a tracking image by developing a method to merge the STM images before and after X-ray irradiation. Using the tracking image, the atomic mobility was found to be strongly affected by defects on the surface, but was not dependent on the incident X-ray energy, although it was clearly dependent on the photon density. The atomic motion can be attributed to surface diffusion, which might not be due to core-excitation accompanied with electronic transition, but a thermal effect by X-ray irradiation. The crystal surface structure was possible to break even at a lower photon density than the conventionally known barrier. These results can alert X-ray studies in the near future about sample damage during measurements, while suggesting the possibility of new applications. Also the obtained results show a new availability of the in-situ SR-STM system.

Development of SEM/STEM-WDX for highly sensitive detection of light elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anan, Y.; Koguchi, M.; Kimura, T.; Sekiguchi, T.

2018-02-01

In this study, to detect the light element lithium (Li) and to detect low dosed Boron (B) in the local area at nm order, we developed an analytical electron microscope equipped with an improved serial (S)-type WDX (wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) system. In detail, to detect Li, we developed a high-conductivity multi-capillary X-ray (MCX) lens, and a diffractor with a lattice spacing (d) of 15 nm, and with a spacing variation (δ d) of 0.8 nm. Moreover, to detect low dosed light element B, we designed a high-conductivity MCX lens based on the soft X-ray reflectivity in the capillary and calculation. We developed a large-solid-angle MCX lens whose conductivity of the characteristic X-rays of B became 20 times higher than that of an MCX lens with a 30-mm focal length. Our developed analytical electron microscope was applied to a LiAl specimen and a low B-doped Si substrate specimen, and the performance of this analytical electron microscope was evaluated. As a results, this analytical electron microscope could detect the characteristic X-rays of Li with a minimum mass fraction (MMF) of 8.4 atomic % (at. %). The energy resolution was 1 eV at 55 eV. From the results of measuring the line profile of B for the unpatterned B-implantation area on a B-doped Si substrate specimen, the measured line profile data were in good agreement with secondary ion mass spectrometry data up to a depth of 100 nm with a B concentration of 0.05 at. %.

Binary pseudo-random patterned structures for modulation transfer function calibration and resolution characterization of a full-field transmission soft x-ray microscope

DOE PAGES

Yashchuk, V. V.; Fischer, P. J.; Chan, E. R.; ...

2015-12-09

We present a modulation transfer function (MTF) calibration method based on binary pseudo-random (BPR) one-dimensional sequences and two-dimensional arrays as an effective method for spectral characterization in the spatial frequency domain of a broad variety of metrology instrumentation, including interferometric microscopes, scatterometers, phase shifting Fizeau interferometers, scanning and transmission electron microscopes, and at this time, x-ray microscopes. The inherent power spectral density of BPR gratings and arrays, which has a deterministic white-noise-like character, allows a direct determination of the MTF with a uniform sensitivity over the entire spatial frequency range and field of view of an instrument. We demonstrate themore » MTF calibration and resolution characterization over the full field of a transmission soft x-ray microscope using a BPR multilayer (ML) test sample with 2.8 nm fundamental layer thickness. We show that beyond providing a direct measurement of the microscope's MTF, tests with the BPRML sample can be used to fine tune the instrument's focal distance. Finally, our results confirm the universality of the method that makes it applicable to a large variety of metrology instrumentation with spatial wavelength bandwidths from a few nanometers to hundreds of millimeters.« less

Advantages of intermediate X-ray energies in Zernike phase contrast X-ray microscopy.

PubMed

Wang, Zhili; Gao, Kun; Chen, Jian; Hong, Youli; Ge, Xin; Wang, Dajiang; Pan, Zhiyun; Zhu, Peiping; Yun, Wenbing; Jacobsen, Chris; Wu, Ziyu

2013-01-01

Understanding the hierarchical organizations of molecules and organelles within the interior of large eukaryotic cells is a challenge of fundamental interest in cell biology. Light microscopy is a powerful tool for observations of the dynamics of live cells, its resolution attainable is limited and insufficient. While electron microscopy can produce images with astonishing resolution and clarity of ultra-thin (<1 μm thick) sections of biological specimens, many questions involve the three-dimensional organization of a cell or the interconnectivity of cells. X-ray microscopy offers superior imaging resolution compared to light microscopy, and unique capability of nondestructive three-dimensional imaging of hydrated unstained biological cells, complementary to existing light and electron microscopy. Until now, X-ray microscopes operating in the "water window" energy range between carbon and oxygen k-shell absorption edges have produced outstanding 3D images of cryo-preserved cells. The relatively low X-ray energy (<540 eV) of the water window imposes two important limitations: limited penetration (<10 μm) not suitable for imaging larger cells or tissues, and small depth of focus (DoF) for high resolution 3D imaging (e.g., ~1 μm DoF for 20 nm resolution). An X-ray microscope operating at intermediate energy around 2.5 keV using Zernike phase contrast can overcome the above limitations and reduces radiation dose to the specimen. Using a hydrated model cell with an average chemical composition reported in literature, we calculated the image contrast and the radiation dose for absorption and Zernike phase contrast, respectively. The results show that an X-ray microscope operating at ~2.5 keV using Zernike phase contrast offers substantial advantages in terms of specimen size, radiation dose and depth-of-focus. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transmission X-ray microscopy for full-field nano-imaging of biomaterials

PubMed Central

ANDREWS, JOY C; MEIRER, FLORIAN; LIU, YIJIN; MESTER, ZOLTAN; PIANETTA, PIERO

2010-01-01

Imaging of cellular structure and extended tissue in biological materials requires nanometer resolution and good sample penetration, which can be provided by current full-field transmission X-ray microscopic techniques in the soft and hard X-ray regions. The various capabilities of full-field transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) include 3D tomography, Zernike phase contrast, quantification of absorption, and chemical identification via X-ray fluorescence and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) imaging. These techniques are discussed and compared in light of results from imaging of biological materials including microorganisms, bone and mineralized tissue and plants, with a focus on hard X-ray TXM at ≤ 40 nm resolution. PMID:20734414

Probing buried layers by photoelectron spectromicroscopy with hard x-ray excitation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiemann, C.; Patt, M.; Cramm, S.

We report about a proof-of-principle experiment which explores the perspectives of performing hard x-ray photoemission spectromicroscopy with high lateral resolution. Our results obtained with an energy-filtered photoemission microscope at the PETRA III storage ring facility using hard x-ray excitation up to 6.5 keV photon energy demonstrate that it is possible to obtain selected-area x-ray photoemission spectra from regions less than 500 nm in diameter.

Nanoscale x-ray imaging of circuit features without wafer etching.

PubMed

Deng, Junjing; Hong, Young Pyo; Chen, Si; Nashed, Youssef S G; Peterka, Tom; Levi, Anthony J F; Damoulakis, John; Saha, Sayan; Eiles, Travis; Jacobsen, Chris

2017-03-01

Modern integrated circuits (ICs) employ a myriad of materials organized at nanoscale dimensions, and certain critical tolerances must be met for them to function. To understand departures from intended functionality, it is essential to examine ICs as manufactured so as to adjust design rules, ideally in a non-destructive way so that imaged structures can be correlated with electrical performance. Electron microscopes can do this on thin regions, or on exposed surfaces, but the required processing alters or even destroys functionality. Microscopy with multi-keV x-rays provides an alternative approach with greater penetration, but the spatial resolution of x-ray imaging lenses has not allowed one to see the required detail in the latest generation of ICs. X-ray ptychography provides a way to obtain images of ICs without lens-imposed resolution limits, with past work delivering 20-40 nm resolution on thinned ICs. We describe a simple model for estimating the required exposure, and use it to estimate the future potential for this technique. Here we show for the first time that this approach can be used to image circuit detail through an unprocessed 300 μ m thick silicon wafer, with sub-20 nm detail clearly resolved after mechanical polishing to 240 μ m thickness was used to eliminate image contrast caused by Si wafer surface scratches. By using continuous x-ray scanning, massively parallel computation, and a new generation of synchrotron light sources, this should enable entire non-etched ICs to be imaged to 10 nm resolution or better while maintaining their ability to function in electrical tests.

Nanoscale x-ray imaging of circuit features without wafer etching

DOE PAGES

Deng, Junjing; Hong, Young Pyo; Chen, Si; ...

2017-03-24

Modern integrated circuits (ICs) employ a myriad of materials organized at nanoscale dimensions, and certain critical tolerances must be met for them to function. To understand departures from intended functionality, it is essential to examine ICs as manufactured so as to adjust design rules ideally in a nondestructive way so that imaged structures can be correlated with electrical performance. Electron microscopes can do this on thin regions or on exposed surfaces, but the required processing alters or even destroys functionality. Microscopy with multi-keV x-rays provides an alternative approach with greater penetration, but the spatial resolution of x-ray imaging lenses hasmore » not allowed one to see the required detail in the latest generation of ICs. X-ray ptychography provides a way to obtain images of ICs without lens-imposed resolution limits with past work delivering 20–40-nm resolution on thinned ICs. We describe a simple model for estimating the required exposure and use it to estimate the future potential for this technique. Here we show that this approach can be used to image circuit detail through an unprocessed 300-μm-thick silicon wafer with sub-20-nm detail clearly resolved after mechanical polishing to 240-μm thickness was used to eliminate image contrast caused by Si wafer surface scratches. Here, by using continuous x-ray scanning, massively parallel computation, and a new generation of synchrotron light sources, this should enable entire nonetched ICs to be imaged to 10-nm resolution or better while maintaining their ability to function in electrical tests.« less

Nanoscale x-ray imaging of circuit features without wafer etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Junjing; Hong, Young Pyo; Chen, Si; Nashed, Youssef S. G.; Peterka, Tom; Levi, Anthony J. F.; Damoulakis, John; Saha, Sayan; Eiles, Travis; Jacobsen, Chris

2017-03-01

Modern integrated circuits (ICs) employ a myriad of materials organized at nanoscale dimensions, and certain critical tolerances must be met for them to function. To understand departures from intended functionality, it is essential to examine ICs as manufactured so as to adjust design rules ideally in a nondestructive way so that imaged structures can be correlated with electrical performance. Electron microscopes can do this on thin regions or on exposed surfaces, but the required processing alters or even destroys functionality. Microscopy with multi-keV x rays provides an alternative approach with greater penetration, but the spatial resolution of x-ray imaging lenses has not allowed one to see the required detail in the latest generation of ICs. X-ray ptychography provides a way to obtain images of ICs without lens-imposed resolution limits with past work delivering 20-40-nm resolution on thinned ICs. We describe a simple model for estimating the required exposure and use it to estimate the future potential for this technique. Here we show that this approach can be used to image circuit detail through an unprocessed 300 -μ m -thick silicon wafer with sub-20-nm detail clearly resolved after mechanical polishing to 240 -μ m thickness was used to eliminate image contrast caused by Si wafer surface scratches. By using continuous x-ray scanning, massively parallel computation, and a new generation of synchrotron light sources, this should enable entire nonetched ICs to be imaged to 10-nm resolution or better while maintaining their ability to function in electrical tests.

Carbon Nanotube Field Emitters Synthesized on Metal Alloy Substrate by PECVD for Customized Compact Field Emission Devices to Be Used in X-Ray Source Applications.

PubMed

Park, Sangjun; Gupta, Amar Prasad; Yeo, Seung Jun; Jung, Jaeik; Paik, Sang Hyun; Mativenga, Mallory; Kim, Seung Hoon; Shin, Ji Hoon; Ahn, Jeung Sun; Ryu, Jehwang

2018-05-29

In this study, a simple, efficient, and economical process is reported for the direct synthesis of carbon nanotube (CNT) field emitters on metal alloy. Given that CNT field emitters can be customized with ease for compact and cold field emission devices, they are promising replacements for thermionic emitters in widely accessible X-ray source electron guns. High performance CNT emitter samples were prepared in optimized plasma conditions through the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process and subsequently characterized by using a scanning electron microscope, tunneling electron microscope, and Raman spectroscopy. For the cathode current, field emission (FE) characteristics with respective turn on (1 μA/cm²) and threshold (1 mA/cm²) field of 2.84 and 4.05 V/μm were obtained. For a field of 5.24 V/μm, maximum current density of 7 mA/cm² was achieved and a field enhancement factor β of 2838 was calculated. In addition, the CNT emitters sustained a current density of 6.7 mA/cm² for 420 min under a field of 5.2 V/μm, confirming good operational stability. Finally, an X-ray generated image of an integrated circuit was taken using the compact field emission device developed herein.

X-ray imaging and controlled solidification of Al-Cu alloys toward microstructures by design

DOE PAGES

Clarke, Amy J.; Tourret, Damien; Imhoff, Seth D.; ...

2015-01-30

X-ray imaging, which permits the microscopic visualization of metal alloy solidification dynamics, can be coupled with controlled solidification to create microstructures by design. In this study, this x-ray image shows a process-derived composite microstructure being made from a eutectic Al-17.1 at.%Cu alloy by successive solidification and remelting steps.

Symposium N: Materials and Devices for Thermal-to-Electric Energy Conversion

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-24

X - ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. Thermal conductivity measurements...SEM), X - ray diffraction (XRD) measurements as well as Raman spectroscopy. The results from these techniques indicate a clear modification...was examined by using scanning electron microscope (SEM; HITACHI S-4500 model) attached with an energy dispersive x - ray spectroscopy. The electrical

Unsupervised data mining in nanoscale x-ray spectro-microscopic study of NdFeB magnet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duan, Xiaoyue; Yang, Feifei; Antono, Erin

Novel developments in X-ray based spectro-microscopic characterization techniques have increased the rate of acquisition of spatially resolved spectroscopic data by several orders of magnitude over what was possible a few years ago. This accelerated data acquisition, with high spatial resolution at nanoscale and sensitivity to subtle differences in chemistry and atomic structure, provides a unique opportunity to investigate hierarchically complex and structurally heterogeneous systems found in functional devices and materials systems. However, handling and analyzing the large volume data generated poses significant challenges. Here we apply an unsupervised data-mining algorithm known as DBSCAN to study a rare-earth element based permanentmore » magnet material, Nd 2Fe 14B. We are able to reduce a large spectro-microscopic dataset of over 300,000 spectra to 3, preserving much of the underlying information. Scientists can easily and quickly analyze in detail three characteristic spectra. Our approach can rapidly provide a concise representation of a large and complex dataset to materials scientists and chemists. For instance, it shows that the surface of common Nd 2Fe 14B magnet is chemically and structurally very different from the bulk, suggesting a possible surface alteration effect possibly due to the corrosion, which could affect the material’s overall properties.« less

Unsupervised data mining in nanoscale x-ray spectro-microscopic study of NdFeB magnet

DOE PAGES

Duan, Xiaoyue; Yang, Feifei; Antono, Erin; ...

2016-09-29

Novel developments in X-ray based spectro-microscopic characterization techniques have increased the rate of acquisition of spatially resolved spectroscopic data by several orders of magnitude over what was possible a few years ago. This accelerated data acquisition, with high spatial resolution at nanoscale and sensitivity to subtle differences in chemistry and atomic structure, provides a unique opportunity to investigate hierarchically complex and structurally heterogeneous systems found in functional devices and materials systems. However, handling and analyzing the large volume data generated poses significant challenges. Here we apply an unsupervised data-mining algorithm known as DBSCAN to study a rare-earth element based permanentmore » magnet material, Nd 2Fe 14B. We are able to reduce a large spectro-microscopic dataset of over 300,000 spectra to 3, preserving much of the underlying information. Scientists can easily and quickly analyze in detail three characteristic spectra. Our approach can rapidly provide a concise representation of a large and complex dataset to materials scientists and chemists. For instance, it shows that the surface of common Nd 2Fe 14B magnet is chemically and structurally very different from the bulk, suggesting a possible surface alteration effect possibly due to the corrosion, which could affect the material’s overall properties.« less

Hard and soft X-ray microscopy and tomography in catalysis: bridging the different time and length scales.

PubMed

Grunwaldt, Jan-Dierk; Schroer, Christian G

2010-12-01

X-ray microscopic techniques are excellent and presently emerging techniques for chemical imaging of heterogeneous catalysts. Spatially resolved studies in heterogeneous catalysis require the understanding of both the macro and the microstructure, since both have decisive influence on the final performance of the industrially applied catalysts. A particularly important aspect is the study of the catalysts during their preparation, activation and under operating conditions, where X-rays have an inherent advantage due to their good penetration length especially in the hard X-ray regime. Whereas reaction cell design for hard X-rays is straightforward, recently smart in situ cells have also been reported for the soft X-ray regime. In the first part of the tutorial review, the constraints from a catalysis view are outlined, then the scanning and full-field X-ray microscopy as well as coherent X-ray diffraction imaging techniques are described together with the challenging design of suitable environmental cells. Selected examples demonstrate the application of X-ray microscopy and tomography to monitor structural gradients in catalytic reactors and catalyst preparation with micrometre resolution but also the possibility to follow structural changes in the sub-100 nm regime. Moreover, the potential of the new synchrotron radiation sources with higher brilliance, recent milestones in focusing of hard X-rays as well as spatiotemporal studies are highlighted. The tutorial review concludes with a view on future developments in the field of X-ray microscopy that will have strong impact on the understanding of catalysts in the future and should be combined with in situ electron microscopic studies on the nanoscale and other spectroscopic studies like microRaman, microIR and microUV-vis on the macroscale.

Micromorphology of sialoliths in submandibular salivary gland: a scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction analysis.

PubMed

Kasaboğlu, Oğuzcan; Er, Nuray; Tümer, Celal; Akkocaoğlu, Murat

2004-10-01

Sialoliths are common in the submandibular gland and its duct system. The exact cause of formation of a sialolith is still a matter of debate. The aim of this study was to analyze 6 sialoliths ultrastructurally to determine their development mechanism in the submandibular salivary glands. Six sialoliths retrieved from the hilus and duct of the submandibular salivary glands of 6 patients with sialadenitis were analyzed ultrastructurally by scanning electron microscope and x-ray diffractometer. Scanning electron microscope revealed mainly irregular, partly rudely hexagonal, needle-like and plate-shaped crystals. The cross-section from the surface to the inner part of the sialoliths showed no organic material. X-ray diffraction showed that the sialoliths were composed of hydroxyapatite crystals. Energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis showed that all of the samples contained high levels of Ca and P, and small amounts of Mg, Na, Cl, Si, Fe, and K. The main structures of the submandibular sialoliths were found to be hydroxyapatite crystals. No organic cores were observed in the central parts of the sialoliths. In accordance with these preliminary results, sialoliths in the submandibular salivary glands may arise secondary to sialadenitis, but not via a luminal organic nidus.

Aplanatic and quasi-aplanatic diffraction gratings

DOEpatents

Hettrick, M.C.

1987-09-14

A reflection diffraction grating having a series of transverse minute grooves of progressively varying spacing along a concave surface enables use of such gratings for x-ray or longer wavelength imaging of objects. The variable groove spacing establishes aplanatism or substantially uniform magnetification across the optical aperture. The grating may be sued, for example, in x-ray microscopes or telescopes of the imaging type and in x-ray microprobed. Increased spatial resolution and field of view may be realized in x-ray imaging. 5 figs.

Performance of bent-crystal x-ray microscopes for high energy density physics research

DOE PAGES

Schollmeier, Marius S.; Geissel, Matthias; Shores, Jonathon E.; ...

2015-05-29

We present calculations for the field of view (FOV), image fluence, image monochromaticity, spectral acceptance, and image aberrations for spherical crystal microscopes, which are used as self-emission imaging or backlighter systems at large-scale high energy density physics facilities. Our analytic results are benchmarked with ray-tracing calculations as well as with experimental measurements from the 6.151 keV backlighter system at Sandia National Laboratories. Furthermore, the analytic expressions can be used for x-ray source positions anywhere between the Rowland circle and object plane. We discovered that this enables quick optimization of the performance of proposed but untested, bent-crystal microscope systems to findmore » the best compromise between FOV, image fluence, and spatial resolution for a particular application.« less

Transmission X-ray microscopy for full-field nano imaging of biomaterials.

PubMed

Andrews, Joy C; Meirer, Florian; Liu, Yijin; Mester, Zoltan; Pianetta, Piero

2011-07-01

Imaging of cellular structure and extended tissue in biological materials requires nanometer resolution and good sample penetration, which can be provided by current full-field transmission X-ray microscopic techniques in the soft and hard X-ray regions. The various capabilities of full-field transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) include 3D tomography, Zernike phase contrast, quantification of absorption, and chemical identification via X-ray fluorescence and X-ray absorption near edge structure imaging. These techniques are discussed and compared in light of results from the imaging of biological materials including microorganisms, bone and mineralized tissue, and plants, with a focus on hard X-ray TXM at ≤ 40-nm resolution. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Crystal Structure, Magnetic and Optical Properties of Mn-Doped BiFeO₃ by Hydrothermal Synthesis.

PubMed

Zhang, Ning; Wei, Qinhua; Qin, Laishun; Chen, Da; Chen, Zhi; Niu, Feng; Wang, Jiangying; Huanag, Yuexiang

2017-01-01

In this paper, Mn doped BiFeO₃ were firstly synthesized by hydrothermal process. The influence of Mn doping on structural, optical and magnetic properties of BiFeO₃ was studied. The different amounts of Mn doping in BiFeO₃ were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscope, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscope, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and magnetic measurements. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed the formation of pure phase rhombohedral structure in BiFe(1−x) Mn (x) O₃ (x = 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07) samples. The morphologies and chemical compositions of as-prepared samples could be observed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscope (EDS). A relative large saturated magnetization (Ms) of 0.53 emu/g for x = 0.07 sample was obtained at room temperature, which is considered to be Mn ions doping. UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy showed strong absorption of light in the range of 200–1000 nm, indicating the optical band gap in the visible region for these samples. This implied that BiFe(1−x) Mn(x)O₃ may be a potential photocatalyst for utilizing solar energy.

LabVIEW control software for scanning micro-beam X-ray fluorescence spectrometer.

PubMed

Wrobel, Pawel; Czyzycki, Mateusz; Furman, Leszek; Kolasinski, Krzysztof; Lankosz, Marek; Mrenca, Alina; Samek, Lucyna; Wegrzynek, Dariusz

2012-05-15

Confocal micro-beam X-ray fluorescence microscope was constructed. The system was assembled from commercially available components - a low power X-ray tube source, polycapillary X-ray optics and silicon drift detector - controlled by an in-house developed LabVIEW software. A video camera coupled to optical microscope was utilized to display the area excited by X-ray beam. The camera image calibration and scan area definition software were also based entirely on LabVIEW code. Presently, the main area of application of the newly constructed spectrometer is 2-dimensional mapping of element distribution in environmental, biological and geological samples with micrometer spatial resolution. The hardware and the developed software can already handle volumetric 3-D confocal scans. In this work, a front panel graphical user interface as well as communication protocols between hardware components were described. Two applications of the spectrometer, to homogeneity testing of titanium layers and to imaging of various types of grains in air particulate matter collected on membrane filters, were presented. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High Resolution Higher Energy X-ray Microscope for Mesoscopic Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snigireva, I.; Snigirev, A.

2013-10-01

We developed a novel X-ray microscopy technique to study mesoscopically structured materials, employing compound refractive lenses. The easily seen advantage of lens-based methodology is the possibility to retrieve high resolution diffraction pattern and real-space images in the same experimental setup. Methodologically the proposed approach is similar to the studies of crystals by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The proposed microscope was applied for studying of mesoscopic materials such as natural and synthetic opals, inverted photonic crystals.

Low energy X-ray spectra measured with a mercuric iodide energy dispersive spectrometer in a scanning electron microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iwanczyk, J. S.; Dabrowski, A. J.; Huth, G. C.; Bradley, J. G.; Conley, J. M.

1986-01-01

A mercuric iodide energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer, with Peltier cooling provided for the detector and input field effect transistor, has been developed and tested in a scanning electron microscope. X-ray spectra were obtained with the 15 keV electron beam. An energy resolution of 225 eV (FWHM) for Mn-K(alpha) at 5.9 keV and 195 eV (FWHM) for the Mg-K line at 1.25 keV has been measured. Overall system noise level was 175 eV (FWHM). The detector system characterization with a carbon target demonstrated good energy sensitivity at low energies and lack of significant spectral artifacts at higher energies.

Ultrastructural imaging and molecular modeling of live bacteria using soft x-ray contact microscopy with nanoseconds laser-plasma radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kado, Masataka; Richardson, Martin C.; Gaebel, Kai; Torres, David S.; Rajyaguru, Jayshree; Muszynski, Michael J.

1995-09-01

X-ray images of the various live bacteria, such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, and micromolecule such as chromosomal DNA from Escherichis coli, and Lipopolysacchride from Burkholderia cepacia, are obtained with soft x-ray contact microscopy. A compact tabletop type glass laser system is used to produce x-rays from Al, Si, and Au targets. The PMMA photoresists are used to record x-ray images. An AFM (atomic force microscope) is used to reproduce the x-ray images from the developed photoresists. The performance of the 50nm spatial resolutions are achieved and images are able to be discussed on the biological view.

Hierarchical multimodal tomographic x-ray imaging at a superbend

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stampanoni, M.; Marone, F.; Mikuljan, G.; Jefimovs, K.; Trtik, P.; Vila-Comamala, J.; David, C.; Abela, R.

2008-08-01

Over the last decade, synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy has established itself as a fundamental tool for non-invasive, quantitative investigations of a broad variety of samples, with application ranging from space research and materials science to biology and medicine. Thanks to the brilliance of modern third generation sources, voxel sizes in the micrometer range are routinely achieved by the major X-ray microtomography devices around the world, while the isotropic 100 nm barrier is reached and trespassed only by few instruments. The beamline for TOmographic Microscopy and Coherent rAdiology experiments (TOMCAT) of the Swiss Light Source at the Paul Scherrer Institut, operates a multimodal endstation which offers tomographic capabilities in the micrometer range in absorption contrast - of course - as well as phase contrast imaging. Recently, the beamline has been equipped with a full field, hard X-rays microscope with a theoretical pixel size down to 30 nm and a field of view of 50 microns. The nanoscope performs well at X-ray energies between 8 and 12 keV, selected from the white beam of a 2.9 T superbend by a [Ru/C]100 fixed exit multilayer monochromator. In this work we illustrate the experimental setup dedicated to the nanoscope, in particular the ad-hoc designed X-ray optics needed to produce a homogeneous, square illumination of the sample imaging plane as well as the magnifying zone plate. Tomographic reconstructions at 60 nm voxel size will be shown and discussed.

X-ray microscopy with high-resolution zone plates: recent developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Gerd; Wilhein, Thomas; Niemann, Bastian; Guttman, P.; Schliebe, T.; Lehr, J.; Aschoff, H.; Thieme, Juergen; Rudolph, Dietbert M.; Schmahl, Guenther A.

1995-09-01

In order to expand the applications of x-ray microscopy, developments in the fields of zone plate technology, specimen preparation and imaging techniques have been made. A new cross- linked polymer chain electron beam resist allows us to record zone plate pattern down to 19 nm outermost zone width. High resolution zone plates in germanium with outermost zone widths down to 19 nm have been developed. In addition, phase zone plates in nickel down to 30 nm zone width have been made by electroplating. In order to enhance the image contrast for weak absorbing objects, the phase contrast method for x-ray microscopy was developed and implemented on the Gottingen x-ray microscope at BESSY. The effects of x ray absorption on the structure of biological specimen limits the maximum applicable radiation dose and therefore the achievable signal to noise ratio for an artifact-free x-ray image. To improve the stability especially of biological specimen, a cryogenic object chamber has been developed and tested. It turns out that at the operating temperature T less than or equal to 130 K unfixed biological specimen can be exposed to a radiation dose of 109 - 1010 Gy without any observable structural changes. A multiple-angle viewing stage allows us to take stereoscopic images with the x-ray microscope, giving a 3D-impression of the object. As an example for the applications of x-ray microscopy in biology, erythrocytes infected by malaria parasite have been examined. Studies of the aggregation of hematite by sodium sulfate gives an example for the application of x-ray microscopy in the field of colloid research.

Spectromicroscope for the PHotoelectron Imaging of Nanostructures with X-rays (SPHINX): performance in biology, medicine and geology.

PubMed

Frazer, Bradley H; Girasole, Marco; Wiese, Lisa M; Franz, Torsten; De Stasio, Gelsomina

2004-05-01

Several X-ray PhotoElectron Emission spectroMicroscopes (X-PEEMs) exist around the world at this time. We present recent performance and resolution tests of one of them, the Spectromicroscope for PHotoelectron Imaging of Nanostructures with X-rays (SPHINX) X-PEEM, installed at the University of Wisconsin Synchrotron Radiation Center. With this state-of-the-art instrument we demonstrate chemical analysis capabilities on conducting and insulating specimens of diverse interests, and an unprecedented lateral resolution of 10 nm with monochromatic X-rays and 7.2 nm with ultraviolet illumination.

Gamma ray irradiated AgFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles with enhanced gas sensor properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Xiuhua, E-mail: xhwang@mail.ahnu.edu.cn; Shi, Zhijie; Yao, Shangwu

2014-11-15

AgFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method and irradiated by various doses of gamma ray. The products were characterized with X-ray powder diffraction, UV–vis absorption spectrum and transmission electron microscope. The results revealed that the crystal structure, morphology and size of the samples remained unchanged after irradiation, while the intensity of UV–Vis spectra increased with irradiation dose increasing. In addition, gamma ray irradiation improved the performance of gas sensor based on the AgFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles including the optimum operating temperature and sensitivity, which might be ascribed to the generation of defects. - Graphical abstract: Gamma ray irradiationmore » improved the performance of gas sensor based on the AgFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles including sensitivity and optimum operating temperature, which might be ascribed to the generation of defects. - Highlights: • AgFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized and irradiated with gamma ray. • AgFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles were employed to fabricate gas sensors to detect ethanol. • Gamma ray irradiation improved the sensitivity and optimum operating temperature.« less

Growth and Electronic Structure of Heusler Compounds for Use in Electron Spin Based Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

either Co– or MnSi– initiated films on c(4x4) GaAs. Studies using x - ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), STM/STS, and transmission electron microscopy...Co– or MnSi– initiated films on c(4x4) GaAs. Studies using x - ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), STM/STS, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM...diagram of the Palmstrøm lab in-situ growth and char- acterization setup, with 6 MBE growth chambers, 3 scanning probe microscopes, an x - ray

Coherent x-ray diffraction imaging with nanofocused illumination.

PubMed

Schroer, C G; Boye, P; Feldkamp, J M; Patommel, J; Schropp, A; Schwab, A; Stephan, S; Burghammer, M; Schöder, S; Riekel, C

2008-08-29

Coherent x-ray diffraction imaging is an x-ray microscopy technique with the potential of reaching spatial resolutions well beyond the diffraction limits of x-ray microscopes based on optics. However, the available coherent dose at modern x-ray sources is limited, setting practical bounds on the spatial resolution of the technique. By focusing the available coherent flux onto the sample, the spatial resolution can be improved for radiation-hard specimens. A small gold particle (size <100 nm) was illuminated with a hard x-ray nanobeam (E=15.25 keV, beam dimensions approximately 100 x 100 nm2) and is reconstructed from its coherent diffraction pattern. A resolution of about 5 nm is achieved in 600 s exposure time.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deng, Junjing; Hong, Young Pyo; Chen, Si

Modern integrated circuits (ICs) employ a myriad of materials organized at nanoscale dimensions, and certain critical tolerances must be met for them to function. To understand departures from intended functionality, it is essential to examine ICs as manufactured so as to adjust design rules ideally in a nondestructive way so that imaged structures can be correlated with electrical performance. Electron microscopes can do this on thin regions or on exposed surfaces, but the required processing alters or even destroys functionality. Microscopy with multi-keV x-rays provides an alternative approach with greater penetration, but the spatial resolution of x-ray imaging lenses hasmore » not allowed one to see the required detail in the latest generation of ICs. X-ray ptychography provides a way to obtain images of ICs without lens-imposed resolution limits with past work delivering 20–40-nm resolution on thinned ICs. We describe a simple model for estimating the required exposure and use it to estimate the future potential for this technique. Here we show that this approach can be used to image circuit detail through an unprocessed 300-μm-thick silicon wafer with sub-20-nm detail clearly resolved after mechanical polishing to 240-μm thickness was used to eliminate image contrast caused by Si wafer surface scratches. Here, by using continuous x-ray scanning, massively parallel computation, and a new generation of synchrotron light sources, this should enable entire nonetched ICs to be imaged to 10-nm resolution or better while maintaining their ability to function in electrical tests.« less

Design and analysis of a fast, two-mirror soft-x-ray microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shealy, D. L.; Wang, C.; Jiang, W.; Jin, L.; Hoover, R. B.

1992-01-01

During the past several years, a number of investigators have addressed the design, analysis, fabrication, and testing of spherical Schwarzschild microscopes for soft-x-ray applications using multilayer coatings. Some of these systems have demonstrated diffraction limited resolution for small numerical apertures. Rigorously aplanatic, two-aspherical mirror Head microscopes can provide near diffraction limited resolution for very large numerical apertures. The relationships between the numerical aperture, mirror radii and diameters, magnifications, and total system length for Schwarzschild microscope configurations are summarized. Also, an analysis of the characteristics of the Head-Schwarzschild surfaces will be reported. The numerical surface data predicted by the Head equations were fit by a variety of functions and analyzed by conventional optical design codes. Efforts have been made to determine whether current optical substrate and multilayer coating technologies will permit construction of a very fast Head microscope which can provide resolution approaching that of the wavelength of the incident radiation.

X-Tip: a New Tool for Nanoscience or How to Combine X-Ray Spectroscopies to Local Probe Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olivier, Dhez; Mario, Rodrigues; Fabio, Comin; Roberto, Felici; Joel, Chevrier

2007-01-01

With the advent of nanoscale science, the need of tools able to image samples and bring the region of interest to the X-ray beam is essential. We show the possibility of using the high resolution imaging capability of a scanning probe microscope to image and align a sample relative to the X-ray beam, as well as the possibility to record the photoelectrons emitted by the sample.

Sizes of X-ray radiation coherent domains in thin SmS films and their visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharenkova, N. V.; Kaminskii, V. V.; Petrov, S. N.

2011-09-01

The size of X-ray radiation coherent domains (250 ± 20 Å) is determined in a thin polycrystalline SmS film using X-ray diffraction patterns (θ-2θ scanning, DRON-2 diffractometer, Cu K α radiation) and the Selyakov-Scherrer formula with allowance for the effect of microstrains. An image of this film is taken with a transmission electron microscope, and regions with a characteristic size of 240 Å are clearly visible in it. It is concluded that X-ray radiation coherent domains are visualized.

Progress of projection computed tomography by upgrading of the beamline 37XU of SPring-8

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Terada, Yasuko, E-mail: yterada@spring8.or.jp; Suzuki, Yoshio; Uesugi, Kentaro

2016-01-28

Beamline 37XU at SPring-8 has been upgraded for nano-focusing applications. The length of the beamline has been extended to 80 m. By utilizing this length, the beamline has advantages for experiments such as X-ray focusing, X-ray microscopic imaging and X-ray computed tomography. Projection computed tomography measurements were carried out at experimental hutch 3 located 80 m from the light source. CT images of a microcapsule have been successfully obtained with a wide X-ray energy range.

Development of mercuric iodide uncooled x ray detectors and spectrometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iwanczyk, Jan S.

1990-01-01

The results obtained in the development of miniature, lowpower, light weight mercuric iodide, HgI2, x ray spectrometers for future space missions are summarized. It was demonstrated that HgI2 detectors can be employed in a high resolution x ray spectrometer, operating in a scanning electron microscope. Also, the development of HgI2 x ray detectors to augment alpha backscattering spectrometers is discussed. These combination instruments allow for the identification of all chemical elements, with the possible exception of hydrogen, and their respective concentrations. Additionally, further investigations of questions regarding radiation damage effects in the HgI2 x ray detectors are reported.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosch, R.; Trosseille, C.; Caillaud, T.

The Laser Megajoule (LMJ) facility located at CEA/CESTA started to operate in the early 2014 with two quadruplets (20 kJ at 351 nm) focused on target for the first experimental campaign. We present here the first set of gated x-ray imaging (GXI) diagnostics implemented on LMJ since mid-2014. This set consists of two imaging diagnostics with spatial, temporal, and broadband spectral resolution. These diagnostics will give basic measurements, during the entire life of the facility, such as position, structure, and balance of beams, but they will also be used to characterize gas filled target implosion symmetry and timing, to studymore » x-ray radiography and hydrodynamic instabilities. The design requires a vulnerability approach, because components will operate in a harsh environment induced by neutron fluxes, gamma rays, debris, and shrapnel. Grazing incidence x-ray microscopes are fielded as far as possible away from the target to minimize potential damage and signal noise due to these sources. These imaging diagnostics incorporate microscopes with large source-to-optic distance and large size gated microchannel plate detectors. Microscopes include optics with grazing incidence mirrors, pinholes, and refractive lenses. Spatial, temporal, and spectral performances have been measured on x-ray tubes and UV lasers at CEA-DIF and at Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt BESSY II synchrotron prior to be set on LMJ. GXI-1 and GXI-2 designs, metrology, and first experiments on LMJ are presented here.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yashchuk, V.V.; Conley, R.; Anderson, E.H.

Verification of the reliability of metrology data from high quality X-ray optics requires that adequate methods for test and calibration of the instruments be developed. For such verification for optical surface profilometers in the spatial frequency domain, a modulation transfer function (MTF) calibration method based on binarypseudo-random (BPR) gratings and arrays has been suggested and and proven to be an effective calibration method for a number of interferometric microscopes, a phase shifting Fizeau interferometer, and a scatterometer. Here we describe the details of development of binarypseudo-random multilayer (BPRML) test samples suitable for characterization of scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electronmore » microscopes. We discuss the results of TEM measurements with the BPRML test samples fabricated from a WiSi{sub 2}/Si multilayer coating with pseudo-randomly distributed layers. In particular, we demonstrate that significant information about the metrological reliability of the TEM measurements can be extracted even when the fundamental frequency of the BPRML sample is smaller than the Nyquist frequency of the measurements. The measurements demonstrate a number of problems related to the interpretation of the SEM and TEM data. Note that similar BPRML testsamples can be used to characterize X-ray microscopes. Corresponding work with X-ray microscopes is in progress.« less

Advanced water window x-ray microscope design and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shealy, D. L.; Wang, C.; Jiang, W.; Lin, J.

1992-01-01

The project was focused on the design and analysis of an advanced water window soft-x-ray microscope. The activities were accomplished by completing three tasks contained in the statement of work of this contract. The new results confirm that in order to achieve resolutions greater than three times the wavelength of the incident radiation, it will be necessary to use aspherical mirror surfaces and to use graded multilayer coatings on the secondary (to accommodate the large variations of the angle of incidence over the secondary when operating the microscope at numerical apertures of 0.35 or greater). The results are included in a manuscript which is enclosed in the Appendix.

Variable magnification with Kirkpatrick-Baez optics for synchrotron X-ray microscopy

DOE PAGES

Jach, Terrence; Bakulin, Alex S.; Durbin, Stephen M.; ...

2006-05-01

In this study, we describe the distinction between the operation of a short focal length x-ray microscope forming a real image with a laboratory source (convergent illumination) and with a highly collimated intense beam from a synchrotron light source (Kohler illumination).

Full-field x-ray nano-imaging at SSRF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Biao; Ren, Yuqi; Wang, Yudan; Du, Guohao; Xie, Honglan; Xiao, Tiqiao

2013-09-01

Full field X-ray nano-imaging focusing on material science is under developing at SSRF. A dedicated full field X-ray nano-imaging beamline based on bending magnet will be built in the SSRF phase-II project. The beamline aims at the 3D imaging of the nano-scale inner structures. The photon energy range is of 5-14keV. The design goals with the field of view (FOV) of 20μm and a spatial resolution of 20nm are proposed at 8 keV, taking a Fresnel zone plate (FZP) with outermost zone width of 25 nm. Futhermore, an X-ray nano-imaging microscope is under developing at the SSRF BL13W beamline, in which a larger FOV will be emphasized. This microscope is based on a beam shaper and a zone plate using both absorption contrast and Zernike phase contrast, with the optimized energy set to 10keV. The detailed design and the progress of the project will be introduced.

Effect of surface roughness and subsurface damage on grazing-incidence x-ray scattering and specular reflectance.

PubMed

Lodha, G S; Yamashita, K; Kunieda, H; Tawara, Y; Yu, J; Namba, Y; Bennett, J M

1998-08-01

Grazing-incidence specular reflectance and near-specular scattering were measured at Al-K(alpha) (1.486-keV, 8.34-?) radiation on uncoated dielectric substrates whose surface topography had been measured with a scanning probe microscope and a mechanical profiler. Grazing-incidence specular reflectance was also measured on selected substrates at the Cu-K(alpha) (8.047-keV, 1.54-?) wavelength. Substrates included superpolished and conventionally polished fused silica; SiO(2) wafers; superpolished and precision-ground Zerodur; conventionally polished, float-polished, and precision-ground BK-7 glass; and superpolished and precision-ground silicon carbide. Roughnesses derived from x-ray specular reflectance and scattering measurements were in good agreement with topographic roughness values measured with a scanning probe microscope (atomic force microscope) and a mechanical profiler that included similar ranges of surface spatial wavelengths. The specular reflectance was also found to be sensitive to the density of polished surface layers and subsurface damage down to the penetration depth of the x rays. Density gradients and subsurface damage were found in the superpolished fused-silica and precision-ground Zerodur samples. These results suggest that one can nondestructively evaluate subsurface damage in transparent materials using grazing-incidence x-ray specular reflectance in the 1.5-8-keV range.

Science at the Time-scale of the Electron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murnane, Margaret

2010-03-01

Replace this text with your abstract Ever since the invention of the laser 50 years ago and its application in nonlinear optics, scientists have been striving to extend coherent laser beams into the x-ray region of the spectrum. Very recently however, the prospects for tabletop coherent sources, with attosecond pulse durations, at very short wavelengths even in the hard x-ray region of the spectrum at wavelengths < 1nm, have brightened considerably. These advances are possible by taking nonlinear optics techniques to an extreme, and are the direct result of a new ability to manipulate electrons on the fastest, attosecond, time-scales of our natural world. My talk will discuss new experimental data that demonstrates high harmonic generation of laser-like, fully coherent, 10 attosecond duration, soft x-ray beams at photon energies around 0.5keV. Several applications will also be discussed, including making a movie of how electron orbitals in a molecule change shape as a molecule breaks apart, following how fast a magnetic material can flip orientation, understanding how fast heat flows in a nanocircuit, or building a microscope without lenses. [4pt] [1] T. Popmintchev et al., ``Phase matched upconversion of coherent ultrafast laser light into the soft and hard x-ray regions of the spectrum'', PNAS 106, 10516 (2009). [0pt] [2] C. LaOVorakiat et al., ``Ultrafast Soft X-Ray Magneto-Optics at the M-edge Using a Tabletop High-Harmonic Source'', Physical Review Letters 103, 257402 (2009). [0pt] [3] M. Siemens et al. ``Measurement of quasi-ballistic heat transport across nanoscale interfaces using ultrafast coherent soft x-ray beams'', Nature Materials 9, 26 (2010). [0pt] [4] K. Raines et al., ``Three-dimensional structure determination from a single view,'' Nature 463, 214 (2010). [0pt] [5] W. Li et al., ``Time-resolved Probing of Dynamics in Polyatomic Molecules using High Harmonic Generation'', Science 322, 1207 (2008).

Zone plate lenses for X-ray microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vladimirsky, Y.; Kern, D. P.; Chang, T. H. P.; Attwood, D. T.; Iskander, N.; Rothman, S.; McQuaide, K.; Kirz, J.; Ade, H.; McNulty, I.; Rarback, H.; Shu, D.

1988-04-01

Fresnel zone plate lenses with feature sizes as small as 50 nm have been constructed and used in the Stony Brook/NSLS scanning X-ray microscope with 3.1 nm radiation from Brookhaven's X-17 mini-undulator. The zone plates were fabricated at IBM using electron beam writing techniques, moiré pattern techniques to monitor ellipticity, and a double development/double plating technique to provide additional thickness in the central region. A spatial resolution down to 75 nm was measured in the microscope. Using these zone plates, biological images were obtained of unaltered subcellular components. The images highlight protein concentration in unsectioned, unfixed, and unstained enzymatic granules in an aqueous environment.

X-Ray Measurements Of A Thermo Scientific P385 DD Neutron Generator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wharton, C. J.; Seabury, E. H.; Chichester, D. L.

2011-06-01

Idaho National Laboratory is experimenting with electrical neutron generators, as potential replacements for californium-252 radioisotopic neutron sources in its PINS prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) system for the identification of military chemical warfare agents and explosives. In addition to neutron output, we have recently measured the x-ray output of the Thermo Scientific P385 deuterium-deuterium neutron generator. X rays are a normal byproduct from neutron generators, but depending on their intensity and energy, x rays can interfere with gamma rays from the object under test, increase gamma-spectrometer dead time, and reduce PGNAA system throughput. The P385 x-ray energy spectrum wasmore » measured with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector, and a broad peak is evident at about 70 keV. To identify the source of the x rays within the neutron generator assembly, it was scanned by collimated scintillation detectors along its long axis. At the strongest x-ray emission points, the generator also was rotated 60 deg. between measurements. The scans show the primary source of x-ray emission from the P385 neutron generator is an area 60 mm from the neutron production target, in the vicinity of the ion source. Rotation of the neutron generator did not significantly alter the x-ray count rate, and its x-ray emission appears to be axially symmetric. A thin lead shield, 3.2 mm (1/8 inch) thick, reduced the 70-keV generator x rays to negligible levels.« less

X-Ray Measurements Of A Thermo Scientific P385 DD Neutron Generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wharton, C. J.; Seabury, E. H.; Chichester, D. L.; Caffrey, A. J.; Simpson, J.; Lemchak, M.

2011-06-01

Idaho National Laboratory is experimenting with electrical neutron generators, as potential replacements for californium-252 radioisotopic neutron sources in its PINS prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) system for the identification of military chemical warfare agents and explosives. In addition to neutron output, we have recently measured the x-ray output of the Thermo Scientific P385 deuterium-deuterium neutron generator. X rays are a normal byproduct from neutron generators, but depending on their intensity and energy, x rays can interfere with gamma rays from the object under test, increase gamma-spectrometer dead time, and reduce PGNAA system throughput. The P385 x-ray energy spectrum was measured with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector, and a broad peak is evident at about 70 keV. To identify the source of the x rays within the neutron generator assembly, it was scanned by collimated scintillation detectors along its long axis. At the strongest x-ray emission points, the generator also was rotated 60° between measurements. The scans show the primary source of x-ray emission from the P385 neutron generator is an area 60 mm from the neutron production target, in the vicinity of the ion source. Rotation of the neutron generator did not significantly alter the x-ray count rate, and its x-ray emission appears to be axially symmetric. A thin lead shield, 3.2 mm (1/8 inch) thick, reduced the 70-keV generator x rays to negligible levels.

Method and apparatus for molecular imaging using x-rays at resonance wavelengths

DOEpatents

Chapline, G.F. Jr.

Holographic x-ray images are produced representing the molecular structure of a microscopic object, such as a living cell, by directing a beam of coherent x-rays upon the object to produce scattering of the x-rays by the object, producing interference on a recording medium between the scattered x-rays from the object and unscattered coherent x-rays and thereby producing holograms on the recording surface, and establishing the wavelength of the coherent x-rays to correspond with a molecular resonance of a constituent of such object and thereby greatly improving the contrast, sensitivity and resolution of the holograms as representations of molecular structures involving such constituent. For example, the coherent x-rays may be adjusted to the molecular resonant absorption line of nitrogen at about 401.3 eV to produce holographic images featuring molecular structures involving nitrogen.

Method and apparatus for molecular imaging using X-rays at resonance wavelengths

DOEpatents

Chapline, Jr., George F.

1985-01-01

Holographic X-ray images are produced representing the molecular structure of a microscopic object, such as a living cell, by directing a beam of coherent X-rays upon the object to produce scattering of the X-rays by the object, producing interference on a recording medium between the scattered X-rays from the object and unscattered coherent X-rays and thereby producing holograms on the recording surface, and establishing the wavelength of the coherent X-rays to correspond with a molecular resonance of a constituent of such object and thereby greatly improving the contrast, sensitivity and resolution of the holograms as representations of molecular structures involving such constituent. For example, the coherent X-rays may be adjusted to the molecular resonant absorption line of nitrogen at about 401.3 eV to produce holographic images featuring molecular structures involving nitrogen.

Aplanatic Three-Mirror Objective for High-Magnification Soft X-Ray Microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Toyoda, M.; Jinno, T.; Yanagihara, M.

2011-09-09

An innovative solution for high-magnification microscopy, based on attaching afocal optics for focal length reduction, is proposed. The solution, consisting of three spherical mirrors, allows one to enhance a magnification of a laboratory based soft x-ray microscope over 1000x, where movies with diffraction-limited resolution can be observed with an x-ray CCD. The design example, having a numerical aperture of 0.25, was successfully demonstrated both a high magnification and a large field of view.

Frontiers in imaging magnetism with polarized x-rays

DOE PAGES

Fischer, Peter

2015-01-08

Although magnetic imaging with polarized x-rays is a rather young scientific discipline, the various types of established x-ray microscopes have already taken an important role in state-of-the-art characterization of the properties and behavior of spin textures in advanced materials. Furthermore, the opportunities ahead will be to obtain in a unique way indispensable multidimensional information of the structure, dynamics and composition of scientifically interesting and technologically relevant magnetic materials.

Determination of the resolution of the x-ray microscope XM-1 at beamline 6.1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heck, J.M.; Meyer-Ilse, W.; Attwood, D.T.

1997-04-01

Resolution determination in x-ray microscopy is a complex issue which depends on many factors. Many different criteria and experimental setups are used to characterize resolution. Some of the important factors affecting resolution include the partial coherence and spectrum of the illumination. The purpose of this research has been to measure the resolution of XM-1 at beamline 6.1 taking into account these factors, and to compare the measurements to theoretical calculations. The x-ray microscope XM-1, built by the Center for X-ray Optics (CXRO), has been operational since 1994 at the Advanced Light Source at E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. It ismore » of the conventional (i.e. full-field) type, utilizing zone plate optics. ALS bending magnet radiation is focused by a condenser zone plate onto a monochromator pinhole immediately in front of the sample. X-rays transmitted through the sample are focused by a micro-zone plate onto a CCD camera. The pinhole and the condenser with a central stop constitute a linear monochromator. The spectral distribution of the light illuminating the sample has been calculated assuming geometrical optics.« less

Stainless Steel Vacuum Chamber for Scanning Transmission X-ray Microsopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kilcoyne, Arthur L.

The stainless steel chamber was specifically conceived and designed for housing an interferometer controlled scanning transmission x-ray microscope (STXM). The construction of the chamber is such that internal components of the microscope rest within the chamber and are fixed to a 4 inch stainless steel belly band. The integral and most important part of the chamber is the belly band, which serves to isolate high frequency vibrations (e.g., floor surroundings, people traffic) from the sensitive measurements performed using the microscope. In addition, the chamber effectively acts as a sound barrier to the nanometer measurements conducted within. The assembled chamber (andmore » microscope) are readily adjustable at the micron level using strut members external to the chamber but fixed to the belly band and a stand made of polymer concreate.« less

X-ray imaging of spin currents and magnetisation dynamics at the nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonetti, Stefano

2017-04-01

Understanding how spins move in time and space is the aim of both fundamental and applied research in modern magnetism. Over the past three decades, research in this field has led to technological advances that have had a major impact on our society, while improving the understanding of the fundamentals of spin physics. However, important questions still remain unanswered, because it is experimentally challenging to directly observe spins and their motion with a combined high spatial and temporal resolution. In this article, we present an overview of the recent advances in x-ray microscopy that allow researchers to directly watch spins move in time and space at the microscopically relevant scales. We discuss scanning x-ray transmission microscopy (STXM) at resonant soft x-ray edges, which is available at most modern synchrotron light sources. This technique measures magnetic contrast through the x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) effect at the resonant absorption edges, while focusing the x-ray radiation at the nanometre scale, and using the intrinsic pulsed structure of synchrotron-generated x-rays to create time-resolved images of magnetism at the nanoscale. In particular, we discuss how the presence of spin currents can be detected by imaging spin accumulation, and how the magnetisation dynamics in thin ferromagnetic films can be directly imaged. We discuss how a direct look at the phenomena allows for a deeper understanding of the the physics at play, that is not accessible to other, more indirect techniques. Finally, we present an overview of the exciting opportunities that lie ahead to further understand the fundamentals of novel spin physics, opportunities offered by the appearance of diffraction limited storage rings and free electron lasers.

X-ray imaging of spin currents and magnetisation dynamics at the nanoscale.

PubMed

Bonetti, Stefano

2017-04-05

Understanding how spins move in time and space is the aim of both fundamental and applied research in modern magnetism. Over the past three decades, research in this field has led to technological advances that have had a major impact on our society, while improving the understanding of the fundamentals of spin physics. However, important questions still remain unanswered, because it is experimentally challenging to directly observe spins and their motion with a combined high spatial and temporal resolution. In this article, we present an overview of the recent advances in x-ray microscopy that allow researchers to directly watch spins move in time and space at the microscopically relevant scales. We discuss scanning x-ray transmission microscopy (STXM) at resonant soft x-ray edges, which is available at most modern synchrotron light sources. This technique measures magnetic contrast through the x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) effect at the resonant absorption edges, while focusing the x-ray radiation at the nanometre scale, and using the intrinsic pulsed structure of synchrotron-generated x-rays to create time-resolved images of magnetism at the nanoscale. In particular, we discuss how the presence of spin currents can be detected by imaging spin accumulation, and how the magnetisation dynamics in thin ferromagnetic films can be directly imaged. We discuss how a direct look at the phenomena allows for a deeper understanding of the the physics at play, that is not accessible to other, more indirect techniques. Finally, we present an overview of the exciting opportunities that lie ahead to further understand the fundamentals of novel spin physics, opportunities offered by the appearance of diffraction limited storage rings and free electron lasers.

The National Ignition Facility modular Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope

DOE PAGES

Pickworth, L. A.; Ayers, J.; Bell, P.; ...

2016-08-10

Current two-dimensional X-ray imaging at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) uses time resolved pinhole cameras with ~10-25µm pinholes. This method has limitations in the smallest resolvable features that can be imaged with reasonable photon statistics for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) applications. ICF sources have a broadband self-emission spectrum that causes the pinhole images obtained, through thin foil filters, to contain a similarly broadband spectrum complicating the interpretation of structure in the source. In order to study phenomena on the scale of ~5 µm, such as dopant mix in the ICF capsule, a narrow energy band, higher spatial resolution microscope systemmore » with improved signal/noise has been developed using X-ray optics. Utilizing grazing incidence mirrors in a Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope (KBM) configuration, an X-ray microscope has been designed and fielded on NIF with four imaging channels. The KBM has ~12x magnification, <8 µm resolution and higher throughput in comparison to similar pinhole systems. The first KBM mirrors are coated with a multilayer mirror to allow a ‘narrow band’ energy response at 10.2keV with ΔE~3keV. By adjusting the mirror coating only, the energy response can be matched to future experimental requirements. Here, several mirror packs have been commissioned and are interchangeable in the diagnostic snout.« less

The National Ignition Facility modular Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pickworth, L. A.; Ayers, J.; Bell, P.

Current two-dimensional X-ray imaging at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) uses time resolved pinhole cameras with ~10-25µm pinholes. This method has limitations in the smallest resolvable features that can be imaged with reasonable photon statistics for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) applications. ICF sources have a broadband self-emission spectrum that causes the pinhole images obtained, through thin foil filters, to contain a similarly broadband spectrum complicating the interpretation of structure in the source. In order to study phenomena on the scale of ~5 µm, such as dopant mix in the ICF capsule, a narrow energy band, higher spatial resolution microscope systemmore » with improved signal/noise has been developed using X-ray optics. Utilizing grazing incidence mirrors in a Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope (KBM) configuration, an X-ray microscope has been designed and fielded on NIF with four imaging channels. The KBM has ~12x magnification, <8 µm resolution and higher throughput in comparison to similar pinhole systems. The first KBM mirrors are coated with a multilayer mirror to allow a ‘narrow band’ energy response at 10.2keV with ΔE~3keV. By adjusting the mirror coating only, the energy response can be matched to future experimental requirements. Here, several mirror packs have been commissioned and are interchangeable in the diagnostic snout.« less

Local X-ray magnetic circular dichroism study of Fe/Cu(111) using a tunneling smart tip

DOE PAGES

DiLullo, Andrew; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin; ...

2016-01-28

Localized spectroscopy with simultaneous topographic, elemental and magnetic information is presented. A synchrotron X-ray scanning tunneling microscope has been employed for the local study of the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the FeL 2,3-edges of a thin iron film grown on Cu(111). Polarization-dependent X-ray absorption spectra have been obtained through a tunneling smart tip that serves as a photoelectron detector. In contrast to conventional spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray excitations provide magnetic contrast even with a non-magnetic tip. Intensity variations in the photoexcited tip current point to chemical variations within a single magnetic Fe domain.

Local X-ray magnetic circular dichroism study of Fe/Cu(111) using a tunneling smart tip.

PubMed

DiLullo, Andrew; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin; Kersell, Heath; Chang, Hao; Rosenmann, Daniel; Miller, Dean; Freeland, John W; Hla, Saw-Wai; Rose, Volker

2016-03-01

Localized spectroscopy with simultaneous topographic, elemental and magnetic information is presented. A synchrotron X-ray scanning tunneling microscope has been employed for the local study of the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the Fe L2,3-edges of a thin iron film grown on Cu(111). Polarization-dependent X-ray absorption spectra have been obtained through a tunneling smart tip that serves as a photoelectron detector. In contrast to conventional spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray excitations provide magnetic contrast even with a non-magnetic tip. Intensity variations in the photoexcited tip current point to chemical variations within a single magnetic Fe domain.

Local X-ray magnetic circular dichroism study of Fe/Cu(111) using a tunneling smart tip

PubMed Central

DiLullo, Andrew; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin; Kersell, Heath; Chang, Hao; Rosenmann, Daniel; Miller, Dean; Freeland, John W.; Hla, Saw-Wai; Rose, Volker

2016-01-01

Localized spectroscopy with simultaneous topographic, elemental and magnetic information is presented. A synchrotron X-ray scanning tunneling microscope has been employed for the local study of the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the Fe L 2,3-edges of a thin iron film grown on Cu(111). Polarization-dependent X-ray absorption spectra have been obtained through a tunneling smart tip that serves as a photoelectron detector. In contrast to conventional spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray excitations provide magnetic contrast even with a non-magnetic tip. Intensity variations in the photoexcited tip current point to chemical variations within a single magnetic Fe domain. PMID:26917146

Detecting element specific electrons from a single cobalt nanocluster with synchrotron x-ray scanning tunneling microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kersell, Heath; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin

We use a nanofabricated scanning tunneling microscope tip as a detector to investigate local X-ray induced tunneling and electron emission from a single cobalt nanocluster on a Au(111) surface. The tip-detector is positioned a few angstroms above the nanocluster, and ramping the incident X-ray energy across the Co photoabsorption K-edge enables the detection of element specific electrons. Atomic-scale spatial dependent changes in the X-ray absorption cross section are directly measured by taking the X-ray induced current as a function of X-ray energy. From the measured sample and tip currents, element specific X-ray induced current components can be separated and therebymore » the corresponding yields for the X-ray induced processes of the single cobalt nanocluster can be determined. The detection of element specific synchrotron X-ray induced electrons of a single nanocluster opens a new avenue for materials characterization on a one particle at-a-time basis.« less

Detecting element specific electrons from a single cobalt nanocluster with synchrotron x-ray scanning tunneling microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kersell, Heath; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin

Here, we use a nanofabricated scanning tunneling microscope tip as a detector to investigate local X-ray induced tunneling and electron emission from a single cobalt nanocluster on a Au(111) surface. The tip-detector is positioned a few angstroms above the nanocluster, and ramping the incident X-ray energy across the Co photoabsorption K-edge enables the detection of element specific electrons. Atomic-scale spatial dependent changes in the X-ray absorption cross section are directly measured by taking the X-ray induced current as a function of X-ray energy. From the measured sample and tip currents, element specific X-ray induced current components can be separated andmore » thereby the corresponding yields for the X-ray induced processes of the single cobalt nanocluster can be determined. The detection of element specific synchrotron X-ray induced electrons of a single nanocluster opens a new avenue for materials characterization on a one particle at-a-time basis.« less

Detecting element specific electrons from a single cobalt nanocluster with synchrotron x-ray scanning tunneling microscopy

DOE PAGES

Kersell, Heath; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin; ...

2017-09-05

Here, we use a nanofabricated scanning tunneling microscope tip as a detector to investigate local X-ray induced tunneling and electron emission from a single cobalt nanocluster on a Au(111) surface. The tip-detector is positioned a few angstroms above the nanocluster, and ramping the incident X-ray energy across the Co photoabsorption K-edge enables the detection of element specific electrons. Atomic-scale spatial dependent changes in the X-ray absorption cross section are directly measured by taking the X-ray induced current as a function of X-ray energy. From the measured sample and tip currents, element specific X-ray induced current components can be separated andmore » thereby the corresponding yields for the X-ray induced processes of the single cobalt nanocluster can be determined. The detection of element specific synchrotron X-ray induced electrons of a single nanocluster opens a new avenue for materials characterization on a one particle at-a-time basis.« less

SORPTION OF LEAD ON A RUTHENIUM COMPOUND: A MACROSCOPIC AND MICROSCOPIC STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this study was to elucidate the sorption mechanism of Pb on the high-affinity ruthenium compound with time at pH 6 employing batch methods and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopies. For the spectroscopic studies, Pb so...

Characterization of core/shell Cu/Ag nanopowders synthesized by electrochemistry and assessment of their impact on hemolysis, platelet aggregation, and coagulation on human blood for potential wound dressing use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laloy, Julie; Haguet, Hélène; Alpan, Lutfiye; Mancier, Valérie; Mejia, Jorge; Levi, Samuel; Dogné, Jean-Michel; Lucas, Stéphane; Rousse, Céline; Fricoteaux, Patrick

2017-08-01

Copper/silver core/shell nanopowders with different metal ratio have been elaborated by electrochemistry (ultrasound-assisted electrolysis followed by a displacement reaction). Characterization was performed by several methods (X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, centrifugal liquid sedimentation, and zeta potential measurements). The mean diameter of all nanoparticles is around 10 nm. The impact of each nanopowder on hemolysis, platelet aggregation, and coagulation has been studied on whole human blood. Hemolysis assays were performed with spectrophotometric measurement and platelet aggregation, with light transmission aggregometry and was compared to Cu/Pt core/shell nanoparticles with similar size as negative control. Calibrated thrombin generation test has been used for a coagulation study. They neither impact platelet aggregation nor hemolysis and have a procoagulant effect whatever their composition (i.e., metal ratio). These results highlight that such nanopowders have a potential use in medical applications (e.g., wound dressing).

Image alignment for tomography reconstruction from synchrotron X-ray microscopic images.

PubMed

Cheng, Chang-Chieh; Chien, Chia-Chi; Chen, Hsiang-Hsin; Hwu, Yeukuang; Ching, Yu-Tai

2014-01-01

A synchrotron X-ray microscope is a powerful imaging apparatus for taking high-resolution and high-contrast X-ray images of nanoscale objects. A sufficient number of X-ray projection images from different angles is required for constructing 3D volume images of an object. Because a synchrotron light source is immobile, a rotational object holder is required for tomography. At a resolution of 10 nm per pixel, the vibration of the holder caused by rotating the object cannot be disregarded if tomographic images are to be reconstructed accurately. This paper presents a computer method to compensate for the vibration of the rotational holder by aligning neighboring X-ray images. This alignment process involves two steps. The first step is to match the "projected feature points" in the sequence of images. The matched projected feature points in the x-θ plane should form a set of sine-shaped loci. The second step is to fit the loci to a set of sine waves to compute the parameters required for alignment. The experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms two previously proposed methods, Xradia and SPIDER. The developed software system can be downloaded from the URL, http://www.cs.nctu.edu.tw/~chengchc/SCTA or http://goo.gl/s4AMx.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bekar, Kursat B; Miller, Thomas Martin; Patton, Bruce W

The characteristic X-rays produced by the interactions of the electron beam with the sample in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) are usually captured with a variable-energy detector, a process termed energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The purpose of this work is to exploit inverse simulations of SEM-EDS spectra to enable rapid determination of sample properties, particularly elemental composition. This is accomplished using penORNL, a modified version of PENELOPE, and a modified version of the traditional Levenberg Marquardt nonlinear optimization algorithm, which together is referred to as MOZAIK-SEM. The overall conclusion of this work is that MOZAIK-SEM is a promising method formore » performing inverse analysis of X-ray spectra generated within a SEM. As this methodology exists now, MOZAIK-SEM has been shown to calculate the elemental composition of an unknown sample within a few percent of the actual composition.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DiLullo, Andrew; Shirato, Nozomi; Cummings, Marvin

Localized spectroscopy with simultaneous topographic, elemental and magnetic information is presented. A synchrotron X-ray scanning tunneling microscope has been employed for the local study of the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the FeL 2,3-edges of a thin iron film grown on Cu(111). Polarization-dependent X-ray absorption spectra have been obtained through a tunneling smart tip that serves as a photoelectron detector. In contrast to conventional spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray excitations provide magnetic contrast even with a non-magnetic tip. Intensity variations in the photoexcited tip current point to chemical variations within a single magnetic Fe domain.

Apparatus and method to enhance X-ray production in laser produced plasmas

DOEpatents

Augustoni, Arnold L.; Gerardo, James B.; Raymond, Thomas D.

1992-01-01

Method and apparatus for generating x-rays for use in, for instance, x-ray photolithography. The method of generating x-rays includes the steps of providing a target and irradiating the target with a laser system which produces a train of sub-pulses to generate an x-ray producing plasma. The sub-pulses are of both high intensity and short duration. The apparatus for generating x-rays from a plasma includes a vacuum chamber, a target supported within the chamber and a laser system, including a short storage time laser.

Cu2S-Cu-TiO2 mesoporous carbon composites for the degradation of high concentration of methyl orange under visible light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Liang; Zhao, Yuan; Zhong, Lvling; Wang, Yang; Chai, Shouning; Yang, Tao; Han, Xuanli

2017-11-01

A Schiff base compound was used to prepare a Cu2S-Cu-TiO2 mesoporous carbon composite photocatalyst (Cu2S-Cu-TiO2/MC) by a simple precipitation-carbonization method with a carbonization temperature of 750 °C. X-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies show that Cu2S, Cu, and TiO2 exist in Cu2S-Cu-TiO2/MC in the form of nanometer-sized particles. Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope images show that the composites form a spherical carbon structure inlaid with Cu2S and Cu and coated TiO2. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller test shows that the material has a large specific surface area (76.14 m2/g) and mesoporous structure. UV-vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy indicate that the recombination of photo-generated electrons and holes in the samples were inhibited. The composites show good degradation performance in a high concentration (300 mg/L) of methyl orange (MO) solution under visible light. The composites exhibit great potential in the treatment of dyes for wastewater treatment.

Preparation of hierarchical porous Zn-salt particles and their superhydrophobic performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Dahai; Jia, Mengqiu

2015-12-01

Superhydrophobic surfaces arranged by hierarchical porous particles were prepared using modified hydrothermal routes under the effect of sodium citrate. Two particle samples were generated in the medium of hexamethylenetetramine (P1) and urea (P2), respectively. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope were adopted for the investigation, and results revealed that the P1 and P2 particles are porous microspheres with crosslinked extremely thin (10-30 nm) sheet crystals composed of Zn5(OH)8Ac2·2H2O and Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6, respectively. The prepared particles were treated with a fluoroethylene vinyl ether derivative and studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer. Results showed that the hierarchical surfaces of these particles were combined with low-wettable fluorocarbon layers. Moreover, the fabricated surface composed of the prepared hierarchical particles displayed considerably high contact angles, indicating great superhydrophobicity for the products. The wetting behavior of the particles was analyzed with a theoretical wetting model in comparison with that of chestnut-like ZnO products obtained through a conventional hydrothermal route. Correspondingly, this study provided evidence that high roughness surface plays a great role in superhydrophobic behavior.

Sub-500  nm hard x ray focusing by compound long kinoform lenses.

PubMed

Liao, Keliang; Liu, Jing; Liang, Hao; Wu, Xuehui; Zhang, Kai; Yuan, Qingxi; Yi, Futing; Sheng, Weifan

2016-01-01

The focusing performance of polymethyl methacrylate compound long kinoform lenses with 70 μm aperture and 19.5 mm focal length was characterized with 8 keV x rays using the knife-edge scan method at the 4W1A transmission x-ray microscope beamline of Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility. The experiment result shows a best FWHM focus size of 440 nm with 31% diffraction efficiency.

Systematic search for spherical crystal X-ray microscopes matching 1–25 keV spectral line sources

DOE PAGES

Schollmeier, Marius S.; Loisel, Guillaume P.

2016-12-29

Spherical-crystal microscopes are used as high-resolution imaging devices for monochromatic x-ray radiography or for imaging the source itself. Crystals and Miller indices (hkl) have to be matched such that the resulting lattice spacing d is close to half the spectral wavelength used for imaging, to fulfill the Bragg equation with a Bragg angle near 90° which reduces astigmatism. Only a few suitable crystal and spectral-line combinations have been identified for applications in the literature, suggesting that x-ray imaging using spherical crystals is constrained to a few chance matches. In this paper, after performing a systematic, automated search over more thanmore » 9 × 10 6 possible combinations for x-ray energies between 1 and 25 keV, for six crystals with arbitrary Miller-index combinations hkl between 0 and 20, we show that a matching, efficient crystal and spectral-line pair can be found for almost every He α or K α x-ray source for the elements Ne to Sn. Finally, using the data presented here it should be possible to find a suitable imaging combination using an x-ray source that is specifically selected for a particular purpose, instead of relying on the limited number of existing crystal imaging systems that have been identified to date.« less

X-ray Measurements of a Thermo Scientific P385 DD Neutron Generator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

E.H. Seabury; D.L. Chichester; A.J. Caffrey

2001-08-01

Idaho National Laboratory is experimenting with electrical neutron generators, as potential replacements for californium-252 radioisotopic neutron sources in its PINS prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) system for the identification of military chemical warfare agents and explosives. In addition to neutron output, we have recently measured the x-ray output of the Thermo Scientific P385 deuterium-deuterium neutron generator. X-rays are a normal byproduct from a neutron generator and depending on their intensity and energy they can interfere with gamma rays from the object under test, increase gamma-spectrometer dead time, and reduce PGNAA system throughput. The P385 x-ray energy spectrum was measuredmore » with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector, and a broad peak is evident at about 70 keV. To identify the source of the x-rays within the neutron generator assembly, it was scanned by collimated scintillation detectors along its long axis. At the strongest x-ray emission points, the generator also was rotated 60° between measurements. The scans show the primary source of x-ray emission from the P385 neutron generator is an area 60 mm from the neutron production target, in the vicinity of the ion source. Rotation of the neutron generator did not significantly alter the x-ray count rate, and the x-ray emission appears to be axially symmetric within the neutron generator.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cooke, Gary A.; Pestovich, John A.; Huber, Heinz J.

This report presents the results for solid phase characterization (SPC) of solid samples removed from tank 241-C-108 (C-108) on August 12-13,2012, using the off-riser sampler. Samples were received at the 222-S Laboratory on August 13 and were described and photographed. The SPC analyses that were performed include scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using the ASPEX(R)l scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction (XRD) using the Rigaku(R) 2 MiniFlex X-ray diffractometer, and polarized light microscopy (PLM) using the Nikon(R) 3 Eclipse Pol optical microscope. The SEM is equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) to provide chemical information. Gary A. Cooke conducted themore » SEM analysis, John A. Pestovich performed the XRD analysis, and Dr. Heinz J. Huber performed the PLM examination. The results of these analyses are presented here.« less

21 CFR 892.1700 - Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator. 892.1700... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1700 Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator. (a) Identification. A diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator is a device that is intended to...

21 CFR 892.1700 - Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator. 892.1700... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1700 Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator. (a) Identification. A diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator is a device that is intended to...

21 CFR 892.1700 - Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator. 892.1700... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1700 Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator. (a) Identification. A diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator is a device that is intended to...

21 CFR 892.1700 - Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator. 892.1700... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1700 Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator. (a) Identification. A diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator is a device that is intended to...

21 CFR 892.1700 - Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator. 892.1700... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1700 Diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator. (a) Identification. A diagnostic x-ray high voltage generator is a device that is intended to...

Characterization of the Micro-Abrasive Wear in Coatings of TaC-HfC/Au for Biomedical Implants

PubMed Central

Guzmán, Pablo; Yate, Luis; Sandoval, Mercy; Caballero, Jose

2017-01-01

The object of this work was the deposition of a Ta-Hf-C thin film with a gold interlayer on stainless steel, via the physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique, in order to evaluate the properties of different systems subjected to micro-abrasive wear phenomena generated by alumina particles in Ringer's solution. The surface characterization was performed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The crystallographic phases exhibited for each coating were obtained by X-ray diffraction (XRD). As a consequence of modifying the composition of Ta-Hf there was evidence of an improvement in the micro-abrasive wear resistance and, for each system, the wear constants that confirm the enhancement of the surface were calculated. Likewise, these surfaces can be bioactive, generating an alternative to improve the biological fixation of the implants, therefore, the coatings of TaC-HfC/Au contribute in the development of the new generation of orthopedic implants. PMID:28773207

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

V Yashchuk; R Conley; E Anderson

Verification of the reliability of metrology data from high quality X-ray optics requires that adequate methods for test and calibration of the instruments be developed. For such verification for optical surface profilometers in the spatial frequency domain, a modulation transfer function (MTF) calibration method based on binary pseudo-random (BPR) gratings and arrays has been suggested [1] and [2] and proven to be an effective calibration method for a number of interferometric microscopes, a phase shifting Fizeau interferometer, and a scatterometer [5]. Here we describe the details of development of binary pseudo-random multilayer (BPRML) test samples suitable for characterization of scanningmore » (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopes. We discuss the results of TEM measurements with the BPRML test samples fabricated from a WiSi2/Si multilayer coating with pseudo-randomly distributed layers. In particular, we demonstrate that significant information about the metrological reliability of the TEM measurements can be extracted even when the fundamental frequency of the BPRML sample is smaller than the Nyquist frequency of the measurements. The measurements demonstrate a number of problems related to the interpretation of the SEM and TEM data. Note that similar BPRML test samples can be used to characterize X-ray microscopes. Corresponding work with X-ray microscopes is in progress.« less

Can X-ray spectrum imaging replace backscattered electrons for compositional contrast in the scanning electron microscope?

PubMed

Newbury, Dale E; Ritchie, Nicholas W M

2011-01-01

The high throughput of the silicon drift detector energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SDD-EDS) enables X-ray spectrum imaging (XSI) in the scanning electron microscope to be performed in frame times of 10-100 s, the typical time needed to record a high-quality backscattered electron (BSE) image. These short-duration XSIs can reveal all elements, except H, He, and Li, present as major constituents, defined as 0.1 mass fraction (10 wt%) or higher, as well as minor constituents in the range 0.01-0.1 mass fraction, depending on the particular composition and possible interferences. Although BSEs have a greater abundance by a factor of 100 compared with characteristic X-rays, the strong compositional contrast in element-specific X-ray maps enables XSI mapping to compete with BSE imaging to reveal compositional features. Differences in the fraction of the interaction volume sampled by the BSE and X-ray signals lead to more delocalization of the X-ray signal at abrupt compositional boundaries, resulting in poorer spatial resolution. Improved resolution in X-ray elemental maps occurs for the case of a small feature composed of intermediate to high atomic number elements embedded in a matrix of lower atomic number elements. XSI imaging strongly complements BSE imaging, and the SDD-EDS technology enables an efficient combined BSE-XSI measurement strategy that maximizes the compositional information. If 10 s or more are available for the measurement of an area of interest, the analyst should always record the combined BSE-XSI information to gain the advantages of both measures of compositional contrast. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Apparatus and method to enhance X-ray production in laser produced plasmas

DOEpatents

Augustoni, A.L.; Gerardo, J.B.; Raymond, T.D.

1992-12-29

Method and apparatus for generating x-rays for use in, for instance, x-ray photolithography is disclosed. The method of generating x-rays includes the steps of providing a target and irradiating the target with a laser system which produces a train of sub-pulses to generate an x-ray producing plasma. The sub-pulses are of both high intensity and short duration. The apparatus for generating x-rays from a plasma includes a vacuum chamber, a target supported within the chamber and a laser system, including a short storage time laser. 8 figs.

3D nanoscale imaging of biological samples with laboratory-based soft X-ray sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dehlinger, Aurélie; Blechschmidt, Anne; Grötzsch, Daniel; Jung, Robert; Kanngießer, Birgit; Seim, Christian; Stiel, Holger

2015-09-01

In microscopy, where the theoretical resolution limit depends on the wavelength of the probing light, radiation in the soft X-ray regime can be used to analyze samples that cannot be resolved with visible light microscopes. In the case of soft X-ray microscopy in the water-window, the energy range of the radiation lies between the absorption edges of carbon (at 284 eV, 4.36 nm) and oxygen (543 eV, 2.34 nm). As a result, carbon-based structures, such as biological samples, posses a strong absorption, whereas e.g. water is more transparent to this radiation. Microscopy in the water-window, therefore, allows the structural investigation of aqueous samples with resolutions of a few tens of nanometers and a penetration depth of up to 10μm. The development of highly brilliant laser-produced plasma-sources has enabled the transfer of Xray microscopy, that was formerly bound to synchrotron sources, to the laboratory, which opens the access of this method to a broader scientific community. The Laboratory Transmission X-ray Microscope at the Berlin Laboratory for innovative X-ray technologies (BLiX) runs with a laser produced nitrogen plasma that emits radiation in the soft X-ray regime. The mentioned high penetration depth can be exploited to analyze biological samples in their natural state and with several projection angles. The obtained tomogram is the key to a more precise and global analysis of samples originating from various fields of life science.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kenik, E.A.

X-ray microanalysis in an analytical electron microscope is a proven technique for the measurement of solute segregation in alloys. Solute segregation under equilibrium or nonequilibrium conditions can strongly influence material performance. X-ray microanalysis in an analytical electron microscope provides an alternative technique to measure grain boundary segregation, as well as segregation to other defects not accessible to Auger analysis. The utility of the technique is demonstrated by measurements of equilibrium segregation to boundaries in an antimony containing stainless steel, including the variation of segregation with boundary character and by measurements of nonequilibrium segregation to boundaries and dislocations in an ion-irradiatedmore » stainless steel.« less

Observation of Phase Objects by Using an X-ray Microscope with a Foucault Knife-Edge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Watanabe, N.; Sasaya, T.; Imai, Y.

2011-09-09

An x-ray microscope with a zone plate was assembled at the synchrotron radiation source of BL3C, Photon Factory. A Foucault knife-edge was set at the back focal plate of the objective zone plate and phase retrieval was tested by scanning the knife-edge. A preliminary result shows that scanning the knife-edge during exposure was effective for phase retrieval. Phase-contrast tomography was investigated using differential projection images calculated from two Schlieren images with the oppositely oriented knife-edges. Fairly good reconstruction images of polystyrene beads and spores could be obtained.

ELECTRON MICROSCOPE AND X-RAY DIFFRACTION STUDIES ON A HOMOLOGOUS SERIES OF SATURATED PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINES.

PubMed

ELBERS, P F; VERVERGAERT, P H

1965-05-01

Three homologous saturated phosphatidylcholines were studied by electron microscopy after tricomplex fixation. The results are compared with those obtained by x-ray diffraction analysis of the same and some other homologous compounds, in the dry crystalline state and after tricomplex fixation. By electron microscopy alternating dark and light bands are observed which are likely to correspond to phosphatide double layers. X-Ray diffraction reveals the presence of lamellar structures of regular spacing. The layer spacings obtained by both methods are in good agreement. From the electron micrographs the width of the polar parts of the double layers can be derived directly. The width of the carboxylglycerylphosphorylcholine moiety of the layers is found by extrapolating the x-ray diffraction data to zero chain length of the fatty acids. When from this width the contribution of the carboxylglyceryl part of the molecules is subtracted, again we find good agreement with the electron microscope measurements. An attempt has been made to account for the different layer spacings measured in terms of orientation of the molecules within the double layers.

Effective absorption correction for energy dispersive X-ray mapping in a scanning transmission electron microscope: analysing the local indium distribution in rough samples of InGaN alloy layers.

PubMed

Wang, X; Chauvat, M-P; Ruterana, P; Walther, T

2017-12-01

We have applied our previous method of self-consistent k*-factors for absorption correction in energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to quantify the indium content in X-ray maps of thick compound InGaN layers. The method allows us to quantify the indium concentration without measuring the sample thickness, density or beam current, and works even if there is a drastic local thickness change due to sample roughness or preferential thinning. The method is shown to select, point-by-point in a two-dimensional spectrum image or map, the k*-factor from the local Ga K/L intensity ratio that is most appropriate for the corresponding sample geometry, demonstrating it is not the sample thickness measured along the electron beam direction but the optical path length the X-rays have to travel through the sample that is relevant for the absorption correction. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2017 Royal Microscopical Society.

Determination of the Effective Detector Area of an Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometer at the Scanning Electron Microscope Using Experimental and Theoretical X-Ray Emission Yields.

PubMed

Procop, Mathias; Hodoroaba, Vasile-Dan; Terborg, Ralf; Berger, Dirk

2016-12-01

A method is proposed to determine the effective detector area for energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometers (EDS). Nowadays, detectors are available for a wide range of nominal areas ranging from 10 up to 150 mm2. However, it remains in most cases unknown whether this nominal area coincides with the "net active sensor area" that should be given according to the related standard ISO 15632, or with any other area of the detector device. Moreover, the specific geometry of EDS installation may further reduce a given detector area. The proposed method can be applied to most scanning electron microscope/EDS configurations. The basic idea consists in a comparison of the measured count rate with the count rate resulting from known X-ray yields of copper, titanium, or silicon. The method was successfully tested on three detectors with known effective area and applied further to seven spectrometers from different manufacturers. In most cases the method gave an effective area smaller than the area given in the detector description.

Karl Jaspers' phenomenology in the light of histological and X-ray metaphors.

PubMed

Vlasova, Olga Alexandrovna; Beveridge, Allan

2014-03-01

The study considers the origins of Karl Jaspers' phenomenology. What did phenomenology mean to Jaspers and what was his personal perspective? What metaphors did he associate with it? This paper describes his phenomenological method by using the metaphors of histology and the X-ray. This perspective enables a better understanding, not only of the origins and essence of his phenomenology but also of its value for Jaspers himself. In Jaspers' daily life, he would have been familiar with microscopes and X-ray machines.

X-Ray Detector for 1 to 30 keV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alcorn, G.; Jackson, J., Jr; Grant, P.; Marshall, F.

1983-01-01

Array of silicon X-ray detecting diodes measures photon energy and provides image of X-ray pattern. Regardless of thickness of new X-ray detector, depletion region extends through it. Impinging X-rays generate electrons in quantities proportional to X-ray energy. X-ray detector is mated to chargecoupled-device array for image generation and processing. Useful in industrial part inspection, pulsed-plasma research and medical application.

X-ray transmission microscope development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaukler, William F.; Rosenberger, Franz E.

1995-08-01

This report covers the third 6 month period, from February 28, 1995 to August 31, 1995, under this contract. The main efforts during this period were the construction of the X-ray furnace, evaluation and selection of the CCD technology for the X-ray camera, solidification experiments with Al alloys and Al-zirconia composites in the prototype furnace, evaluation of specimens for the particle pushing flight experiment - PEPSI, measurements of emitted spectra from X-ray source, testing of the high resolution X-ray test targets, and the establishment of criteria for and selection of peripheral equipment. In addition to these tasks, two presentations were prepared in this period; one for the AIAA Microgravity Symposium and another for the Gordon Conference on Gravitational Effects in Pyisico-Chemical Systems.

X-ray transmission microscope development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaukler, William F.; Rosenberger, Franz E.

1995-01-01

This report covers the third 6 month period, from February 28, 1995 to August 31, 1995, under this contract. The main efforts during this period were the construction of the X-ray furnace, evaluation and selection of the CCD technology for the X-ray camera, solidification experiments with Al alloys and Al-zirconia composites in the prototype furnace, evaluation of specimens for the particle pushing flight experiment - PEPSI, measurements of emitted spectra from X-ray source, testing of the high resolution X-ray test targets, and the establishment of criteria for and selection of peripheral equipment. In addition to these tasks, two presentations were prepared in this period; one for the AIAA Microgravity Symposium and another for the Gordon Conference on Gravitational Effects in Pyisico-Chemical Systems.

Effects of Laser Shock Processing on Morphologies and Mechanical Properties of ANSI 304 Stainless Steel Weldments Subjected to Cavitation Erosion

PubMed Central

Zhang, Lei; Lu, Jin-Zhong; Zhang, Yong-Kang; Ma, Hai-Le; Luo, Kai-Yu; Dai, Feng-Ze

2017-01-01

Effects of laser shock processing (LSP) on the cavitation erosion resistance of laser weldments were investigated by optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations, roughness tester, micro hardness tester, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) technology. The morphological microstructures were characterized. Cumulative mass loss, incubation period, erosion rate, and damaged surface areas were monitored during cavitation erosion. Surface roughness, micro-hardness, and residual stress were measured in different zones. Results showed that LSP could improve the damage of morphological microstructures and mechanical properties after cavitation erosion. The compressive residual stresses were generated during the process of LSP, which was an effective guarantee for the improvement of the above mentioned properties. PMID:28772652

Advances in the detection of as in environmental samples using low energy X-ray fluorescence in a scanning transmission X-ray microscope: arsenic immobilization by an Fe(II)-oxidizing freshwater bacteria.

PubMed

Hitchcock, A P; Obst, M; Wang, J; Lu, Y S; Tyliszczak, T

2012-03-06

Speciation and quantitative mapping of elements, organic and inorganic compounds, and mineral phases in environmental samples at high spatial resolution is needed in many areas of geobiochemistry and environmental science. Scanning transmission X-ray microscopes (STXMs) provide a focused beam which can interrogate samples at a fine spatial scale. Quantitative chemical information can be extracted using the transmitted and energy-resolved X-ray fluorescence channels simultaneously. Here we compare the relative merits of transmission and low-energy X-ray fluorescence detection of X-ray absorption for speciation and quantitative analysis of the spatial distribution of arsenic(V) within cell-mineral aggregates formed by Acidovorax sp. strain BoFeN1, an anaerobic nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing β-proteobacteria isolated from the sediments of Lake Constance. This species is noted to be highly tolerant to high levels of As(V). Related, As-tolerant Acidovorax-strains have been found in As-contaminated groundwater wells in Bangladesh and Cambodia wherein they might influence the mobility of As by providing sorption sites which might have different properties as compared to chemically formed Fe-minerals. In addition to demonstrating the lower detection limits that are achieved with X-ray fluorescence relative to transmission detection in STXM, this study helps to gain insights into the mechanisms of As immobilization by biogenic Fe-mineral formation and to further the understanding of As-resistance of anaerobic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria.

Synchrotron-based X-ray microscopic studies for bioeffects of nanomaterials.

PubMed

Zhu, Ying; Cai, Xiaoqing; Li, Jiang; Zhong, Zengtao; Huang, Qing; Fan, Chunhai

2014-04-01

There have been increasing interests in studying biological effects of nanomaterials, which are nevertheless faced up with many challenges due to the nanoscale dimensions and unique chemical properties of nanomaterials. Synchrotron-based X-ray microscopy, an advanced imaging technology with high spatial resolution and excellent elemental specificity, provides a new platform for studying interactions between nanomaterials and living systems. In this article, we review the recent progress of X-ray microscopic studies on bioeffects of nanomaterials in several living systems including cells, model organisms, animals and plants. We aim to provide an overview of the state of the art, and the advantages of using synchrotron-based X-ray microscopy for characterizing in vitro and in vivo behaviors and biodistribution of nanomaterials. We also expect that the use of a combination of new synchrotron techniques should offer unprecedented opportunities for better understanding complex interactions at the nano-biological interface and accounting for unique bioeffects of nanomaterials. Synchrotron-based X-ray microscopy is a non-destructive imaging technique that enables high resolution spatial mapping of metals with elemental level detection methods. This review summarizes the current use and perspectives of this novel technique in studying the biology and tissue interactions of nanomaterials. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Luteolin as reactive oxygen generator by X-ray and UV irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toyama, Michiru; Mori, Takashi; Takahashi, Junko; Iwahashi, Hitoshi

2018-05-01

Non-toxic X-ray-responsive substances can be used in the radiosensitization of cancer, like porphyrin mediated radiotherapy. However, most X-ray-responsive substances are toxic. To find novel non-toxic X-ray-responsive substances, we studied the X-ray and UV reactivity of 40 non-toxic compounds extracted from plants. Dihydroethidium was used as an indicator to detect reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by the compounds under X-ray or UV irradiation. We found that 13 of the investigated compounds generated ROS under X-ray irradiation and 17 generated ROS under UV irradiation. Only 4 substances generated ROS under both X-ray and UV. In particular, luteolin exhibited the highest activity among the investigated compounds; therefore, the ROS generated by luteolin were thoroughly characterized. To identify the ROS, we employed a combination of ROS detection reagents and their quenchers. O2·- generation by luteolin was monitored using dihydroethidium and superoxide dismutase (as an O2·- quencher). OH· and 1O2 generation was determined using aminophenyl fluorescein with ethanol (OH· quencher) and Singlet Oxygen Sensor Green® with NaN3 (1O2 quencher), respectively. Generation of O2·- under X-ray and UV irradiation was observed; however, no OH· or 1O2 was detected. The production of ROS from luteolin is surprising, because luteolin is a well-known antioxidant.

Czechoslovak Replica X-Ray Mirrors for Astronomical Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudec, R.; Valnicek, B.

Imaging X-ray mirrors has been developed in Czechoslovakia since 1970 by a way of two different replica technologies based on galvanoplastics and reactoplastics as a natural part of Czechoslovak X-ray astronomy program. Until now about 30 mirros with diameters between 1.7 and 24 cm were manufactured. Seven mirrors were flown in space experiments. The new technology used since 1981 allows to produce light-weight X-ray mirrors at relatively very low cost. The technology offers interesting possibilities in construction of (1) large arrays of identical optical systems, (2) very small (microscopic) mirros and (3) lobster-eye type optics. Advantages and drawbacks of replica techology are discussed.

Laser Plasma Soft X-ray Microscope with Wolter Mirrors for Observation of Biological Specimens in Air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoshino, Masato; Aoki, Sadao

2006-02-01

A laser plasma soft X-ray microscope with Wolter mirrors was developed so that specimens could be set in the atmosphere. Silicon nitride membranes 100 nm thick were used as vacuum-tight windows. Using relatively large windows (0.46× 0.46 mm2), an adequate working distance for samples, which was approximately 1.2 mm, was assured. The endurance of the vacuum-tight window was measured briefly. Dry biological cells could be observed with resolution better than 100 nm. A preliminary observation of wet biological cells was carried out using a wet environmental sample holder which was composed of only two sheets of silicon nitride membrane. An X-ray micrograph of wet red blood cells from a chicken was obtained without apparent effects of radiation damage. The properties of a vacuum-tight window and a wet sample holder are discussed.

Retrieving the Quantitative Chemical Information at Nanoscale from Scanning Electron Microscope Energy Dispersive X-ray Measurements by Machine Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jany, B. R.; Janas, A.; Krok, F.

2017-11-01

The quantitative composition of metal alloy nanowires on InSb(001) semiconductor surface and gold nanostructures on germanium surface is determined by blind source separation (BSS) machine learning (ML) method using non negative matrix factorization (NMF) from energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) spectrum image maps measured in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The BSS method blindly decomposes the collected EDX spectrum image into three source components, which correspond directly to the X-ray signals coming from the supported metal nanostructures, bulk semiconductor signal and carbon background. The recovered quantitative composition is validated by detailed Monte Carlo simulations and is confirmed by separate cross-sectional TEM EDX measurements of the nanostructures. This shows that SEM EDX measurements together with machine learning blind source separation processing could be successfully used for the nanostructures quantitative chemical composition determination.

CCD sensors in synchrotron X-ray detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strauss, M. G.; Naday, I.; Sherman, I. S.; Kraimer, M. R.; Westbrook, E. M.; Zaluzec, N. J.

1988-04-01

The intense photon flux from advanced synchrotron light sources, such as the 7-GeV synchrotron being designed at Argonne, require integrating-type detectors. Charge-coupled devices (CCDs) are well suited as synchrotron X-ray detectors. When irradiated indirectly via a phosphor followed by reducing optics, diffraction patterns of 100 cm 2 can be imaged on a 2 cm 2 CCD. With a conversion efficiency of ˜ 1 CCD electron/X-ray photon, a peak saturation capacity of > 10 6 X-rays can be obtained. A programmable CCD controller operating at a clock frequency of 20 MHz has been developed. The readout rate is 5 × 10 6 pixels/s and the shift rate in the parallel registers is 10 6 lines/s. The test detector was evaluated in two experiments. In protein crystallography diffraction patterns have been obtained from a lysozyme crystal using a conventional rotating anode X-ray generator. Based on these results we expect to obtain at a synchrotron diffraction images at a rate of ˜ 1 frame/s or a complete 3-dimensional data set from a single crystal in ˜ 2 min. In electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), the CCD was used in a parallel detection mode which is similar to the mode array detectors are used in dispersive EXAFS. With a beam current corresponding to 3 × 10 9 electron/s on the detector, a series of 64 spectra were recorded on the CCD in a continuous sequence without interruption due to readout. The frame-to-frame pixel signal fluctuations had σ = 0.4% from which DQE = 0.4 was obtained, where the detector conversion efficiency was 2.6 CCD electrons/X-ray photon. These multiple frame series also showed the time-resolved modulation of the electron microscope optics by stray magnetic fields.

Correlative microscopy of detergent granules.

PubMed

van Dalen, G; Nootenboom, P; Heussen, P C M

2011-03-01

The microstructure of detergent products for textile cleaning determines to a large extent the physical properties of these products. Correlative microscopy was used to reveal the microstructure by reconciling images obtained by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray microtomography and Fourier transform infrared microscopy. These techniques were applied on the same location of a subsample of a spray-dried detergent base powder embedded in polyacrylate. In this way, the three-dimensional internal and external structure of detergent granules could be investigated from milli to nano scale with detailed spatial information about the components present. This will generate knowledge how to design optimal microstructures for laundry products to obtain product properties demanded by the market. This method is also very useful for other powder systems used in a large variety of industries (e.g. for pharmaceutical, food, ceramic and metal industries). © 2010 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2010 The Royal Microscopical Society.

Three-dimensional localization of nanoscale battery reactions using soft X-ray tomography.

PubMed

Yu, Young-Sang; Farmand, Maryam; Kim, Chunjoong; Liu, Yijin; Grey, Clare P; Strobridge, Fiona C; Tyliszczak, Tolek; Celestre, Rich; Denes, Peter; Joseph, John; Krishnan, Harinarayan; Maia, Filipe R N C; Kilcoyne, A L David; Marchesini, Stefano; Leite, Talita Perciano Costa; Warwick, Tony; Padmore, Howard; Cabana, Jordi; Shapiro, David A

2018-03-02

Battery function is determined by the efficiency and reversibility of the electrochemical phase transformations at solid electrodes. The microscopic tools available to study the chemical states of matter with the required spatial resolution and chemical specificity are intrinsically limited when studying complex architectures by their reliance on two-dimensional projections of thick material. Here, we report the development of soft X-ray ptychographic tomography, which resolves chemical states in three dimensions at 11 nm spatial resolution. We study an ensemble of nano-plates of lithium iron phosphate extracted from a battery electrode at 50% state of charge. Using a set of nanoscale tomograms, we quantify the electrochemical state and resolve phase boundaries throughout the volume of individual nanoparticles. These observations reveal multiple reaction points, intra-particle heterogeneity, and size effects that highlight the importance of multi-dimensional analytical tools in providing novel insight to the design of the next generation of high-performance devices.

Explanation of the photocurrent generation of Cu2O quantum dots (QDs) sensitized p-CuSCN stable photoelectrochemical cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karunarathna, P. G. D. C. K.; Samarakoon, S. P. A. U. K.; Fernando, C. A. N.

2018-01-01

Fabrication of Cu2O quantum dots (QDs) sensitized p-CuSCN photoelectrode provides a significant photocurrent enhancement in photoelectrochemical medium for the first time. The variation of photocurrent quantum efficiency (Ф%) with Cu2O amount formed on p-CuSCN was presented. Here, two maxima of photocurrent could be observed in Cu/p-CuSCN/Cu2O photoelectrodes. The first photocurrent peak was due to the Cu2O QDs sensitization on p-CuSCN layer, and the second photocurrent peak was due to the formation of p-n junction. Time development of the photocurrent for Cu/p-CuSCN/n-Cu2O photoelectrodes and material characterization from Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were done in this study in detailed.

Quantitative X-ray Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Takashi

Full-field soft x-ray microscopes are widely used in many fields of sciences. Advances in nanofabrication technology enabled short wavelength focusing elements with significantly improved spatial resolution. In the soft x-ray spectral region, samples as small as 12 nm can be resolved using micro zone-plates as the objective lens. In addition to conventional x-ray microscopy in which x-ray absorption difference provides the image contrast, phase contrast mechanisms such as differential phase contrast (DIC) and Zernike phase contrast have also been demonstrated These phase contrast imaging mechanisms are especially attractive at the x-ray wavelengths where phase contrast of most materials is typically 10 times stronger than the absorption contrast. With recent progresses in plasma-based x- ray sources and increasing accessibility to synchrotron user facilities, x-ray microscopes are quickly becoming standard measurement equipment in the laboratory. To further the usefulness of x-ray DIC microscopy this thesis explicitly addresses three known issues with this imaging modality by introducing new techniques and devices First, as opposed to its visible-light counterpart, no quantitative phase imaging technique exists for x-ray DIC microscopy. To address this issue, two nanoscale x-ray quantitative phase imaging techniques, using exclusive OR (XOR) patterns and zone-plate doublets, respectively, are proposed. Unlike existing x-ray quantitative phase imaging techniques such as Talbot interferometry and ptychography, no dedicated experimental setups or stringent illumination coherence are needed for quantitative phase retrieval. Second, to the best of our knowledge, no quantitative performance characterization of DIC microscopy exists to date. Therefore the imaging system's response to sample's spatial frequency is not known In order to gain in-depth understanding of this imaging modality, performance of x-ray DIC microscopy is quantified using modulation transfer function. A new illumination apparatus required for the transfer function analysis under partially coherent illumination is also proposed. Such a characterization is essential for a proper selection of DIC optics for various transparent samples under study. Finally, optical elements used for x-ray DIC microscopy are highly absorptive and high brilliance x-ray sources such as synchrotrons are generally needed for image contrast. To extend the use of x-ray DIC microscopy to a wider variety of applications, a high efficiency large numerical aperture optical element consisting of high reflective Bragg reflectors is proposed. Using Bragg reflectors, which have 70% ˜99% reflectivity at extreme ultraviolet and soft x-rays for all angles of glancing incidence, the first order focusing efficiency is expected to increase by ˜ 8 times compared to that of a typical Fresnel zone-plate. This thesis contributes to current nanoscale x-ray phase contrast imaging research and provides new insights for biological, material, and magnetic sciences

Development of optical choppers for time-resolved measurements at soft X-ray synchrotron radiation beamlines

PubMed Central

Osawa, Hitoshi; Ohkochi, Takuo; Fujisawa, Masami; Kimura, Shigeru; Kinoshita, Toyohiko

2017-01-01

Two types of optical choppers for time-resolved measurements at synchrotron radiation soft X-ray beamlines have been developed. One type uses an air-spindle-type rotation mechanism with a two-stage differential pumping system to maintain the ultra-high vacuum of the X-ray beamline, and the other uses a magnetic bearing. Both can be installed at the soft X-ray beamlines at SPring-8, greatly improving the accessibility of pump-and-probe spectroscopy. The combination of X-ray chopper and pump-and-probe photoemission electron microscope at SPring-8 provides drastic improvements in signal-to-noise ratio and resolution compared with techniques using high-voltage gating of channel plate detectors. The choppers have the capability to be used not only at synchrotron radiation facilities but also at other types of soft X-ray and VUV beamlines. PMID:28452746

Astigmatism correction in x-ray scanning photoemission microscope with use of elliptical zone plate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ade, H.; Ko, C.; Anderson, E.

1992-03-02

We report the impact of an elliptical, high resolution zone plate on the performance of an initially astigmatic soft x-ray scanning photoemission microscope. A zone plate with carefully calibrated eccentricity has been used to eliminate astigmatism arising from transport optics, and an improvement of about a factor of 3 in spatial resolution was achieved. The resolution is still dominated by the source size and chromatic aberrations rather than by diffraction and coma, and a further gain of about a factor of 2 in resolution is possible. Sub 100 nm photoemission microscopy with primary photoelectrons is now within reach.

Microscopic nonlinear relativistic quantum theory of absorption of powerful x-ray radiation in plasma.

PubMed

Avetissian, H K; Ghazaryan, A G; Matevosyan, H H; Mkrtchian, G F

2015-10-01

The microscopic quantum theory of plasma nonlinear interaction with the coherent shortwave electromagnetic radiation of arbitrary intensity is developed. The Liouville-von Neumann equation for the density matrix is solved analytically considering a wave field exactly and a scattering potential of plasma ions as a perturbation. With the help of this solution we calculate the nonlinear inverse-bremsstrahlung absorption rate for a grand canonical ensemble of electrons. The latter is studied in Maxwellian, as well as in degenerate quantum plasma for x-ray lasers at superhigh intensities and it is shown that one can achieve the efficient absorption coefficient in these cases.

High temperature oxidation behavior of austenitic stainless steel AISI 304 in steam of nanofluids contain nanoparticle ZrO2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prajitno, Djoko Hadi, E-mail: djokohp@batan.go.id; Syarif, Dani Gustaman, E-mail: djokohp@batan.go.id

2014-03-24

The objective of this study is to evaluate high temperature oxidation behavior of austenitic stainless steel SS 304 in steam of nanofluids contain nanoparticle ZrO{sub 2}. The oxidation was performed at high temperatures ranging from 600 to 800°C. The oxidation time was 60 minutes. After oxidation the surface of the samples was analyzed by different methods including, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). X-ray diffraction examination show that the oxide scale formed during oxidation of stainless steel AISI 304 alloys is dominated by iron oxide, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Minor element such as Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} ismore » also appeared in the diffraction pattern. Characterization by optical microscope showed that cross section microstructure of stainless steel changed after oxidized with the oxide scale on the surface stainless steels. SEM and x-ray diffraction examination show that the oxide of ZrO{sub 2} appeared on the surface of stainless steel. Kinetic rate of oxidation of austenite stainless steel AISI 304 showed that increasing oxidation temperature and time will increase oxidation rate.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yashchuk, Valeriy V; Conley, Raymond; Anderson, Erik H

Verification of the reliability of metrology data from high quality x-ray optics requires that adequate methods for test and calibration of the instruments be developed. For such verification for optical surface profilometers in the spatial frequency domain, a modulation transfer function (MTF) calibration method based on binary pseudo-random (BPR) gratings and arrays has been suggested [Proc. SPIE 7077-7 (2007), Opt. Eng. 47(7), 073602-1-5 (2008)} and proven to be an effective calibration method for a number of interferometric microscopes, a phase shifting Fizeau interferometer, and a scatterometer [Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 616, 172-82 (2010)]. Here we describe the details ofmore » development of binary pseudo-random multilayer (BPRML) test samples suitable for characterization of scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopes. We discuss the results of TEM measurements with the BPRML test samples fabricated from a WiSi2/Si multilayer coating with pseudo randomly distributed layers. In particular, we demonstrate that significant information about the metrological reliability of the TEM measurements can be extracted even when the fundamental frequency of the BPRML sample is smaller than the Nyquist frequency of the measurements. The measurements demonstrate a number of problems related to the interpretation of the SEM and TEM data. Note that similar BPRML test samples can be used to characterize x-ray microscopes. Corresponding work with x-ray microscopes is in progress.« less

A framed, 16-image Kirkpatrick–Baez x-ray microscope

DOE PAGES

Marshall, F. J.; Bahr, R. E.; Goncharov, V. N.; ...

2017-09-08

A 16-image Kirkpatrick–Baez (KB)–type x-ray microscope consisting of compact KB mirrors has been assembled for the first time with mirrors aligned to allow it to be coupled to a high-speed framing camera. The high-speed framing camera has four independently gated strips whose emission sampling interval is ~30 ps. Images are arranged four to a strip with ~60-ps temporal spacing between frames on a strip. By spacing the timing of the strips, a frame spacing of ~15 ps is achieved. A framed resolution of ~6-um is achieved with this combination in a 400-um region of laser–plasma x-ray emission in the 2-more » to 8-keV energy range. A principal use of the microscope is to measure the evolution of the implosion stagnation region of cryogenic DT target implosions on the University of Rochester’s OMEGA Laser System. The unprecedented time and spatial resolution achieved with this framed, multi-image KB microscope have made it possible to accurately determine the cryogenic implosion core emission size and shape at the peak of stagnation. In conclusion, these core size measurements, taken in combination with those of ion temperature, neutron-production temporal width, and neutron yield allow for inference of core pressures, currently exceeding 50 GBar in OMEGA cryogenic target implosions.« less

A framed, 16-image Kirkpatrick–Baez x-ray microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marshall, F. J.; Bahr, R. E.; Goncharov, V. N.

A 16-image Kirkpatrick–Baez (KB)–type x-ray microscope consisting of compact KB mirrors has been assembled for the first time with mirrors aligned to allow it to be coupled to a high-speed framing camera. The high-speed framing camera has four independently gated strips whose emission sampling interval is ~30 ps. Images are arranged four to a strip with ~60-ps temporal spacing between frames on a strip. By spacing the timing of the strips, a frame spacing of ~15 ps is achieved. A framed resolution of ~6-um is achieved with this combination in a 400-um region of laser–plasma x-ray emission in the 2-more » to 8-keV energy range. A principal use of the microscope is to measure the evolution of the implosion stagnation region of cryogenic DT target implosions on the University of Rochester’s OMEGA Laser System. The unprecedented time and spatial resolution achieved with this framed, multi-image KB microscope have made it possible to accurately determine the cryogenic implosion core emission size and shape at the peak of stagnation. In conclusion, these core size measurements, taken in combination with those of ion temperature, neutron-production temporal width, and neutron yield allow for inference of core pressures, currently exceeding 50 GBar in OMEGA cryogenic target implosions.« less

The National Ignition Facility modular Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope.

PubMed

Pickworth, L A; Ayers, J; Bell, P; Brejnholt, N F; Buscho, J G; Bradley, D; Decker, T; Hau-Riege, S; Kilkenny, J; McCarville, T; Pardini, T; Vogel, J; Walton, C

2016-11-01

Current two-dimensional X-ray imaging at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) uses time resolved pinhole cameras with ∼10-25 μm pinholes. This method has limitations in the smallest resolvable features that can be imaged with reasonable photon statistics for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) applications. ICF sources have a broadband self-emission spectrum that causes the pinhole images obtained, through thin foil filters, to contain a similarly broadband spectrum complicating the interpretation of structure in the source. In order to study phenomena on the scale of ∼5 μm, such as dopant mix in the ICF capsule, a narrow energy band, higher spatial resolution microscope system with improved signal/noise has been developed using X-ray optics. Utilizing grazing incidence mirrors in a Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope (KBM) configuration [P. Kirkpatrick and A. V. Baez, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 38, 766-774 (1948)], an X-ray microscope has been designed and fielded on NIF with four imaging channels. The KBM has ∼12 × magnification, <8 μm resolution, and higher throughput in comparison to similar pinhole systems. The first KBM mirrors are coated with a multilayer mirror to allow a "narrow band" energy response at 10.2 keV with ΔE ∼ 3 keV. By adjusting the mirror coating only, the energy response can be matched to the future experimental requirements. Several mirror packs have been commissioned and are interchangeable in the diagnostic snout.

A comparison of two micro-beam X-ray emission techniques for actinide elemental distribution in microscopic particles originating from the hydrogen bombs involved in the Palomares (Spain) and Thule (Greenland) accidents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jimenez-Ramos, M. C.; Eriksson, M.; García-López, J.; Ranebo, Y.; García-Tenorio, R.; Betti, M.; Holm, E.

2010-09-01

In order to validate and to gain confidence in two micro-beam techniques: particle induced X-ray emission with nuclear microprobe technique (μ-PIXE) and synchrotron radiation induced X-ray fluorescence in a confocal alignment (confocal SR μ-XRF) for characterization of microscopic particles containing actinide elements (mixed plutonium and uranium) a comparative study has been performed. Inter-comparison of the two techniques is essential as the X-ray production cross-sections for U and Pu are different for protons and photons and not well defined in the open literature, especially for Pu. The particles studied consisted of nuclear weapons material, and originate either in the so called Palomares accident in Spain, 1966 or in the Thule accident in Greenland, 1968. In the determination of the average Pu/U mass ratios (not corrected by self-absorption) in the analysed microscopic particles the results from both techniques show a very good agreement. In addition, the suitability of both techniques for the analysis with good resolution (down to a few μm) of the Pu/U distribution within the particles has been proved. The set of results obtained through both techniques has allowed gaining important information concerning the characterization of the remaining fissile material in the areas affected by the aircraft accidents. This type of information is essential for long-term impact assessments of contaminated sites.

Fabrication and testing of Wolter type-I mirrors for soft x-ray microscopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoshino, Masato; Aoki, Sadao; Watanabe, Norio; Hirai, Shinichiro

2004-10-01

Development of a small Wolter type-I mirror that is mainly used as an objective for the X-ray microscope is described. Small Wolter mirrors for X-ray microscopes are fabricated by the vacuum replication method because of their long aspherical shape. Master mandrel is ground and polished by an ultra-precision NC lathe. Tungsten carbide was selected as a material because its thermal expansion coefficient is a little larger than the replica glass. It was ground by ELID (Electrolytic In-process Dressing) grinding technique that is appropriate for the efficient mirror surface grinding. After ultra-precision grinding, the figure error of master mandrel was better than 0.5μm except the boundary between the hyperboloid and the ellipsoid. Before vacuum replication, the mandrel was coated with Au (thickness 50nm) as the parting layer. Pyrex glass was empirically selected as mirror material. The master mandrel was inserted into the Pyrex glass tube and heated up to 675°C in the electric furnace. Although vacuum replication is a proper technique in terms of its high replication accuracy, the surface roughness characterized by the high spatial frequency of the mandrel was replicated less accurate than the figure error characterized by the low spatial frequency. This indicates that the surface roughness and the figure error depend on the glass surface and the figure error of the master mandrel, respectively. A fabricated mirror was evaluated by the imaging performance with a laser plasma X-ray source (λ=3.2nm).

Portable total reflection x-ray fluorescence analysis in the identification of unknown laboratory hazards

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Ying, E-mail: liu.ying.48r@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Imashuku, Susumu; Sasaki, Nobuharu

In this study, a portable total reflection x-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometer was used to analyze unknown laboratory hazards that precipitated on exterior surfaces of cooling pipes and fume hood pipes in chemical laboratories. With the aim to examine the accuracy of TXRF analysis for the determination of elemental composition, analytical results were compared with those of wavelength-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scanning electron microscope and energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry, energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, x-ray diffraction spectrometry (XRD), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Detailed comparison of data confirmed that the TXRF method itself was not sufficient tomore » determine all the elements (Z > 11) contained in the samples. In addition, results suggest that XRD should be combined with XPS in order to accurately determine compound composition. This study demonstrates that at least two analytical methods should be used in order to analyze the composition of unknown real samples.« less

The Extended Range X-Ray Telescope center director's discretionary fund report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, R. B.; Cumings, N. P.; Hildner, E.; Moore, R. L.; Tandberg-Hanssen, E. A.

1985-01-01

An Extended Range X-Ray Telescope (ERXRT) of high sensitivity and spatial resolution capable of functioning over a broad region of the X-ray/XUV portion of the spectrum has been designed and analyzed. This system has been configured around the glancing-incidence Wolter Type I X-ray mirror system which was flown on the Skylab Apollo Telescope Mount as ATM Experiment S-056. Enhanced sensitivity over a vastly broader spectral range can be realized by the utilization of a thinned, back-illuminated, buried-channel Charge Coupled Device (CCD) as the X-ray/XUV detector rather than photographic film. However, to maintain the high spatial resolution inherent in the X-ray optics when a CCD of 30 micron pixel size is used, it is necessary to increase the telescope plate scale. This can be accomplished by use of a glancing-incidence X-ray microscope to enlarge and re-focus the primary image onto the focal surface of the CCD.

Probing Stress States in Silicon Nanowires During Electrochemical Lithiation Using In Situ Synchrotron X-Ray Microdiffraction

DOE PAGES

Ali, Imran; Tippabhotla, Sasi Kumar; Radchenko, Ihor; ...

2018-04-04

Silicon is considered as a promising anode material for the next-generation lithium-ion battery (LIB) due to its high capacity at nanoscale. However, silicon expands up to 300% during lithiation, which induces high stresses and leads to fractures. To design silicon nanostructures that could minimize fracture, it is important to understand and characterize stress states in the silicon nanostructures during lithiation. Synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction has proven to be effective in revealing insights of mechanical stress and other mechanics considerations in small-scale crystalline structures used in many important technological applications, such as microelectronics, nanotechnology, and energy systems. In the present study, anmore » in situ synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction experiment was conducted to elucidate the mechanical stress states during the first electrochemical cycle of lithiation in single-crystalline silicon nanowires (SiNWs) in an LIB test cell. Morphological changes in the SiNWs at different levels of lithiation were also studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was found from SEM observation that lithiation commenced predominantly at the top surface of SiNWs followed by further progression toward the bottom of the SiNWs gradually. The hydrostatic stress of the crystalline core of the SiNWs at different levels of electrochemical lithiation was determined using the in situ synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction technique. We found that the crystalline core of the SiNWs became highly compressive (up to -325.5 MPa) once lithiation started. In conclusion, this finding helps unravel insights about mechanical stress states in the SiNWs during the electrochemical lithiation, which could potentially pave the path toward the fracture-free design of silicon nanostructure anode materials in the next-generation LIB.« less

Probing Stress States in Silicon Nanowires During Electrochemical Lithiation Using In Situ Synchrotron X-Ray Microdiffraction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ali, Imran; Tippabhotla, Sasi Kumar; Radchenko, Ihor

Silicon is considered as a promising anode material for the next-generation lithium-ion battery (LIB) due to its high capacity at nanoscale. However, silicon expands up to 300% during lithiation, which induces high stresses and leads to fractures. To design silicon nanostructures that could minimize fracture, it is important to understand and characterize stress states in the silicon nanostructures during lithiation. Synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction has proven to be effective in revealing insights of mechanical stress and other mechanics considerations in small-scale crystalline structures used in many important technological applications, such as microelectronics, nanotechnology, and energy systems. In the present study, anmore » in situ synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction experiment was conducted to elucidate the mechanical stress states during the first electrochemical cycle of lithiation in single-crystalline silicon nanowires (SiNWs) in an LIB test cell. Morphological changes in the SiNWs at different levels of lithiation were also studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was found from SEM observation that lithiation commenced predominantly at the top surface of SiNWs followed by further progression toward the bottom of the SiNWs gradually. The hydrostatic stress of the crystalline core of the SiNWs at different levels of electrochemical lithiation was determined using the in situ synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction technique. We found that the crystalline core of the SiNWs became highly compressive (up to -325.5 MPa) once lithiation started. In conclusion, this finding helps unravel insights about mechanical stress states in the SiNWs during the electrochemical lithiation, which could potentially pave the path toward the fracture-free design of silicon nanostructure anode materials in the next-generation LIB.« less

The Hole-Count Test Revisited: Effects of Test Specimen Thickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyman, C. E.; Ackland, D. W.; Williams, D. B.; Goldstein, J. I.

1989-01-01

For historical reasons the hole count, an important performance test for the Analytical Electron Microscope (AEM), is somewhat arbitrary yielding different numbers for different investigators. This was not a problem a decade ago when AEM specimens were often bathed with large fluxes of stray electrons and hard x rays. At that time the presence or absence of a thick Pt second condenser (C2) aperture could be detected by a simple comparison of the x-ray spectrum taken 'somewhere in the hole' with a spectrum collected on a 'typical thickness' of Mo or Ag foil. A high hole count of about 10-20% indicated that the electron column needed modifications; whereas a hole count of 1-2% was accepted for most AEM work. The absolute level of the hole count is a function of test specimen atomic number, overall specimen shape, and thin-foil thickness. In order that equivalent results may be obtained for any AEM in any laboratory in the world, this test must become standardized. The hole-count test we seek must be as simpl and as nonsubjective as the graphite 0.344nm lattice-line-resolution test. This lattice-resolution test spurred manufacturers to improve the image resolution of the TEM significantly in the 1970s and led to the even more stringent resolution tests of today. A similar phenomenon for AEM instruments would be welcome. The hole-count test can also indicate whether the spurious x-ray signal is generated by high-energy continuum x rays (bremsstrahlung) generated in the electron column (high K-line to L-line ratio) or uncollimated electrons passing through or around the C2 aperture (low K/L ratio).

Hard X-ray full field microscopy and magnifying microtomography using compound refractive lenses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroer, Christian G.; Günzler, Til Florian; Benner, Boris; Kuhlmann, Marion; Tümmler, Johannes; Lengeler, Bruno; Rau, Christoph; Weitkamp, Timm; Snigirev, Anatoly; Snigireva, Irina

2001-07-01

For hard X-rays, parabolic compound refractive lenses (PCRLs) are genuine imaging devices like glass lenses for visible light. Based on these new lenses, a hard X-ray full field microscope has been constructed that is ideally suited to image the interior of opaque samples with a minimum of sample preparation. As a result of a large depth of field, CRL micrographs are sharp projection images of most samples. To obtain 3D information about a sample, tomographic techniques are combined with magnified imaging.

Energy dispersive X-ray analysis on an absolute scale in scanning transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Chen, Z; D'Alfonso, A J; Weyland, M; Taplin, D J; Allen, L J; Findlay, S D

2015-10-01

We demonstrate absolute scale agreement between the number of X-ray counts in energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy using an atomic-scale coherent electron probe and first-principles simulations. Scan-averaged spectra were collected across a range of thicknesses with precisely determined and controlled microscope parameters. Ionization cross-sections were calculated using the quantum excitation of phonons model, incorporating dynamical (multiple) electron scattering, which is seen to be important even for very thin specimens. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In situ X-ray measurements of MOVPE growth of InxGa1-xN single quantum wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Guangxu; Fuchi, Shingo; Tabuchi, Masao; Takeda, Yoshikazu

2013-05-01

GaN/InxGa1-xN/GaN single quantum wells (SQWs) have been grown on c-plane GaN/sapphire substrates using MOVPE system. PL (photoluminescence) and AFM (atomic force microscope) measurements demonstrate good quality of after-growth thermal-annealed SQWs. In situ XRD (X-ray diffraction), XRR (X-ray reflectivity), and X-ray CTR (crystal truncation rod) scattering measurements were successfully conducted on the SQWs under the NH3+N2 ambient at 1103 K. The analysis results of the XRR and the X-ray CTR spectra at 1103 K and at 300 K on the same sample matched well. It demonstrated that In0.09Ga0.91N SQW structure with several ML (monolayer) InGaN thicknesses was successfully investigated using the XRR and CTR scattering measurements at 1103 K.

Picosecond x-ray diagnostics for third and fourth generation synchrotron sources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeCamp, Matthew

2016-03-30

In the DOE-EPSCoR State/National Laboratory partnership grant ``Picosecond x-ray diagnostics for third and fourth generation synchrotron sources'' Dr. DeCamp set forth a partnership between the University of Delaware and Argonne National Laboratory. This proposal aimed to design and implement a series of experiments utilizing, or improving upon, existing time-domain hard x-ray spectroscopies at a third generation synchrotron source. Specifically, the PI put forth three experimental projects to be explored in the grant cycle: 1) implementing a picosecond ``x-ray Bragg switch'' using a laser excited nano-structured metallic film, 2) designing a robust x-ray optical delay stage for x-ray pump-probe studies atmore » a hard x-ray synchrotron source, and 3) building/installing a laser based x-ray source at the Advanced Photon Source for two-color x-ray pump-probe studies.« less

High resolution, multiple-energy linear sweep detector for x-ray imaging

DOEpatents

Perez-Mendez, Victor; Goodman, Claude A.

1996-01-01

Apparatus for generating plural electrical signals in a single scan in response to incident X-rays received from an object. Each electrical signal represents an image of the object at a different range of energies of the incident X-rays. The apparatus comprises a first X-ray detector, a second X-ray detector stacked upstream of the first X-ray detector, and an X-ray absorber stacked upstream of the first X-ray detector. The X-ray absorber provides an energy-dependent absorption of the incident X-rays before they are incident at the first X-ray detector, but provides no absorption of the incident X-rays before they are incident at the second X-ray detector. The first X-ray detector includes a linear array of first pixels, each of which produces an electrical output in response to the incident X-rays in a first range of energies. The first X-ray detector also includes a circuit that generates a first electrical signal in response to the electrical output of each of the first pixels. The second X-ray detector includes a linear array of second pixels, each of which produces an electrical output in response to the incident X-rays in a second range of energies, broader than the first range of energies. The second X-ray detector also includes a circuit that generates a second electrical signal in response to the electrical output of each of the second pixels.

High resolution, multiple-energy linear sweep detector for x-ray imaging

DOEpatents

Perez-Mendez, V.; Goodman, C.A.

1996-08-20

Apparatus is disclosed for generating plural electrical signals in a single scan in response to incident X-rays received from an object. Each electrical signal represents an image of the object at a different range of energies of the incident X-rays. The apparatus comprises a first X-ray detector, a second X-ray detector stacked upstream of the first X-ray detector, and an X-ray absorber stacked upstream of the first X-ray detector. The X-ray absorber provides an energy-dependent absorption of the incident X-rays before they are incident at the first X-ray detector, but provides no absorption of the incident X-rays before they are incident at the second X-ray detector. The first X-ray detector includes a linear array of first pixels, each of which produces an electrical output in response to the incident X-rays in a first range of energies. The first X-ray detector also includes a circuit that generates a first electrical signal in response to the electrical output of each of the first pixels. The second X-ray detector includes a linear array of second pixels, each of which produces an electrical output in response to the incident X-rays in a second range of energies, broader than the first range of energies. The second X-ray detector also includes a circuit that generates a second electrical signal in response to the electrical output of each of the second pixels. 12 figs.

Fiducial marker application method for position alignment of in situ multimodal X-ray experiments and reconstructions

DOE PAGES

Shade, Paul A.; Menasche, David B.; Bernier, Joel V.; ...

2016-03-01

An evolving suite of X-ray characterization methods are presently available to the materials community, providing a great opportunity to gain new insight into material behavior and provide critical validation data for materials models. Two critical and related issues are sample repositioning during anin situexperiment and registration of multiple data sets after the experiment. To address these issues, a method is described which utilizes a focused ion-beam scanning electron microscope equipped with a micromanipulator to apply gold fiducial markers to samples for X-ray measurements. The method is demonstrated with a synchrotron X-ray experiment involvingin situloading of a titanium alloy tensile specimen.

Integrated nonlinear optical imaging microscope for on-axis crystal detection and centering at a synchrotron beamline

PubMed Central

Madden, Jeremy T.; Toth, Scott J.; Dettmar, Christopher M.; Newman, Justin A.; Oglesbee, Robert A.; Hedderich, Hartmut G.; Everly, R. Michael; Becker, Michael; Ronau, Judith A.; Buchanan, Susan K.; Cherezov, Vadim; Morrow, Marie E.; Xu, Shenglan; Ferguson, Dale; Makarov, Oleg; Das, Chittaranjan; Fischetti, Robert; Simpson, Garth J.

2013-01-01

Nonlinear optical (NLO) instrumentation has been integrated with synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) for combined single-platform analysis, initially targeting applications for automated crystal centering. Second-harmonic-generation microscopy and two-photon-excited ultraviolet fluorescence microscopy were evaluated for crystal detection and assessed by X-ray raster scanning. Two optical designs were constructed and characterized; one positioned downstream of the sample and one integrated into the upstream optical path of the diffractometer. Both instruments enabled protein crystal identification with integration times between 80 and 150 µs per pixel, representing a ∼103–104-fold reduction in the per-pixel exposure time relative to X-ray raster scanning. Quantitative centering and analysis of phenylalanine hydroxylase from Chromobacterium violaceum cPAH, Trichinella spiralis deubiquitinating enzyme TsUCH37, human κ-opioid receptor complex kOR-T4L produced in lipidic cubic phase (LCP), intimin prepared in LCP, and α-cellulose samples were performed by collecting multiple NLO images. The crystalline samples were characterized by single-crystal diffraction patterns, while α-cellulose was characterized by fiber diffraction. Good agreement was observed between the sample positions identified by NLO and XRD raster measurements for all samples studied. PMID:23765294

Microwave soft x-ray microscopy for nanoscale magnetization dynamics in the 5–10 GHz frequency range

DOE PAGES

Bonetti, Stefano; Kukreja, Roopali; Chen, Zhao; ...

2015-09-10

In this study, we present a scanning transmission x-ray microscopy setup combined with a novel microwave synchronization scheme in order to study high frequency magnetization dynamics at synchrotron light sources. The sensitivity necessary to detect small changes of the magnetization on short time scales and nanometer spatial dimensions is achieved by combination of the developed excitation mechanism with a single photon counting electronics that is locked to the synchrotron operation frequency. The required mechanical stability is achieved by a compact design of the microscope. Our instrument is capable of creating direct images of dynamical phenomena in the 5-10 GHz range,more » with 35 nm resolution. When used together with circularly polarized x-rays, the above capabilities can be combined to study magnetic phenomena at microwave frequencies, such as ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and spin waves. We demonstrate the capabilities of our technique by presenting phase resolved images of a –6 GHz nanoscale spin wave generated by a spin torque oscillator, as well as the uniform ferromagnetic precession with ~0.1° amplitude at –9 GHz in a micrometer-sized cobalt strip.« less

Multilayer Black Phosphorus Exfoliated with the Aid of Sodium Hydroxide: An Improvement in Electrochemical Energy Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wanying; Zhu, Yabo; Chen, Zhiyan; Lei, Jia; Feng, Peizhong

2018-05-01

We generated multilayer black phosphorus (MBP) as a precipitate in centrifugation under 3000 rpm for 25 min, preceded by liquid exfoliation, in which saturated sodium hydroxide (NaOH(s)) was added as an exfoliation auxiliary. The MBP exfoliated with NaOH(s) was characterized by scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive x-ray detector, x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Its electrochemical performance was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It was found that the appropriate amount of NaOH(s) can make MBP present a ladder-shaped structure or plackets on the layer edge, which may provide more active sites and channels for charge storage to improve its electrochemical performance. The specific capacitance of MBP samples exfoliated with appropriate amounts of NaOH(s) can quickly enter a relatively stable range of 110-90 F/g after the 75th cycle, and finally stabilize at about 90 F/g after thousands of cycles under the current density of 2 A/g, which demonstrates their good stability in the range of long charge/discharge cycles. MBP exhibits double-layer capacitance properties.

Multiscale tomographic analysis of heterogeneous cast Al-Si-X alloys.

PubMed

Asghar, Z; Requena, G; Sket, F

2015-07-01

The three-dimensional microstructure of cast AlSi12Ni and AlSi10Cu5Ni2 alloys is investigated by laboratory X-ray computed tomography, synchrotron X-ray computed microtomography, light optical tomography and synchrotron X-ray computed microtomography with submicrometre resolution. The results obtained with each technique are correlated with the size of the scanned volumes and resolved microstructural features. Laboratory X-ray computed tomography is sufficient to resolve highly absorbing aluminides but eutectic and primary Si remain unrevealed. Synchrotron X-ray computed microtomography at ID15/ESRF gives better spatial resolution and reveals primary Si in addition to aluminides. Synchrotron X-ray computed microtomography at ID19/ESRF reveals all the phases ≥ ∼1 μm in volumes about 80 times smaller than laboratory X-ray computed tomography. The volumes investigated by light optical tomography and submicrometre synchrotron X-ray computed microtomography are much smaller than laboratory X-ray computed tomography but both techniques provide local chemical information on the types of aluminides. The complementary techniques applied enable a full three-dimensional characterization of the microstructure of the alloys at length scales ranging over six orders of magnitude. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2015 Royal Microscopical Society.

An assessment of the resolution limitation due to radiation-damage in X-ray diffraction microscopy

DOE PAGES

Howells, M. R.; Beetz, T.; Chapman, H. N.; ...

2008-11-17

X-ray diffraction microscopy (XDM) is a new form of x-ray imaging that is being practiced at several third-generation synchrotron-radiation x-ray facilities. Nine years have elapsed since the technique was first introduced and it has made rapid progress in demonstrating high-resolution three-dimensional imaging and promises few-nm resolution with much larger samples than can be imaged in the transmission electron microscope. Both life- and materials-science applications of XDM are intended, and it is expected that the principal limitation to resolution will be radiation damage for life science and the coherent power of available x-ray sources for material science. In this paper wemore » address the question of the role of radiation damage. We use a statistical analysis based on the so-called "dose fractionation theorem" of Hegerl and Hoppe to calculate the dose needed to make an image of a single life-science sample by XDM with a given resolution. We find that for simply-shaped objects the needed dose scales with the inverse fourth power of the resolution and present experimental evidence to support this finding. To determine the maximum tolerable dose we have assembled a number of data taken from the literature plus some measurements of our own which cover ranges of resolution that are not well covered otherwise. The conclusion of this study is that, based on the natural contrast between protein and water and "Rose-criterion" image quality, one should be able to image a frozen-hydrated biological sample using XDM at a resolution of about 10 nm.« less

X-ray microtomography experiments using a diffraction tube and a focusing multilayer-mirror

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurker, N.; Nell, R.; Backfrieder, W.; Kandutsch, J.; Sarg, K.; Prevrhal, S.; Nentwich, C.

1994-10-01

A first-generation (i.e. translate-rotate) micro X-ray transmission computed tomography system has been developed, which utilizes a standard 2.2 kW long-fine-focus diffraction tube with Cu-anode as the X-ray source, a spherical W/C multilayer-mirror to condense and spectrally select the CuKα-radiation (8.04 keV) from the tube and a scintillation counter to detect the X-ray photons; in the present configuration the optical system demagnifies the original source size in the direction parallel to the imaged object slice by a factor of 5, where a small slit captures the radiation and thus gives an intense microscopic (pseudo-) source of monochromatic X-radiation in close vicinity of the scanned specimen. The system provides tomographic images of small objects (up to 25 mm in diameter) reconstructed as 128 × 128 matrices with resolutions between ˜ 20 and 200 μm in ≥ 10 min. The software package which is available for image reconstruction includes filtered backprojection, correcting backprojection (ART, MART) and a new type of weighted backprojection, which turns out to be a simplified version of MART (SMART). A dedicated scan- and reconstruction-procedure demonstrates the feasibility to image selected regions-of-interest within the investigated specimen slice with (up to 1 order of magnitude) higher spatial resolution than their surroundings without major artefacts (Zoom-CT). The hard-and software-components of this CT-system are discussed, several examples are given and perspectives of further development are outlined.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matthews, D.L.; Rosen, M.D.

One of the elusive dreams of laser physicists has been the development of an x-ray laser. After 25 years of waiting, the x-ray laser has at last entered the scientific scene, although those now in operation are still laboratory prototypes. They produce soft x rays down to about five nanometers. X-ray lasers retain the usual characteristics of their optical counterparts: a very tight beam, spatial and temporal coherence, and extreme brightness. Present x-ray lasers are nearly 100 times brighter that the next most powerful x-ray source in the world: the electron synchrotron. Although Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is widelymore » known for its hard-x-ray laser program which has potential applications in the Strategic Defense Initiative, the soft x-ray lasers have no direct military applications. These lasers, and the scientific tools that result from their development, may one day have a place in the design and diagnosis of both laser fusion and hard x-ray lasers. The soft x-ray lasers now in operation at the LLNL have shown great promise but are still in the primitive state. Once x-ray lasers become reliable, efficient, and economical, they will have several important applications. Chief among them might be the creation of holograms of microscopic biological structures too small to be investigated with visible light. 5 figs.« less

Finding the patterns in complex specimens by improving the acquisition and analysis of x-ray spectromicroscopy data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lerotic, Mirna

Soft x-ray spectromicroscopy provides spectral data on the chemical speciation of light elements at sub-100 nanometer spatial resolution. The high resolution imaging places a strong demand on the microscope stability and on the reproducibility of the scanned image field, and the volume of data necessitates the need for improved data analysis methods. This dissertation concerns two developments in extending the capability of soft x-ray transmission microscopes to carry out studies of chemical speciation at high spatial resolution. One development involves an improvement in x-ray microscope instrumentation: a new Stony Brook scanning transmission x-ray microscope which incorporates laser interferometer feedback in scanning stage positions. The interferometer is used to control the position between the sample and focusing optics, and thus improve the stability of the system. A second development concerns new analysis methods for the study of chemical speciation of complex specimens, such as those in biological and environmental science studies. When all chemical species in a specimen are known and separately characterized, existing approaches can be used to measure the concentration of each component at each pixel. In other cases (such as often occur in biology or environmental science), where the specimen may be too complicated or provide at least some unknown spectral signatures, other approaches must be used. We describe here an approach that uses principal component analysis (similar to factor analysis) to orthogonalize and noise-filter spectromicroscopy data. We then use cluster analysis (a form of unsupervised pattern matching) to classify pixels according to spectral similarity, to extract representative, cluster-averaged spectra with good signal-to-noise ratio, and to obtain gradations of concentration of these representative spectra at each pixel. The method is illustrated with a simulated data set of organic compounds, and a mixture of lutetium in hematite used to understand colloidal transport properties of radionuclides. Also, we describe here an extension of that work employing an angle distance measure; this measure provides better classification based on spectral signatures alone in specimens with significant thickness variations. The method is illustrated using simulated data, and also to examine sporulation in the bacterium Clostridium sp.

X-ray microbeam stand-alone facility for cultured cells irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bożek, Sebastian; Bielecki, Jakub; Wiecheć, Anna; Lekki, Janusz; Stachura, Zbigniew; Pogoda, Katarzyna; Lipiec, Ewelina; Tkocz, Konrad; Kwiatek, Wojciech M.

2017-03-01

The article describes an X-ray microbeam standalone facility dedicated for irradiation of living cultured cells. The article can serve as an advice for such facilities construction, as it begins from engineering details, through mathematical modeling and experimental procedures, ending up with preliminary experimental results and conclusions. The presented system consists of an open type X-ray tube with microfocusing down to about 2 μm, an X-ray focusing system with optical elements arranged in the nested Kirckpatrick-Baez (or Montel) geometry, a sample stand and an optical microscope with a scientific digital CCD camera. For the beam visualisation an X-ray sensitive CCD camera and a spectral detector are used, as well as a scintillator screen combined with the microscope. A method of precise one by one irradiation of previously chosen cells is presented, as well as a fast method of uniform irradiation of a chosen sample area. Mathematical models of beam and cell with calculations of kerma and dose are presented. The experiments on dose-effect relationship, kinetics of DNA double strand breaks repair, as well as micronuclei observation were performed on PC-3 (Prostate Cancer) cultured cells. The cells were seeded and irradiated on Mylar foil, which covered a hole drilled in the Petri dish. DNA lesions were visualised with γ-H2AX marker combined with Alexa Fluor 488 fluorescent dye.

Influence of gamma ray irradiation on stoichiometry of hydrothermally synthesized bismuth telluride nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abishek, N. S.; Naik, K. Gopalakrishna

2018-05-01

Bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) nanoparticles were synthesized by the hydrothermal method at 200 °C for 24 h. The synthesized Bi2Te3 nanoparticles were irradiated with gamma rays at doses of 50 kGy and 100 kGy. The structural characterization of the pre-irradiated and post-irradiated samples was carried out by X-ray diffraction technique and was found to have rhombohedral phase having R3 ¯m (166) space group. The X-ray diffraction peaks were found to shift towards lower diffraction angle with gamma ray irradiation. The morphologies and compositions of the grown Bi2Te3 nanoparticles were studied using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope and X-ray energy dispersive analysis, respectively. The possible cause for the shift in the X-ray diffraction peaks with gamma ray irradiation has been discussed in the present work.

Control Scheme for Quickly Starting X-ray Tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakahama, Masayuki; Nakanishi, Toshiki; Ishitobi, Manabu; Ito, Tuyoshi; Hosoda, Kenichi

A control scheme for quickly starting a portable X-ray generator used in the livestock industry is proposed in this paper. A portable X-ray generator used to take X-ray images of animals such as horses, sheep and dogs should be capable of starting quickly because it is difficult for veterinarians to take X-ray images of animals at their timing. In order to develop a scheme for starting the X-ray tube quickly, it is necessary to analysis the X-ray tube. However, such an analysis has not been discussed until now. First, the states of an X-ray tube are classified into the temperature-limited state and the space-charge-limited state. Furthermore, existence of “mixed state” that comprises both is newly proposed in this paper. From these analyses, a novel scheme for quickly starting an X-ray generator is proposed; this scheme is considered with the characteristics of the X-ray tube. The proposed X-ray system that is capable of starting quickly is evaluated on the basis of experimental results.

Cryogenic immersion microscope

DOEpatents

Le Gros, Mark; Larabell, Carolyn A.

2010-12-14

A cryogenic immersion microscope whose objective lens is at least partially in contact with a liquid reservoir of a cryogenic liquid, in which reservoir a sample of interest is immersed is disclosed. When the cryogenic liquid has an index of refraction that reduces refraction at interfaces between the lens and the sample, overall resolution and image quality are improved. A combination of an immersion microscope and x-ray microscope, suitable for imaging at cryogenic temperatures is also disclosed.

Generation of the Submicron Soft X-Ray Beam Using a Fresnel Zone Plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishikino, M.; Kawazome, H.; Tanaka, M.; Kishimoto, M.; Hasegawa, N.; Ochi, Y.; Kawachi, T.; Sukegawa, K.; Yamatani, H.; Nagashima, K.; Kato, Y.

We have developed a fully coherent x-ray laser at 13.9 nm and the application research has been started. The generation of submicron x-ray beam is important for the application of high intensity x-ray beam, such as the non-linear optics, the material science, and the biology. The submicron x-ray bee am is generated by the soft x-ray laser with using a Fresnel zone plate. The spot diameter is estimated about 680 nm (290 nm at FWHM) by the theoretical calculation. In this experiment, the diameter of the x-ray beam is measured by the knife-edge scan. The diameter and the intensity are estimated 730 nm (310 nm at FWHM) and 3x1011 W/cm2, respectively.

Impact of Cosmic-Ray Transport on Galactic Winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farber, R.; Ruszkowski, M.; Yang, H.-Y. K.; Zweibel, E. G.

2018-04-01

The role of cosmic rays generated by supernovae and young stars has very recently begun to receive significant attention in studies of galaxy formation and evolution due to the realization that cosmic rays can efficiently accelerate galactic winds. Microscopic cosmic-ray transport processes are fundamental for determining the efficiency of cosmic-ray wind driving. Previous studies modeled cosmic-ray transport either via a constant diffusion coefficient or via streaming proportional to the Alfvén speed. However, in predominantly cold, neutral gas, cosmic rays can propagate faster than in the ionized medium, and the effective transport can be substantially larger; i.e., cosmic rays can decouple from the gas. We perform three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamical simulations of patches of galactic disks including the effects of cosmic rays. Our simulations include the decoupling of cosmic rays in the cold, neutral interstellar medium. We find that, compared to the ordinary diffusive cosmic-ray transport case, accounting for the decoupling leads to significantly different wind properties, such as the gas density and temperature, significantly broader spatial distribution of cosmic rays, and higher wind speed. These results have implications for X-ray, γ-ray, and radio emission, and for the magnetization and pollution of the circumgalactic medium by cosmic rays.

Focusing X-Ray Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Dell, Stephen; Brissenden, Roger; Davis, William; Elsner, Ronald; Elvis, Martin; Freeman, Mark; Gaetz, Terrance; Gorenstein, Paul; Gubarev, Mikhall; Jerlus, Diab;

LabVIEW interface with Tango control system for a multi-technique X-ray spectrometry IAEA beamline end-station at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wrobel, P. M.; Bogovac, M.; Sghaier, H.; Leani, J. J.; Migliori, A.; Padilla-Alvarez, R.; Czyzycki, M.; Osan, J.; Kaiser, R. B.; Karydas, A. G.

2016-10-01

A new synchrotron beamline end-station for multipurpose X-ray spectrometry applications has been recently commissioned and it is currently accessible by end-users at the XRF beamline of Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste. The end-station consists of an ultra-high vacuum chamber that includes as main instrument a seven-axis motorized manipulator for sample and detectors positioning, different kinds of X-ray detectors and optical cameras. The beamline end-station allows performing measurements in different X-ray spectrometry techniques such as Microscopic X-Ray Fluorescence analysis (μXRF), Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence analysis (TXRF), Grazing Incidence/Exit X-Ray Fluorescence analysis (GI-XRF/GE-XRF), X-Ray Reflectometry (XRR), and X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS). A LabVIEW Graphical User Interface (GUI) bound with Tango control system consisted of many custom made software modules is utilized as a user-friendly tool for control of the entire end-station hardware components. The present work describes this advanced Tango and LabVIEW software platform that utilizes in an optimal synergistic manner the merits and functionality of these well-established programming and equipment control tools.

Micropore x-ray optics using anisotropic wet etching of (110) silicon wafers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ezoe, Yuichiro; Koshiishi, Masaki; Mita, Makoto

2006-12-10

To develop x-ray mirrors for micropore optics, smooth silicon (111)sidewalls obtained after anisotropic wet etching of a silicon (110) wafer were studied. A sample device with 19 {mu}m wide (111) sidewalls was fabricated using a 220 {mu}m thick silicon (110) wafer and potassium hydroxide solution. For what we believe to be the first time,x-ray reflection on the (111) sidewalls was detected in the angular response measurement. Compared to ray-tracing simulations, the surface roughness of the sidewalls was estimated to be 3-5 nm, which is consistent with the atomic force microscope and the surface profiler measurements.

Micropore x-ray optics using anisotropic wet etching of (110) silicon wafers.

PubMed

Ezoe, Yuichiro; Koshiishi, Masaki; Mita, Makoto; Mitsuda, Kazuhisa; Hoshino, Akio; Ishisaki, Yoshitaka; Yang, Zhen; Takano, Takayuki; Maeda, Ryutaro

2006-12-10

To develop x-ray mirrors for micropore optics, smooth silicon (111) sidewalls obtained after anisotropic wet etching of a silicon (110) wafer were studied. A sample device with 19 microm wide (111) sidewalls was fabricated using a 220 microm thick silicon (110) wafer and potassium hydroxide solution. For what we believe to be the first time, x-ray reflection on the (111) sidewalls was detected in the angular response measurement. Compared to ray-tracing simulations, the surface roughness of the sidewalls was estimated to be 3-5 nm, which is consistent with the atomic force microscope and the surface profiler measurements.

Identifying and managing radiation damage during in situ transmission x-ray microscopy of Li-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Johanna; Yang, Yuan; Misra, Sumohan; Andrews, Joy C.; Cui, Yi; Toney, Michael F.

2013-09-01

Radiation damage is a topic typically sidestepped in formal discussions of characterization techniques utilizing ionizing radiation. Nevertheless, such damage is critical to consider when planning and performing experiments requiring large radiation doses or radiation sensitive samples. High resolution, in situ transmission X-ray microscopy of Li-ion batteries involves both large X-ray doses and radiation sensitive samples. To successfully identify changes over time solely due to an applied current, the effects of radiation damage must be identified and avoided. Although radiation damage is often significantly sample and instrument dependent, the general procedure to identify and minimize damage is transferable. Here we outline our method of determining and managing the radiation damage observed in lithium sulfur batteries during in situ X-ray imaging on the transmission X-ray microscope at Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource.

X-ray microscopy of live biological micro-organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raja Al-Ani, Ma'an Nassar

Real-time, compact x-ray microscopy has the potential to benefit many scientific fields, including microbiology, pharmacology, organic chemistry, and physics. Single frame x-ray micro-radiography, produced by a compact, solid-state laser plasma source, allows scientists to use x-ray emission for elemental analysis, and to observe biological specimens in their natural state. In this study, x-ray images of mouse kidney tissue, live bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia, and the bacteria's interaction with the antibiotic gentamicin, are examined using x-ray microscopy. For the purposes of comparing between confocal microscopy and x-ray microscopy, we introduced to our work the technique of gold labeling. Indirect immunofluorescence staining and immuno-gold labeling were applied on human lymphocytes and human tumor cells. Differential interference contrast microscopy (DIC) showed the lymphocyte body and nucleus, as did x-ray microscopy. However, the high resolution of x-ray microscopy allows us to differentiate between the gold particles bound to the antibodies and the free gold. A compact, tabletop Nd: glass laser is used in this study to produce x-rays from an Yttrium target. An atomic force microscope is used to scan the x-ray images from the developed photo-resist. The use of compact, tabletop laser plasma sources, in conjunction with x-ray microscopy, is a new technique that has great potential as a flexible, user-friendly scientific research tool.

Using DTSA-II to simulate and interpret energy dispersive spectra from particles.

PubMed

Ritchie, Nicholas W M

2010-06-01

A high quality X-ray spectrum image of a 3.3 mum diameter sphere of K411 glass resting on a copper substrate was collected at 25 keV. The same sample configuration was modeled using the NISTMonte Monte Carlo simulation of electron and X-ray transport as is integrated into the quantitative X-ray microanalysis software package DTSA-II. The distribution of measured and simulated X-ray intensity compare favorably for all the major lines present in the spectra. The simulation is further examined to investigate the influence of angle-of-incidence, sample thickness, and sample diameter on the generated and measured X-ray intensity. The distribution of generated X-rays is seen to deviate significantly from a naive model which assumes that the distribution of generated X-rays is similar to bulk within the volume they share in common. It is demonstrated that the angle at which the electron beam strikes the sample has nonnegligible consequences. It is also demonstrated that within the volume that the bulk and particle share in common that electrons, which have exited and later reentered the particle volume, generate a significant fraction of the X-rays. Any general model of X-ray generation in particles must take into account the lateral spread of the scattered electron beam.

Physicochemical characterization of raw materials and co-products from the titanium dioxide industry.

PubMed

Gázquez, M J; Bolívar, J P; García-Tenorio, R; Vaca, F

2009-07-30

The present study was conducted to characterize several raw materials and co-products from the titanium dioxide industry in relation to their elemental composition (major, minor and trace elements), granulometry, mineralogy, microscopic morphology and physical composition. The main objective was to gain basic information for the future potential application of these co-products in fields such as agriculture, construction, civil engineering, etc. Microscopic studies were performed by applying scanning electron microscopy with X-ray microanalysis (SEM-XRMA) while the mineralogical compositions were analysed by means of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The concentrations of major elements such as Na, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Fe, S and K were determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), while heavy metals and other trace elements were determined by ICP-MS. The physicochemical characterization of the raw materials used in the titanium dioxide industry, in addition to the characterization of the co-products generated, has enabled the evaluation of the degree of fractionation of different elements and compounds between the different co-products, as well as the control of the possible variations in the physicochemical composition of the raw materials throughout the time and the study of the influence of these variations in the characteristics of the obtained co-products. As a main conclusion of our study, it is possible to indicate that the levels of the pollutant elements associated to the co-products analysed were, in general, within safe limits and, therefore, they could potentially be used in composites as fertilizers or for building materials in road construction, etc. Nevertheless, for the specific application of each of these co-products in agriculture, construction and civil engineering, additional studies need to be performed to evaluate their appropriateness for the proposed application, together with specific studies on their health and environmental impact.

Thermoelectric Transport in Surface- and Antimony-Doped Bismuth Telluride Nanoplates

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-25

0.50) using two different electron microscopes with two different high sensitivity energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) detectors (FEI Nova...Figure 1(b)) using an electrochemically sharpened probe. Transfer was performed in ambient conditions under an optical microscope . Samples were then...attributed to additional alloy scattering in the (Bi1−xSbx)2Te3 samples studied here. Additionally, the room temperature κlattice for bulk compounds Reuse of

Synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline graphite from coconut shell with heating process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wachid, Frischa M., E-mail: frischamw@yahoo.com, E-mail: adhiyudhaperkasa@yahoo.com, E-mail: afandisar@yahoo.com, E-mail: nurulrosyidah92@gmail.com, E-mail: darminto@physics.its.ac.id; Perkasa, Adhi Y., E-mail: frischamw@yahoo.com, E-mail: adhiyudhaperkasa@yahoo.com, E-mail: afandisar@yahoo.com, E-mail: nurulrosyidah92@gmail.com, E-mail: darminto@physics.its.ac.id; Prasetya, Fandi A., E-mail: frischamw@yahoo.com, E-mail: adhiyudhaperkasa@yahoo.com, E-mail: afandisar@yahoo.com, E-mail: nurulrosyidah92@gmail.com, E-mail: darminto@physics.its.ac.id

Graphite were synthesized and characterized by heating process of coconut shell with varying temperature (400, 800 and 1000°C) and holding time (3 and 5 hours). After heating process, the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and analyzed by X'pert HighScore Plus Software, Scanning Electron Microcope-Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX) and Transmission Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-Ray (TEM-EDX). Graphite and londsdaelite phase were analyzed by XRD. According to EDX analysis, the sample was heated in 1000°C got the highest content of carbon. The amorphous carbon and nanocrystalline graphite were observed by SEM-EDX and TEM-EDX.

Small-Size High-Current Generators for X-Ray Backlighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaikovsky, S. A.; Artyomov, A. P.; Zharova, N. V.; Zhigalin, A. S.; Lavrinovich, I. V.; Oreshkin, V. I.; Ratakhin, N. A.; Rousskikh, A. G.; Fedunin, A. V.; Fedushchak, V. F.; Erfort, A. A.

2017-12-01

The paper deals with the soft X-ray backlighting based on the X-pinch as a powerful tool for physical studies of fast processes. Proposed are the unique small-size pulsed power generators operating as a low-inductance capacitor bank. These pulse generators provide the X-pinch-based soft X-ray source (hν = 1-10 keV) of micron size at 2-3 ns pulse duration. The small size and weight of pulse generators allow them to be transported to any laboratory for conducting X-ray backlighting of test objects with micron space resolution and nanosecond exposure time. These generators also allow creating synchronized multi-frame radiographic complexes with frame delay variation in a broad range.

Development of scanning x-ray fluorescence microscope with spatial resolution of 30 nm using Kirkpatrick-Baez mirror optics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matsuyama, S.; Mimura, H.; Yumoto, H.

We developed a high-spatial-resolution scanning x-ray fluorescence microscope (SXFM) using Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors. As a result of two-dimensional focusing tests at BL29XUL of SPring-8, the full width at half maximum of the focused beam was achieved to be 50x30 nm{sup 2} (VxH) under the best focusing conditions. The measured beam profiles were in good agreement with simulated results. Moreover, beam size was controllable within the wide range of 30-1400 nm by changing the virtual source size, although photon flux and size were in a trade-off relationship. To demonstrate SXFM performance, a fine test chart fabricated using focused ion beam system wasmore » observed to determine the best spatial resolution. The element distribution inside a logo mark of SPring-8 in the test chart, which has a minimum linewidth of approximately 50-60 nm, was visualized with a spatial resolution better than 30 nm using the smallest focused x-ray beam.« less

Oxygen-isotope, X-ray-diffraction and scanning-electron-microscope examinations of authigenic-layer-silicate minerals from Mississippian and Pennsylvanian sandstones in the Michigan Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zacharias, K.F.; Sibley, D.F.; Westjohn, D.B.; Weaver, T. L.

1993-01-01

Oxygen-isotope compositions of authigenic-layer silicates (<2-micrometer fraction) extracted from Mississippian and Pennsylvanian sandstones in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan were determined. Petrographic and scanning-electron-microscope examinations, and X-ray diffractograms show that chlorite and kaolinite are the most common authigenic-layer silicates in Mississippian sandstones. The range of oxygen-isotope compositions of chlorite and kaolinite are +10.3 to +11.9 and +12.9 to +19.3 pars per thousand (per mil) (relative to Standard Mean Ocean Water), respectively. Kaolinite is the only authigenic-isotopic compositions of kaolinite range from +16.8 to +19.0 per mil.

Hard X-ray Full Field Nano-imaging of Bone and Nanowires at SSRL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrews, Joy C.; Pianetta, Piero; Meirer, Florian; Chen, Jie; Almeida, Eduardo; van der Meulen, Marjolein C. H.; Alwood, Joshua S.; Lee, Cathy; Zhu, Jia; Cui, Yi

2010-06-01

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.

Hard X-ray Full Field Nano-imaging of Bone and Nanowires at SSRL.

PubMed

Andrews, Joy C; Pianetta, Piero; Meirer, Florian; Chen, Jie; Almeida, Eduardo; van der Meulen, Marjolein C H; Alwood, Joshua S; Lee, Cathy; Zhu, Jia; Cui, Yi

2010-06-23

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.

Correlations of trace elements in breast human tissues: Evaluation of spatial distribution using μ-XRF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Marina Piacenti da; Silva, Deisy Mara da; Ribeiro-Silva, Alfredo; Poletti, Martin Eduardo

2012-05-01

The aim of this work is to investigate microscopic correlations between trace elements in breast human tissues. A synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microprobe system (μ-XRF) was used to obtain two-dimensional distribution of trace element Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn in normal (6 samples) and malignant (14 samples) breast tissues. The experiment was performed in X-ray Fluorescence beam line at Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron (LNLS), Campinas, Brazil. The white microbeam was generated with a fine conical capillary with a 20 μm output diameter. The samples were supported on a XYZ table. An optical microscope with motorized zoom was used for sample positioning and choice the area to be scanned. Automatic two-dimensional scans were programmed and performed with steps of 30 μm in each direction (x, y) on the selected area. The fluorescence signals were recorded using a Si(Li) detector, positioned at 90 degrees with respect to the incident beam, with a collection time of 10 s per point. The elemental maps obtained from each sample were overlap to observe correlation between trace elements. Qualitative results showed that the pairs of elements Ca-Zn and Fe-Cu could to be correlated in malignant breast tissues. Quantitative results, achieved by Spearman correlation tests, indicate that there is a spatial correlation between these pairs of elements (p < 0.001) suggesting the importance of these elements in metabolic processes associated with the development of the tumor.

Soft x-ray microscope with zone plates at UVSOR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Norio; Shimanuki, Yoshio; Taniguchi, Mieko; Kihara, Hiroshi

1993-01-01

A soft x-ray microscope with zone plates was set up at UVSOR (Okazaki, Japan). A 0.41 micrometers line and space pattern was clearly distinguished using an objective zone plate with the outermost zone width of 0.41 micrometers . Modulation transfer functions were measured at wavelengths of 3.1 nm and 5.4 nm, and compared with theoretical calculations. Considering the resolution of a microchannel plate used as a detector, the agreement is fairly good. With this microscope, some biological specimens such as diatoms, spicule of trepang, crab and rabbit muscles, human blood cells, human chromosomes, and magnetotactic bacterium were observed at 3.1 nm and 5.4 nm. With an environmental chamber (wet cell) using polypropylene foils as windows, wet specimens were observed at a wavelength of 4.6 nm. Images of spicule of trepang, human blood cell, and cultured protoplast of plant cell stained by methyl mercury were observed with good contrast.

Analysis system of submicron particle tracks in the fine-grained nuclear emulsion by a combination of hard x-ray and optical microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Naka, T., E-mail: naka@flab.phys.nagoya-u.ac.jp; Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Aichi 464-8602; Asada, T.

Analyses of nuclear emulsion detectors that can detect and identify charged particles or radiation as tracks have typically utilized optical microscope systems because the targets have lengths from several μm to more than 1000 μm. For recent new nuclear emulsion detectors that can detect tracks of submicron length or less, the current readout systems are insufficient due to their poor resolution. In this study, we developed a new system and method using an optical microscope system for rough candidate selection and the hard X-ray microscope system at SPring-8 for high-precision analysis with a resolution of better than 70 nm resolution.more » Furthermore, we demonstrated the analysis of submicron-length tracks with a matching efficiency of more than 99% and position accuracy of better than 5 μm. This system is now running semi-automatically.« less

An Efficient Referencing And Sample Positioning System To Investigate Heterogeneous Substances With Combined Microfocused Synchrotron X-ray Techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Spangenberg, Thomas; Goettlicher, Joerg; Steininger, Ralph

2009-01-29

A referencing and sample positioning system has been developed to transfer object positions measured with an offline microscope to a synchrotron experimental station. The accuracy should be sufficient to deal with heterogeneous samples on micrometer scale. Together with an online fluorescence mapping visualisation the optical alignment helps to optimize measuring procedures for combined microfocused X-ray techniques.

Non-destructive determination of floral staging in cereals using X-ray micro computed tomography (µCT).

PubMed

Tracy, Saoirse R; Gómez, José Fernández; Sturrock, Craig J; Wilson, Zoe A; Ferguson, Alison C

2017-01-01

Accurate floral staging is required to aid research into pollen and flower development, in particular male development. Pollen development is highly sensitive to stress and is critical for crop yields. Research into male development under environmental change is important to help target increased yields. This is hindered in monocots as the flower develops internally in the pseudostem. Floral staging studies therefore typically rely on destructive analysis, such as removal from the plant, fixation, staining and sectioning. This time-consuming analysis therefore prevents follow up studies and analysis past the point of the floral staging. This study focuses on using X-ray µCT scanning to allow quick and detailed non-destructive internal 3D phenotypic information to allow accurate staging of Arabidopsis thaliana L. and Barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) flowers. X-ray µCT has previously relied on fixation methods for above ground tissue, therefore two contrast agents (Lugol's iodine and Bismuth) were observed in Arabidopsis and Barley in planta to circumvent this step. 3D models and 2D slices were generated from the X-ray µCT images providing insightful information normally only available through destructive time-consuming processes such as sectioning and microscopy. Barley growth and development was also monitored over three weeks by X-ray µCT to observe flower development in situ. By measuring spike size in the developing tillers accurate non-destructive staging at the flower and anther stages could be performed; this staging was confirmed using traditional destructive microscopic analysis. The use of X-ray micro computed tomography (µCT) scanning of living plant tissue offers immense benefits for plant phenotyping, for successive developmental measurements and for accurate developmental timing for scientific measurements. Nevertheless, X-ray µCT remains underused in plant sciences, especially in above-ground organs, despite its unique potential in delivering detailed non-destructive internal 3D phenotypic information. This work represents a novel application of X-ray µCT that could enhance research undertaken in monocot species to enable effective non-destructive staging and developmental analysis for molecular genetic studies and to determine effects of stresses at particular growth stages.

Graphene as a protein crystal mounting material to reduce background scatter.

PubMed

Wierman, Jennifer L; Alden, Jonathan S; Kim, Chae Un; McEuen, Paul L; Gruner, Sol M

2013-10-01

The overall signal-to-noise ratio per unit dose for X-ray diffraction data from protein crystals can be improved by reducing the mass and density of all material surrounding the crystals. This article demonstrates a path towards the practical ultimate in background reduction by use of atomically thin graphene sheets as a crystal mounting platform for protein crystals. The results show the potential for graphene in protein crystallography and other cases where X-ray scatter from the mounting material must be reduced and specimen dehydration prevented, such as in coherent X-ray diffraction imaging of microscopic objects.

Graphene as a protein crystal mounting material to reduce background scatter

PubMed Central

Wierman, Jennifer L.; Alden, Jonathan S.; Kim, Chae Un; McEuen, Paul L.; Gruner, Sol M.

2013-01-01

The overall signal-to-noise ratio per unit dose for X-ray diffraction data from protein crystals can be improved by reducing the mass and density of all material surrounding the crystals. This article demonstrates a path towards the practical ultimate in background reduction by use of atomically thin graphene sheets as a crystal mounting platform for protein crystals. The results show the potential for graphene in protein crystallography and other cases where X-ray scatter from the mounting material must be reduced and specimen dehydration prevented, such as in coherent X-ray diffraction imaging of microscopic objects. PMID:24068843

Microscope using an x-ray tube and a bubble compound refractive lens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piestrup, M. A.; Gary, C. K.; Park, H.; Harris, J. L.; Cremer, J. T.; Pantell, R. H.; Dudchik, Y. I.; Kolchevsky, N. N.; Komarov, F. F.

2005-03-01

We present x-ray images of grid meshes and biological material obtained using an unfiltered x-ray tube and a compound refractive lens composed of microbubbles embedded in epoxy inside a glass capillary. Images obtained using this apparatus are compared with those using a synchrotron source and the same lens. We find that the field of view is larger than that obtained using the synchrotron source, whereas the contrast and resolution are reduced. Geometrical distortion around the edges of the field of view is also reduced. The experiments demonstrate the usefulness of the apparatus in a modest laboratory setting.

Pulsed x-ray generator for commercial gas lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bollanti, S.; Bonfigli, F.; Di Lazzaro, P.; Flora, F.; Giordano, G.; Letardi, T.; Murra, D.; Schina, G.; Zheng, C. E.

2001-10-01

We have designed and tested a 1-m-long x-ray diode based on innovative plasma cathodes, which exploit commercial spark plugs as electron emitters. Based on the results of a numerical study, we optimized both diode geometry (e.g., the angle between anode and cathode surfaces, the thickness of the Al window) and electrical circuitry (e.g., the capacitance in series to each spark plug, the peak voltage of the anode) of our x-ray generator. The overall result is a simple and efficient circuitry, giving a total diode current in excess of 2.1 kA with a breakdown voltage of 70 kV, which generates a 50 ns rise-time x-ray pulse with a spatially averaged dosage of up to 6×10-4 Gy when using a Pb-wrapped anode. The double-diode x-ray generator was operated for 1.5×106 shots at a repetition rate of up to 30 Hz, and the lifetime test was interrupted without any fault. During the lifetime test, it was not necessary to adjust any working parameter. At the end of the lifetime test, the x-ray emission uniformity was better than 80% along the longitudinal axis. This x-ray generator has a lifetime, reliability, and cost fitting the requirements of industrial users. Among the broad range of potential applications, this x-ray generator is particularly suitable to ionize discharge pumped gas lasers, like TEA CO2 and excimer lasers, including those operated by x-ray triggered discharges.

Elemental mapping and microimaging by x-ray capillary optics.

PubMed

Hampai, D; Dabagov, S B; Cappuccio, G; Longoni, A; Frizzi, T; Cibin, G; Guglielmotti, V; Sala, M

2008-12-01

Recently, many experiments have highlighted the advantage of using polycapillary optics for x-ray fluorescence studies. We have developed a special confocal scheme for micro x-ray fluorescence measurements that enables us to obtain not only elemental mapping of the sample but also simultaneously its own x-ray imaging. We have designed the prototype of a compact x-ray spectrometer characterized by a spatial resolution of less than 100 microm for fluorescence and less than 10 microm for imaging. A couple of polycapillary lenses in a confocal configuration together with a silicon drift detector allow elemental studies of extended samples (approximately 3 mm) to be performed, while a CCD camera makes it possible to record an image of the same samples with 6 microm spatial resolution, which is limited only by the pixel size of the camera. By inserting a compound refractive lens between the sample and the CCD camera, we hope to develop an x-ray microscope for more enlarged images of the samples under test.

Long life electrodes for large-area x-ray generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rothe, Dietmar E. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

This invention is directed to rugged, reliable, and long-life electrodes for use in large-area, high-current-density electron gun and x-ray generators which are employed as contamination-free preionizers for high-energy pulsed gas lasers. The electron source at the cathode is a corona plasma formed at the interface between a conductor, or semiconductor, and a high-permittivity dielectric. Detailed descriptions are provided of a reliable cold plasma cathode, as well as an efficient liquid-cooled electron beam target (anode) and x-ray generator which concentrates the x-ray flux in the direction of an x-ray window.

Apparatus for monitoring X-ray beam alignment

DOEpatents

Steinmeyer, Peter A.

1991-10-08

A self-contained, hand-held apparatus is provided for minitoring alignment of an X-ray beam in an instrument employing an X-ray source. The apparatus includes a transducer assembly containing a photoresistor for providing a range of electrical signals responsive to a range of X-ray beam intensities from the X-ray beam being aligned. A circuit, powered by a 7.5 VDC power supply and containing an audio frequency pulse generator whose frequency varies with the resistance of the photoresistor, is provided for generating a range of audible sounds. A portion of the audible range corresponds to low X-ray beam intensity. Another portion of the audible range corresponds to high X-ray beam intensity. The transducer assembly may include an a photoresistor, a thin layer of X-ray fluorescent material, and a filter layer transparent to X-rays but opaque to visible light. X-rays from the beam undergoing alignment penetrate the filter layer and excite the layer of fluorescent material. The light emitted from the fluorescent material alters the resistance of the photoresistor which is in the electrical circuit including the audio pulse generator and a speaker. In employing the apparatus, the X-ray beam is aligned to a complete alignment by adjusting the X-ray beam to produce an audible sound of the maximum frequency.

Apparatus for monitoring X-ray beam alignment

DOEpatents

Steinmeyer, P.A.

1991-10-08

A self-contained, hand-held apparatus is provided for monitoring alignment of an X-ray beam in an instrument employing an X-ray source. The apparatus includes a transducer assembly containing a photoresistor for providing a range of electrical signals responsive to a range of X-ray beam intensities from the X-ray beam being aligned. A circuit, powered by a 7.5 VDC power supply and containing an audio frequency pulse generator whose frequency varies with the resistance of the photoresistor, is provided for generating a range of audible sounds. A portion of the audible range corresponds to low X-ray beam intensity. Another portion of the audible range corresponds to high X-ray beam intensity. The transducer assembly may include an a photoresistor, a thin layer of X-ray fluorescent material, and a filter layer transparent to X-rays but opaque to visible light. X-rays from the beam undergoing alignment penetrate the filter layer and excite the layer of fluorescent material. The light emitted from the fluorescent material alters the resistance of the photoresistor which is in the electrical circuit including the audio pulse generator and a speaker. In employing the apparatus, the X-ray beam is aligned to a complete alignment by adjusting the X-ray beam to produce an audible sound of the maximum frequency. 2 figures.

Combined use of optical and electron microscopic techniques for the measurement of hygroscopic property, chemical composition, and morphology of individual aerosol particles.

PubMed

Ahn, Kang-Ho; Kim, Sun-Man; Jung, Hae-Jin; Lee, Mi-Jung; Eom, Hyo-Jin; Maskey, Shila; Ro, Chul-Un

2010-10-01

In this work, an analytical method for the characterization of the hygroscopic property, chemical composition, and morphology of individual aerosol particles is introduced. The method, which is based on the combined use of optical and electron microscopic techniques, is simple and easy to apply. An optical microscopic technique was used to perform the visual observation of the phase transformation and hygroscopic growth of aerosol particles on a single particle level. A quantitative energy-dispersive electron probe X-ray microanalysis, named low-Z particle EPMA, was used to perform a quantitative chemical speciation of the same individual particles after the measurement of the hygroscopic property. To validate the analytical methodology, the hygroscopic properties of artificially generated NaCl, KCl, (NH(4))(2)SO(4), and Na(2)SO(4) aerosol particles of micrometer size were investigated. The practical applicability of the analytical method for studying the hygroscopic property, chemical composition, and morphology of ambient aerosol particles is demonstrated.

Electromechanical x-ray generator

DOEpatents

Watson, Scott A; Platts, David; Sorensen, Eric B

2016-05-03

An electro-mechanical x-ray generator configured to obtain high-energy operation with favorable energy-weight scaling. The electro-mechanical x-ray generator may include a pair of capacitor plates. The capacitor plates may be charged to a predefined voltage and may be separated to generate higher voltages on the order of hundreds of kV in the AK gap. The high voltage may be generated in a vacuum tube.

X-ray near-field speckle: implementation and critical analysis

PubMed Central

Lu, Xinhui; Mochrie, S. G. J.; Narayanan, S.; Sandy, A. R.; Sprung, M.

2011-01-01

The newly introduced coherence-based technique of X-ray near-field speckle (XNFS) has been implemented at 8-ID-I at the Advanced Photon Source. In the near-field regime of high-brilliance synchrotron X-rays scattered from a sample of interest, it turns out that, when the scattered radiation and the main beam both impinge upon an X-ray area detector, the measured intensity shows low-contrast speckles, resulting from interference between the incident and scattered beams. A micrometer-resolution XNFS detector with a high numerical aperture microscope objective has been built and its capability for studying static structures and dynamics at longer length scales than traditional far-field X-ray scattering techniques is demonstrated. Specifically, the dynamics of dilute silica and polystyrene colloidal samples are characterized. This study reveals certain limitations of the XNFS technique, especially in the characterization of static structures, which is discussed. PMID:21997906

XAP, a program for deconvolution and analysis of complex X-ray spectra

USGS Publications Warehouse

Quick, James E.; Haleby, Abdul Malik

1989-01-01

The X-ray analysis program (XAP) is a spectral-deconvolution program written in BASIC and specifically designed to analyze complex spectra produced by energy-dispersive X-ray analytical systems (EDS). XAP compensates for spectrometer drift, utilizes digital filtering to remove background from spectra, and solves for element abundances by least-squares, multiple-regression analysis. Rather than base analyses on only a few channels, broad spectral regions of a sample are reconstructed from standard reference spectra. The effects of this approach are (1) elimination of tedious spectrometer adjustments, (2) removal of background independent of sample composition, and (3) automatic correction for peak overlaps. Although the program was written specifically to operate a KEVEX 7000 X-ray fluorescence analytical system, it could be adapted (with minor modifications) to analyze spectra produced by scanning electron microscopes, electron microprobes, and probes, and X-ray defractometer patterns obtained from whole-rock powders.

High-resolution x-ray tomography using laboratory sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tkachuk, Andrei; Feser, Michael; Cui, Hongtao; Duewer, Fred; Chang, Hauyee; Yun, Wenbing

2006-08-01

X-ray computed tomography (XCT) is a powerful nondestructive 3D imaging technique, which enables the visualization of the three dimensional structure of complex, optically opaque samples. High resolution XCT using Fresnel zone plate lenses has been confined in the past to synchrotron radiation centers due to the need for a bright and intense source of x-rays. This confinement severely limits the availability and accessibility of x-ray microscopes and the wide proliferation of this methodology. We are describing a sub-50nm resolution XCT system operating at 8 keV in absorption and Zernike phase contrast mode based on a commercially available laboratory x-ray source. The system utilizes high-efficiency Fresnel zone plates with an outermost zone width of 35 nm and 700 nm structure height resulting in a current spatial resolution better than 50 nm. In addition to the technical description of the system and specifications, we present application examples in the semiconductor field.

A versatile soft X-ray transmission system for time resolved in situ microscopy with chemical contrast.

PubMed

Forsberg, J; Englund, C-J; Duda, L-C

2009-08-01

We present the design and operation of a versatile soft X-ray transmission system for time resolved in situ microscopy with chemical contrast. The utility of the setup is demonstrated by results from following a corrosion process of iron in saline environment, subjected to a controlled humid atmosphere. The system includes a transmission flow-cell reactor that allows for in situ microscopic probing with soft X-rays. We employ a full field technique by using a nearly collimated X-ray beam that produces an unmagnified projection of the transmitted soft X-rays (below 1.1 keV) which is magnified and recorded by an optical CCD camera. Time lapse series with chemical contrast allow us to follow and interpret the chemical processes in detail. The obtainable lateral resolution is a few mum, sufficient to detect filiform corrosion on iron.

Dissecting Diffuse X-ray Emission in 30 Doradus with T-ReX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Townsley, Leisa K.; Broos, Patrick

2017-08-01

30 Doradus (the Tarantula Nebula) offers us a microscope on starburst astrophysics, having endured 25 Myrs of the birth and death of the most massive stars known. Across 30 Dor's 250-pc extent, stellar winds and supernovae have carved its ISM into an amazing display of arcs, pillars, and bubbles. For over 40 years, we have also known that 30 Dor is a bright X-ray emitter, so its familiar stars and cold ISM structures suffer irradiation by multi-million-degree plasmas. The 2-Ms Chandra X-ray Visionary Project ``The Tarantula -- Revealed by X-rays'' (T-ReX) exploits Chandra's fine spatial resolution and the ACIS-I field of view to study ISM interfaces on 1--10 pc scales across the entire 30 Dor complex. Here we give preliminary results from ongoing analyses of these data, focusing on the diffuse X-ray emission. Massive star winds and cavity supernovae over the millenia have contributed to a broad mix of X-ray-emitting plasmas and absorbing columns, showing that 30 Dor's hot ISM is just as complex and confusing as that seen at colder temperatures.

Intensity correlation measurement system by picosecond single shot soft x-ray laser.

PubMed

Kishimoto, Maki; Namikawa, Kazumichi; Sukegawa, Kouta; Yamatani, Hiroshi; Hasegawa, Noboru; Tanaka, Momoko

2010-01-01

We developed a new soft x-ray speckle intensity correlation spectroscopy system by use of a single shot high brilliant plasma soft x-ray laser. The plasma soft x-ray laser is characterized by several picoseconds in pulse width, more than 90% special coherence, and 10(11) soft x-ray photons within a single pulse. We developed a Michelson type delay pulse generator using a soft x-ray beam splitter to measure the intensity correlation of x-ray speckles from materials and succeeded in generating double coherent x-ray pulses with picosecond delay times. Moreover, we employed a high-speed soft x-ray streak camera for the picosecond time-resolved measurement of x-ray speckles caused by double coherent x-ray pulse illumination. We performed the x-ray speckle intensity correlation measurements for probing the relaxation phenomena of polarizations in polarization clusters in the paraelectric phase of the ferroelectric material BaTiO(3) near its Curie temperature and verified its performance.

Ultra-high resolution water window x ray microscope optics design and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shealy, David L.; Wang, C.

1993-01-01

This project has been focused on the design and analysis of an ultra-high resolution water window soft-x-ray microscope. These activities have been accomplished by completing two tasks contained in the statement of work of this contract. The new results from this work confirm: (1) that in order to achieve resolutions greater than three times the wavelength of the incident radiation, it will be necessary to use spherical mirror surfaces and to use graded multilayer coatings on the secondary in order to accommodate the large variations of the angle of incidence over the secondary when operating the microscope at numerical apertures of 0.35 or greater; (2) that surface contour errors will have a significant effect on the optical performance of the microscope and must be controlled to a peak-to-valley variation of 50-100 A and a frequency of 8 periods over the surface of a mirror; and (3) that tolerance analysis of the spherical Schwarzschild microscope has been shown that the water window operations will require 2-3 times tighter tolerances to achieve a similar performance of operations with 130 A radiation. These results have been included in a manuscript included in the appendix.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yashchuk, V. V.; Fischer, P. J.; Chan, E. R.

We present a modulation transfer function (MTF) calibration method based on binary pseudo-random (BPR) one-dimensional sequences and two-dimensional arrays as an effective method for spectral characterization in the spatial frequency domain of a broad variety of metrology instrumentation, including interferometric microscopes, scatterometers, phase shifting Fizeau interferometers, scanning and transmission electron microscopes, and at this time, x-ray microscopes. The inherent power spectral density of BPR gratings and arrays, which has a deterministic white-noise-like character, allows a direct determination of the MTF with a uniform sensitivity over the entire spatial frequency range and field of view of an instrument. We demonstrate themore » MTF calibration and resolution characterization over the full field of a transmission soft x-ray microscope using a BPR multilayer (ML) test sample with 2.8 nm fundamental layer thickness. We show that beyond providing a direct measurement of the microscope's MTF, tests with the BPRML sample can be used to fine tune the instrument's focal distance. Finally, our results confirm the universality of the method that makes it applicable to a large variety of metrology instrumentation with spatial wavelength bandwidths from a few nanometers to hundreds of millimeters.« less

Capillary Optics Based X-Ray Micro-Imaging Elemental Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hampai, D.; Dabagov, S. B.; Cappuccio, G.; Longoni, A.; Frizzi, T.; Cibin, G.

2010-04-01

A rapidly developed during the last few years micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (μXRF) is a promising multi-elemental technique for non-destructive analysis. Typically it is rather hard to perform laboratory μXRF analysis because of the difficulty of producing an original small-size X-ray beam as well as its focusing. Recently developed for X-ray beam focusing polycapillary optics offers laboratory X-ray micro probes. The combination of polycapillary lens and fine-focused micro X-ray tube can provide high intensity radiation flux on a sample that is necessary in order to perform the elemental analysis. In comparison to a pinhole, an optimized "X-ray source-op tics" system can result in radiation density gain of more than 3 orders by the value. The most advanced way to get that result is to use the confocal configuration based on two X-ray lenses, one for the fluorescence excitation and the other for the detection of secondary emission from a sample studied. In case of X-ray capillary microfocusing a μXRF instrument designed in the confocal scheme allows us to obtain a 3D elemental mapping. In this work we will show preliminary results obtained with our prototype, a portable X-ray microscope for X-ray both imaging and fluorescence analysis; it enables μXRF elemental mapping simultaneously with X-ray imaging. A prototype of compact XRF spectrometer with a spatial resolution less than 100 μm has been designed.

High-average-power 2-kHz laser for generation of ultrashort x-ray pulses.

PubMed

Jiang, Yan; Lee, Taewoo; Li, Wei; Ketwaroo, Gyanprakash; Rose-Petruck, Christoph G

2002-06-01

We describe a Ti:sapphire-based laser-x-ray system specifically designed for generation of ultrafast x-ray pulses in the tenths-of-nanometers spectral range at a 2-kHz repetition rate. To obtain high-contrast laser pulses we divide the laser system into a section for generation of microjoule, high-contrast pulses with pulse cleaning and a subsequent section for chirped-pulse amplification and pulse compression. This laser section operates in conjunction with an x-ray-generation section based on a moving copper wire in a He atmosphere. The high reliability of the entire system permits maintenance-free production of x-ray pulses over tens of hours. Average x-ray fluxes of 10(13) photons/(s 4pi sr 1 keV) at 3 keV and 10(9) photons/(s 4pi sr) above 5 keV of photon energy are produced.

Effects of X-ray on the metacestodes of Echinococcus granulosus in vitro.

PubMed

Mao, Rui; Wu, Ge; Wang, Hui; Lu, Pengfei; Li, Jun; Li, Haitao; Ainiwaer, Aimudula; Bai, Yiwei; Shu, Mingyang; Bao, Yongxing; Zhang, Wenbao

2017-09-21

Radiotherapy may represent an alternative treatment modality for cystic echinococcosis (CE), but there is no adequate evidence for it up to now. In this study, we aim to investigate the parasiticidal effects of X-ray on the metacestodes of Echinococcus granulosus in vitro. Protoscoleces obtained from sheep naturally infected with CE were cultivated in RPMI 1640 medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) at 37 °C in 5% CO 2 . Upon encystation on day 14, the metacestodes were subjected to various intensities of X-ray. Metacestode structures were observed using light microscope and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Real-Time PCR was carried out to determine the expression of EgTPX, EgHSP70, EgEPC1 and Caspase-3. On day 14, encystation was noticed in the majority of protoscoleces in the control group. In the X-ray groups, the encystation rate showed significant decrease compared with that of the control group (P < 0.05), especially the groups subjected to a dose of ≥40 Gy (P < 0.01). Light microscope findings indicated the hooklets on the rostellum were deranged in the irradiation group, and malformation was noticed in the suckers in a dose dependent manner. For the TEM findings, the cellular structure of the germinal layer of the cysts was completely interrupted by X-ray on day 7. The expression of EgTPX, EgHSP70, EgEPC1 and Caspase-3 was up-regulated after irradiation, especially at a dose of ≥45Gy (P < 0.05). X-ray showed parasiticidal effects on the metacestodes of E. granulosus. Irradiation triggered increased expression of EgTPX, EgHSP70, EgEPC1 and Caspase-3.

Microscopy of biological sample through advanced diffractive optics from visible to X-ray wavelength regime.

PubMed

Di Fabrizio, Enzo; Cojoc, Dan; Emiliani, Valentina; Cabrini, Stefano; Coppey-Moisan, Maite; Ferrari, Enrico; Garbin, Valeria; Altissimo, Matteo

2004-11-01

The aim of this report is to demonstrate a unified version of microscopy through the use of advanced diffractive optics. The unified scheme derives from the technical possibility of realizing front wave engineering in a wide range of electromagnetic spectrum. The unified treatment is realized through the design and nanofabrication of phase diffractive elements (PDE) through which wave front beam shaping is obtained. In particular, we will show applications, by using biological samples, ranging from micromanipulation using optical tweezers to X-ray differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy combined with X-ray fluorescence. We report some details on the design and physical implementation of diffractive elements that besides focusing also perform other optical functions: beam splitting, beam intensity, and phase redistribution or mode conversion. Laser beam splitting is used for multiple trapping and independent manipulation of micro-beads surrounding a cell as an array of tweezers and for arraying and sorting microscopic size biological samples. Another application is the Gauss to Laguerre-Gauss mode conversion, which allows for trapping and transfering orbital angular momentum of light to micro-particles immersed in a fluid. These experiments are performed in an inverted optical microscope coupled with an infrared laser beam and a spatial light modulator for diffractive optics implementation. High-resolution optics, fabricated by means of e-beam lithography, are demonstrated to control the intensity and the phase of the sheared beams in x-ray DIC microscopy. DIC experiments with phase objects reveal a dramatic increase in image contrast compared to bright-field x-ray microscopy. Besides the topographic information, fluorescence allows detection of certain chemical elements (Cl, P, Sc, K) in the same setup, by changing the photon energy of the x-ray beam. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Gas-Sensing Properties of Mesoporous Nanocrystalline Sn(x)Ti(1-x)O2.

PubMed

Zhong, Cheng; Lin, Zhidong; Guo, Fei; Wang, Xuehua

2015-06-01

A nanocomposite mesoporous material composed by SnO2 and TiO2 with the size of -5-9 nm were prepared via a facile wet-chemical approach combining with an annealing process. The microstructure of obtained Sn(x)Ti(1-x)O2 powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray Photo-electronic Spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope and nitrogen adsorption-desorption experiment. The gas sensing performances to several gases of the mesoporous material were studied. The sensors of Sn(x)Ti(1-x)O2 (ST10, with 9.1% Ti) exhibited very high responses to volatile organic compounds at 160 degrees C. The order of the responses to volatile gases based on ST10 was ethanol > formaldehyde > acetone > toluene > benzene > methane. Sensor based on ST10 displays a highest sensitivity to hydrogen at 200 degrees C. Sensor responses to H2 at 200 degrees C have been measured and analyzed in a wide concentration range from 5 to 2000 ppm. The solid solution Sn(x)Ti(1-x)O2 can be served as a potential gas-sensing material for a broad range of future sensor applications.

Linear and nonlinear optical studies of bare and copper doped TiO2 nanoparticles via sol gel technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajamannan, B.; Mugundan, S.; Viruthagiri, G.; Praveen, P.; Shanmugam, N.

2014-01-01

In general, the nanoparticles of TiO2 may exist in the phases of anatase, rutile and brookite. In the present work, we used titanium terta iso propoxide and 2-propanol as a common starting material to prepare the precursors of bare and copper doped nanosized TiO2. Then the synthesized products were calcinated at 500 °C and after calcination the pure TiO2 nanoparticles in anatase phase were harvested. The crystallite sizes of bare and copper doped TiO2 nanoparticles were calculated from X-ray diffraction analysis. The existence of functional groups of the samples was identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The optical properties of bare and doped samples were carried out using UV-DRS and photoluminescence measurements. The surface morphology and the element constitution of the copper doped TiO2 nanoparticles were studied by scanning electron microscope fitted with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer arrangement. The nonlinear optical properties of the products were confirmed by Kurtz second harmonic generation (SHG) test and the output power generated by the nanoparticle was compared with that of potassium di hydrogen phosphate (KDP).

Linear and nonlinear optical studies of bare and copper doped TiO2 nanoparticles via sol gel technique.

PubMed

Rajamannan, B; Mugundan, S; Viruthagiri, G; Praveen, P; Shanmugam, N

2014-01-24

In general, the nanoparticles of TiO2 may exist in the phases of anatase, rutile and brookite. In the present work, we used titanium terta iso propoxide and 2-propanol as a common starting material to prepare the precursors of bare and copper doped nanosized TiO2. Then the synthesized products were calcinated at 500°C and after calcination the pure TiO2 nanoparticles in anatase phase were harvested. The crystallite sizes of bare and copper doped TiO2 nanoparticles were calculated from X-ray diffraction analysis. The existence of functional groups of the samples was identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The optical properties of bare and doped samples were carried out using UV-DRS and photoluminescence measurements. The surface morphology and the element constitution of the copper doped TiO2 nanoparticles were studied by scanning electron microscope fitted with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer arrangement. The nonlinear optical properties of the products were confirmed by Kurtz second harmonic generation (SHG) test and the output power generated by the nanoparticle was compared with that of potassium di hydrogen phosphate (KDP). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of particulate contamination on tape lift samples from the VETA optical surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Germani, Mark S.

1992-01-01

Particulate contamination analysis was carried out on samples taken from the Verification Engineering Test Article (VETA) x-ray detection system. A total of eighteen tape lift samples were taken from the VETA optical surfaces. Initially, the samples were tested using a scanning electron microscope. Additionally, particle composition was determined by energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry. Results are presented in terms of particle loading per sample.

Spectral Properties, Generation Order Parameters, and Luminosities for Spin-powered X-Ray Pulsars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei; Zhao, Yongheng

2004-02-01

We show the spectral properties of 15 spin-powered X-ray pulsars, and the correlation between the average power-law photon index and spin-down rate. Generation order parameters (GOPs) based on polar cap models are introduced to characterize the X-ray pulsars. We calculate three definitions of generation order parameters arising from the different effects of magnetic and electric fields on photon absorption during cascade processes, and study the relations between the GOPs and spectral properties of X-ray pulsars. There exists a possible correlation between the photon index and GOP in our pulsar sample. Furthermore, we present a method stemming from the concept of GOPs to estimate the nonthermal X-ray luminosity for spin-powered pulsars. Then X-ray luminosity is calculated in the context of our polar cap accelerator model, which is consistent with most observed X-ray pulsar data. The ratio between the X-ray luminosity estimated by our method and the pulsar's spin-down power is consistent with the LX~10-3Lsd feature.

Miniature, low-power X-ray tube using a microchannel electron generator electron source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elam, Wm. Timothy (Inventor); Kelliher, Warren C. (Inventor); Hershyn, William (Inventor); DeLong, David P. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

Embodiments of the invention provide a novel, low-power X-ray tube and X-ray generating system. Embodiments of the invention use a multichannel electron generator as the electron source, thereby increasing reliability and decreasing power consumption of the X-ray tube. Unlike tubes using a conventional filament that must be heated by a current power source, embodiments of the invention require only a voltage power source, use very little current, and have no cooling requirements. The microchannel electron generator comprises one or more microchannel plates (MCPs), Each MCP comprises a honeycomb assembly of a plurality of annular components, which may be stacked to increase electron intensity. The multichannel electron generator used enables directional control of electron flow. In addition, the multichannel electron generator used is more robust than conventional filaments, making the resulting X-ray tube very shock and vibration resistant.

Studies on rock characteristics and timing of creep at selected landslide sites in Taiwan

Treesearch

Cheng-Yi Lee

2000-01-01

A study was conducted to investigate the causes of and rock characteristics at three landslide sites in the Tesngwen Reservoir watershed of southern Taiwan. Research methods used included the petrographic microscope, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), inductively coupled plasma spectroscope (ICP), constant head permeameter in triaxial...

Compact hohlraum configuration with parallel planar-wire-array x-ray sources at the 1.7-MA Zebra generator.

PubMed

Kantsyrev, V L; Chuvatin, A S; Rudakov, L I; Velikovich, A L; Shrestha, I K; Esaulov, A A; Safronova, A S; Shlyaptseva, V V; Osborne, G C; Astanovitsky, A L; Weller, M E; Stafford, A; Schultz, K A; Cooper, M C; Cuneo, M E; Jones, B; Vesey, R A

2014-12-01

A compact Z-pinch x-ray hohlraum design with parallel-driven x-ray sources is experimentally demonstrated in a configuration with a central target and tailored shine shields at a 1.7-MA Zebra generator. Driving in parallel two magnetically decoupled compact double-planar-wire Z pinches has demonstrated the generation of synchronized x-ray bursts that correlated well in time with x-ray emission from a central reemission target. Good agreement between simulated and measured hohlraum radiation temperature of the central target is shown. The advantages of compact hohlraum design applications for multi-MA facilities are discussed.

THz pulses from 4th generation X-ray light sources: Perspectives for fully synchronized THz pump X-ray probe experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gensch, M.

2010-02-03

In this paper the prospects of terahertz (THz) pulses generated at 4th generation X-ray light sources are presented on the example of recent results from a prototype set-up at the soft X-ray FEL FLASH. It is shown, that the THz pulses from the relativistic ultra short electron bunches have unique properties, that at FLASH are utilized for novel THz pump X-ray probe experiments with a robust few fs resolution. Based on these experiences it is discussed, how future facilities can benefit from implementation of similar or further improved instrumentation.

Three-dimensional localization of nanoscale battery reactions using soft X-ray tomography

DOE PAGES

Yu, Young-Sang; Farmand, Maryam; Kim, Chunjoong; ...

2018-03-02

Battery function is determined by the efficiency and reversibility of the electrochemical phase transformations at solid electrodes. The microscopic tools available to study the chemical states of matter with the required spatial resolution and chemical specificity are intrinsically limited when studying complex architectures by their reliance on two-dimensional projections of thick material. Here in this paper, we report the development of soft X-ray ptychographic tomography, which resolves chemical states in three dimensions at 11 nm spatial resolution. We study an ensemble of nano-plates of lithium iron phosphate extracted from a battery electrode at 50% state of charge. Using a setmore » of nanoscale tomograms, we quantify the electrochemical state and resolve phase boundaries throughout the volume of individual nanoparticles. These observations reveal multiple reaction points, intra-particle heterogeneity, and size effects that highlight the importance of multi-dimensional analytical tools in providing novel insight to the design of the next generation of high-performance devices.« less

Cyclic oxidation behavior of plasma sprayed NiCrAlY/WC-Co/cenosphere coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathapati, Mahantayya; Ramesh M., R.; Doddamani, Mrityunjay

2018-04-01

Components working at elevated temperature like boiler tubes of coal and gas fired power generation plants, blades of gas and steam turbines etc. experience degradation owing to oxidation. Oxidation resistance of such components can be increased by developing protective coatings. In the present investigation NiCrAlY-WC-Co/Cenosphere coating is deposited on MDN 321 steel substrate using plasma spray coating. Thermo cyclic oxidation behavior of coating and substrate is studied in static air at 600 °C for 20 cycles. The thermo gravimetric technique is used to approximate the kinetics of oxidation. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray mapping techniques are used to characterize the oxidized samples. NiCrAlY-WC-Co/Cenosphere coating exhibited lower oxidation rate in comparison to MDN 321 steel substrate. The lower oxidation rate of coating is attributed to formation of Al2O3, Cr2O3, NiO and CoWO4 oxides on the outermost surface.

Three-dimensional localization of nanoscale battery reactions using soft X-ray tomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Young-Sang; Farmand, Maryam; Kim, Chunjoong

Battery function is determined by the efficiency and reversibility of the electrochemical phase transformations at solid electrodes. The microscopic tools available to study the chemical states of matter with the required spatial resolution and chemical specificity are intrinsically limited when studying complex architectures by their reliance on two-dimensional projections of thick material. Here in this paper, we report the development of soft X-ray ptychographic tomography, which resolves chemical states in three dimensions at 11 nm spatial resolution. We study an ensemble of nano-plates of lithium iron phosphate extracted from a battery electrode at 50% state of charge. Using a setmore » of nanoscale tomograms, we quantify the electrochemical state and resolve phase boundaries throughout the volume of individual nanoparticles. These observations reveal multiple reaction points, intra-particle heterogeneity, and size effects that highlight the importance of multi-dimensional analytical tools in providing novel insight to the design of the next generation of high-performance devices.« less

Beyond a phenomenological description of magnetostriction

DOE PAGES

Reid, A. H.; Shen, X.; Maldonado, P.; ...

2018-01-26

Magnetostriction, the strain induced by a change in magnetization, is a universal effect in magnetic materials. Owing to the difficulty in unraveling its microscopic origin, it has been largely treated phenomenologically. Here in this paper, we show how the source of magnetostriction—the underlying magnetoelastic stress—can be separated in the time domain, opening the door for an atomistic understanding. X-ray and electron diffraction are used to separate the sub-picosecond spin and lattice responses of FePt nanoparticles. Following excitation with a 50-fs laser pulse, time-resolved X-ray diffraction demonstrates that magnetic order is lost within the nanoparticles with a time constant of 146more » fs. Ultrafast electron diffraction reveals that this demagnetization is followed by an anisotropic, three-dimensional lattice motion. Analysis of the size, speed, and symmetry of the lattice motion, together with ab initio calculations accounting for the stresses due to electrons and phonons, allow us to reveal the magnetoelastic stress generated by demagnetization.« less

Superhydrophobic silica wool—a facile route to separating oil and hydrophobic solvents from water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crick, Colin R.; Bhachu, Davinder S.; Parkin, Ivan P.

2014-12-01

Silica microfiber wool was systematically functionalized in order to provide an extremely water repellent and oleophilic material. This was carried out using a two-step functionalization that was shown to be a highly effective method for generating an intense water repulsion and attraction for oil. A demonstration of the silica wools application is shown through the highly efficient separation of oils and hydrophobic solvents from water. Water is confined to the extremities of the material, while oil is absorbed into the voids within the wool. The effect of surface functionalization is monitored though observing the interaction of the material with both oils and water, in addition to scanning electron microscope images, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray analysis. The material can be readily utilized in many applications, including the cleaning of oil spills and filtering during industrial processes, as well as further water purification tasks—while not suffering the losses of efficiency observed in current leading polymeric materials.

Refractive Optics for Hard X-ray Transmission Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, M.; Ahrens, G.; Last, A.; Mohr, J.; Nazmov, V.; Reznikova, E.; Voigt, A.

2011-09-01

For hard x-ray transmission microscopy at photon energies higher than 15 keV we design refractive condenser and imaging elements to be used with synchrotron light sources as well as with x-ray tube sources. The condenser lenses are optimized for low x-ray attenuation—resulting in apertures greater than 1 mm—and homogeneous intensity distribution on the detector plane, whereas the imaging enables high-resolution (<100 nm) full-field imaging. To obtain high image quality at reasonable exposure times, custom-tailored matched pairs of condenser and imaging lenses are being developed. The imaging lenses (compound refractive lenses, CRLs) are made of SU-8 negative resist by deep x-ray lithography. SU-8 shows high radiation stability. The fabrication technique enables high-quality lens structures regarding surface roughness and arrangement precision with arbitrary 2D geometry. To provide point foci, crossed pairs of lenses are used. Condenser lenses have been made utilizing deep x-ray lithographic patterning of thick SU-8 layers, too, whereas in this case, the aperture is limited due to process restrictions. Thus, in terms of large apertures, condenser lenses made of structured and rolled polyimide film are more attractive. Both condenser types, x-ray mosaic lenses and rolled x-ray prism lenses (RXPLs), are considered to be implemented into a microscope setup. The x-ray optical elements mentioned above are characterized with synchrotron radiation and x-ray laboratory sources, respectively.

Atmospheric electron x-ray spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feldman, Jason E. (Inventor); George, Thomas (Inventor); Wilcox, Jaroslava Z. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

The present invention comprises an apparatus for performing in-situ elemental analyses of surfaces. The invention comprises an atmospheric electron x-ray spectrometer with an electron column which generates, accelerates, and focuses electrons in a column which is isolated from ambient pressure by a:thin, electron transparent membrane. After passing through the membrane, the electrons impinge on the sample in atmosphere to generate characteristic x-rays. An x-ray detector, shaping amplifier, and multi-channel analyzer are used for x-ray detection and signal analysis. By comparing the resultant data to known x-ray spectral signatures, the elemental composition of the surface can be determined.

Multiscale X-ray and Proton Imaging of Bismuth-Tin Solidification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibbs, P. J.; Imhoff, S. D.; Morris, C. L.; Merrill, F. E.; Wilde, C. H.; Nedrow, P.; Mariam, F. G.; Fezzaa, K.; Lee, W.-K.; Clarke, A. J.

2014-08-01

The formation of structural patterns during metallic solidification is complex and multiscale in nature, ranging from the nanometer scale, where solid-liquid interface properties are important, to the macroscale, where casting mold filling and intended heat transfer are crucial. X-ray and proton imaging can directly interrogate structure, solute, and fluid flow development in metals from the microscale to the macroscale. X-rays permit high spatio-temporal resolution imaging of microscopic solidification dynamics in thin metal sections. Similarly, high-energy protons permit imaging of mesoscopic and macroscopic solidification dynamics in large sample volumes. In this article, we highlight multiscale x-ray and proton imaging of bismuth-tin alloy solidification to illustrate dynamic measurement of crystal growth rates and solute segregation profiles that can be that can be acquired using these techniques.

Mirrorlike pulsed laser deposited tungsten thin film.

PubMed

Mostako, A T T; Rao, C V S; Khare, Alika

2011-01-01

Mirrorlike tungsten thin films on stainless steel substrate deposited via pulsed laser deposition technique in vacuum (10(-5) Torr) is reported, which may find direct application as first mirror in fusion devices. The crystal structure of tungsten film is analyzed using x-ray diffraction pattern, surface morphology of the tungsten films is studied with scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope. The film composition is identified using energy dispersive x-ray. The specular and diffuse reflectivities with respect to stainless steel substrate of the tungsten films are recorded with FTIR spectra. The thickness and the optical quality of pulsed laser deposition deposited films are tested via interferometric technique. The reflectivity is approaching about that of the bulk for the tungsten film of thickness ∼782 nm.

Compact Kirkpatrick–Baez microscope mirrors for imaging laser-plasma x-ray emission

DOE PAGES

Marshall, F. J.

2012-07-18

Compact Kirkpatrick–Baez microscope mirror components for use in imaging laser-plasma x-ray emission have been manufactured, coated, and tested. A single mirror pair has dimensions of 14 × 7 × 9 mm and a best resolution of ~5 μm. The mirrors are coated with Ir providing a useful energy range of 2-8 keV when operated at a grazing angle of 0.7°. The mirrors can be circularly arranged to provide 16 images of the target emission a configuration best suited for use in combination with a custom framing camera. As a result, an alternative arrangement of the mirrors would allow alignment ofmore » the images with a fourstrip framing camera.« less

Measurement of Total Calcium in Neurons by Electron Probe X-ray Microanalysis

PubMed Central

Pivovarova, Natalia B.; Andrews, S. Brian

2013-01-01

In this article the tools, techniques, and instruments appropriate for quantitative measurements of intracellular elemental content using the technique known as electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) are described. Intramitochondrial calcium is a particular focus because of the critical role that mitochondrial calcium overload plays in neurodegenerative diseases. The method is based on the analysis of X-rays generated in an electron microscope (EM) by interaction of an electron beam with the specimen. In order to maintain the native distribution of diffusible elements in electron microscopy specimens, EPMA requires "cryofixation" of tissue followed by the preparation of ultrathin cryosections. Rapid freezing of cultured cells or organotypic slice cultures is carried out by plunge freezing in liquid ethane or by slam freezing against a cold metal block, respectively. Cryosections nominally 80 nm thick are cut dry with a diamond knife at ca. -160 °C, mounted on carbon/pioloform-coated copper grids, and cryotransferred into a cryo-EM using a specialized cryospecimen holder. After visual survey and location mapping at ≤-160 °C and low electron dose, frozen-hydrated cryosections are freeze-dried at -100 °C for ~30 min. Organelle-level images of dried cryosections are recorded, also at low dose, by means of a slow-scan CCD camera and subcellular regions of interest selected for analysis. X-rays emitted from ROIs by a stationary, focused, high-intensity electron probe are collected by an energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometer, processed by associated electronics, and presented as an X-ray spectrum, that is, a plot of X-ray intensity vs. energy. Additional software facilitates: 1) identification of elemental components by their "characteristic" peak energies and fingerprint; and 2) quantitative analysis by extraction of peak areas/background. This paper concludes with two examples that illustrate typical EPMA applications, one in which mitochondrial calcium analysis provided critical insight into mechanisms of excitotoxic injury and another that revealed the basis of ischemia resistance. PMID:24300079

Rapid Sintering of Li₂O-Nb₂O₅-TiO₂ Solid Solution by Air Pressure Control and Clarification of Its Mechanism.

PubMed

Nakano, Hiromi; Kamimoto, Konatsu; Yamamoto, Takahisa; Furuta, Yoshio

2018-06-11

We first successfully synthesized Li 1+ x − y Nb 1− x −3 y Ti x +4 y O₃ (LNT) solid solutions (0.13 ≤ x ≤ 0.18, 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.06) rapidly at 1373 K for one hour under 0.35 MPa by the controlling of air pressure using an air-pressure control atmosphere furnace. The composition is a formation area of a superstructure for LNT, in which the periodical intergrowth layer was formed in the matrix, and where it can be controlled by Ti content. Therefore, the sintering time depended on Ti content, and annealing was repeated for over 24 h until a homogeneous structure was formed using a conventional electric furnace. We clarified the mechanism of the rapid sintering using various microscale to nanoscale characterization techniques: X-ray diffraction, a scanning electron microscope, a transmission electron microscope (TEM), a Cs-corrected scanning TEM equipped with electron energy-loss spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy.

Effects of laser polishing on surface microstructure and corrosion resistance of additive manufactured CoCr alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, W. J.; Yung, K. C.; Choy, H. S.; Xiao, T. Y.; Cai, Z. X.

2018-06-01

Laser polishing of 3D printed metal components has drawn great interest in view of its potential applications in the dental implant industries. In this study, corrosion resistance, surface composition and crystalline structure of CoCr alloys were investigated. The corrosion resistance, micromorphology, composition, phase transformations and crystalline structures of samples were characterized using an electrochemical analyzer, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM), respectively. The results indicate that high laser powers and low object distances within a certain range can facilitate the formation of complex oxide films, which exhibits high corrosion resistance. Further, object distances have a significant influence on cooling rates during the solidification of the melt pool in laser polishing, and fast cooling generates vast amounts of vacancies and defects, which result in the crystalline phase transformation from γ to ε. Consequently, the formed oxides play an important role in corrosion resistance on the outer layer, and inner layer with γ phase also helps keep the CoCr alloys in a stable structure with high resistant to corrosion. The two process parameters in laser polishing, laser power and object distances, are demonstrated as being important for controlling the surface microstructures and corrosion resistance of the additive manufactured CoCr alloy components.

Characterization of Polycapillary Optics in a TES Microcalorimeter EDS System Installed on an SEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takano, A.; Maehata, K.; Iyomoto, N.; Yasuda, K.; Maeno, H.; Shiiyama, K.; Tanaka, K.

2016-08-01

Energy-dispersive spectroscopic measurements are performed using a superconducting transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeter mounted on a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for advanced research at Kyushu University. Because the sensitive area of the TES microcalorimeter is about 0.02~mm2, polycapillary optics is used to collect the X-rays emitted by the SEM specimen on the TES microcalorimeter. The X-ray transmission efficiency of the polycapillary optics is obtained by analyzing the X-ray energy spectra measured by the TES microcalorimeter. The obtained transmission efficiency of the polycapillary optics is reproduced by the calculated results of the simulation.

Scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive x ray analysis of impact residues in LDEF tray clamps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernhard, Ronald P.; Durin, Christian; Zolensky, Michael E.

1993-01-01

Detailed optical scanning of tray clamps is being conducted in the Facility for the Optical Inspection of Large Surfaces at JSC to locate and document impacts as small as 40 microns in diameter. Residues from selected impacts are then being characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis at CNES. Results from this analysis will be the initial step to classifying projectile residues into specific sources.

Dopant concentration dependent growth of Fe:ZnO nanostructures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sahai, Anshuman; Goswami, Navendu, E-mail: navendugoswami@gmail.com

2016-05-23

Systematic investigations of structural properties of 1-10% Fe doped ZnO nanostructure (Fe:ZnO NS) prepared via chemical precipitation method have been reported. Structural properties were probed thoroughly employing scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX) analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Morphological transformation of nanostructures (NS) with Fe incorporation is evident in SEM/TEM images. Nanoparticles (NP) obtained with 1% Fe, evolve to nanorods (NR) for 3% Fe; NR transform to nanocones (NC) (for 5% and 7% Fe) and finally NC transform to nanoflakes (NF) at 10% Fe. Morover, primary phase of Zn{sub 1-x}Fe{sub x}O along withmore » secondary phases of ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} were also revealed through XRD measurements. Based on collective XRD, SEM, TEM, and EDAX interpretations, a model for morphological evolution of NS was proposed and the pivotal role of Fe dopant was deciphered.« less

Determination of plutonium in nitric acid solutions using energy dispersive L X-ray fluorescence with a low power X-ray generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Py, J.; Groetz, J.-E.; Hubinois, J.-C.; Cardona, D.

2015-04-01

This work presents the development of an in-line energy dispersive L X-ray fluorescence spectrometer set-up, with a low power X-ray generator and a secondary target, for the determination of plutonium concentration in nitric acid solutions. The intensity of the L X-rays from the internal conversion and gamma rays emitted by the daughter nuclei from plutonium is minimized and corrected, in order to eliminate the interferences with the L X-ray fluorescence spectrum. The matrix effects are then corrected by the Compton peak method. A calibration plot for plutonium solutions within the range 0.1-20 g L-1 is given.

High Resolution X-ray-Induced Acoustic Tomography

PubMed Central

Xiang, Liangzhong; Tang, Shanshan; Ahmad, Moiz; Xing, Lei

2016-01-01

Absorption based CT imaging has been an invaluable tool in medical diagnosis, biology, and materials science. However, CT requires a large set of projection data and high radiation dose to achieve superior image quality. In this letter, we report a new imaging modality, X-ray Induced Acoustic Tomography (XACT), which takes advantages of high sensitivity to X-ray absorption and high ultrasonic resolution in a single modality. A single projection X-ray exposure is sufficient to generate acoustic signals in 3D space because the X-ray generated acoustic waves are of a spherical nature and propagate in all directions from their point of generation. We demonstrate the successful reconstruction of gold fiducial markers with a spatial resolution of about 350 μm. XACT reveals a new imaging mechanism and provides uncharted opportunities for structural determination with X-ray. PMID:27189746

Cellulose aerogels functionalized with polypyrrole and silver nanoparticles: In-situ synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity.

PubMed

Wan, Caichao; Li, Jian

2016-08-01

Green porous and lightweight cellulose aerogels have been considered as promising candidates to substitute some petrochemical host materials to support various nanomaterials. In this work, waste wheat straw was collected as feedstock to fabricate cellulose hydrogels, and a green inexpensive NaOH/polyethylene glycol solution was used as cellulose solvent. Prior to freeze-drying treatment, the cellulose hydrogels were integrated with polypyrrole and silver nanoparticles by easily-operated in-situ oxidative polymerization of pyrrole using silver ions as oxidizing agent. The tri-component hybrid aerogels were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, selected area electron diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of the hybrid aerogels against Escherichia coli (Gram-negative), Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and Listeria monocytogenes (intracellular bacteria) was qualitatively and quantitatively investigated by parallel streak method and determination of minimal inhibitory concentration, respectively. This work provides an example of combining cellulose aerogels with nanomaterials, and helps to develop novel forms of cellulose-based functional materials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The microscopic structure of charge density waves in underdoped YBa 2Cu 3O 6.54 revealed by x-ray diffraction

DOE PAGES

E. M. Forgan; Huecker, M.; Blackburn, E.; ...

2015-12-09

Charge density wave (CDW) order appears throughout the underdoped high-temperature cuprate superconductors, but the underlying symmetry breaking and the origin of the CDW remain unclear. We use X-ray diffraction to determine the microscopic structure of the CDWs in an archetypical cuprate YBa 2Cu 3O 6.54 at its superconducting transition temperature ~60 K. We find that the CDWs in this material break the mirror symmetry of the CuO 2 bilayers. The ionic displacements in the CDWs have two components, which are perpendicular and parallel to the CuO 2 planes, and are out of phase with each other. The planar oxygen atomsmore » have the largest displacements, perpendicular to the CuO 2 planes. Our results allow many electronic properties of the underdoped cuprates to be understood. For example, the CDWs will lead to local variations in the electronic structure, giving an explicit explanation of density-wave states with broken symmetry observed in scanning tunnelling microscopy and soft X-ray measurements.« less

The microscopic structure of charge density waves in underdoped YBa2Cu3O6.54 revealed by X-ray diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forgan, E. M.; Blackburn, E.; Holmes, A. T.; Briffa, A. K. R.; Chang, J.; Bouchenoire, L.; Brown, S. D.; Liang, Ruixing; Bonn, D.; Hardy, W. N.; Christensen, N. B.; Zimmermann, M. V.; Hücker, M.; Hayden, S. M.

2015-12-01

Charge density wave (CDW) order appears throughout the underdoped high-temperature cuprate superconductors, but the underlying symmetry breaking and the origin of the CDW remain unclear. We use X-ray diffraction to determine the microscopic structure of the CDWs in an archetypical cuprate YBa2Cu3O6.54 at its superconducting transition temperature ~60 K. We find that the CDWs in this material break the mirror symmetry of the CuO2 bilayers. The ionic displacements in the CDWs have two components, which are perpendicular and parallel to the CuO2 planes, and are out of phase with each other. The planar oxygen atoms have the largest displacements, perpendicular to the CuO2 planes. Our results allow many electronic properties of the underdoped cuprates to be understood. For instance, the CDWs will lead to local variations in the electronic structure, giving an explicit explanation of density-wave states with broken symmetry observed in scanning tunnelling microscopy and soft X-ray measurements.

Development of cable fed flash X-ray (FXR) system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menon, Rakhee; Mitra, S.; Patel, A. S.; Kumar, R.; Singh, G.; Senthil, K.; Kumar, Ranjeet; Kolge, T. S.; Roy, Amitava; Acharya, S.; Biswas, D.; Sharma, Archana

2017-08-01

Flash X-ray sources driven by pulsed power find applications in industrial radiography, and a portable X-ray source is ideal where the radiography needs to be taken at the test site. A compact and portable flash X-ray (FXR) system based on a Marx generator has been developed with the high voltage fed to the FXR tube via a cable feed-through arrangement. Hard bremsstrahlung X-rays of few tens of nanosecond duration are generated by impinging intense electron beams on an anode target of high Z material. An industrial X-ray source is developed with source size as low as 1 mm. The system can be operated from 150 kV to 450 kV peak voltages and a dose of 10 mR has been measured at 1 m distance from the source window. The modeling of the FXR source has been carried out using particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo simulations for the electron beam dynamics and X-ray generation, respectively. The angular dose profile of X-ray has been measured and compared with the simulation.

Deciphering the Complex Chemistry of Deep-Ocean Particles Using Complementary Synchrotron X-ray Microscope and Microprobe Instruments.

PubMed

Toner, Brandy M; German, Christopher R; Dick, Gregory J; Breier, John A

2016-01-19

The reactivity and mobility of natural particles in aquatic systems have wide ranging implications for the functioning of Earth surface systems. Particles in the ocean are biologically and chemically reactive, mobile, and complex in composition. The chemical composition of marine particles is thought to be central to understanding processes that convert globally relevant elements, such as C and Fe, among forms with varying bioavailability and mobility in the ocean. The analytical tools needed to measure the complex chemistry of natural particles are the subject of this Account. We describe how a suite of complementary synchrotron radiation instruments with nano- and micrometer focusing, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) capabilities are changing our understanding of deep-ocean chemistry and life. Submarine venting along mid-ocean ridges creates hydrothermal plumes where dynamic particle-forming reactions occur as vent fluids mix with deep-ocean waters. Whether plumes are net sources or sinks of elements in ocean budgets depends in large part on particle formation, reactivity, and transport properties. Hydrothermal plume particles have been shown to host microbial communities and exhibit complex size distributions, aggregation behavior, and composition. X-ray microscope and microprobe instruments can address particle size and aggregation, but their true strength is in measuring chemical composition. Plume particles comprise a stunning array of inorganic and organic phases, from single-crystal sulfides to poorly ordered nanophases and polymeric organic matrices to microbial cells. X-ray microscopes and X-ray microprobes with elemental imaging, XAS, and XRD capabilities are ideal for investigating these complex materials because they can (1) measure the chemistry of organic and inorganic constituents in complex matrices, usually within the same particle or aggregate, (2) provide strong signal-to-noise data with exceedingly small amounts of material, (3) simplify the chemical complexity of particles or sets of particles with a focused-beam, providing spatial resolution over 6 orders of magnitude (nanometer to millimeter), (4) provide elemental specificity for elements in the soft-, tender-, and hard-X-ray energies, (5) switch rapidly among elements of interest, and (6) function in the presence of water and gases. Synchrotron derived data sets are discussed in the context of important advances in deep-ocean technology, sample handling and preservation, molecular microbiology, and coupled physical-chemical-biological modeling. Particle chemistry, size, and morphology are all important in determining whether particles are reactive with dissolved constituents, provide substrates for microbial respiration and growth, and are delivered to marine sediments or dispersed by deep-ocean currents.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ceglio, N.M.; George, E.V.; Brooks, K.M.

The first successful demonstration of high resolution, tomographic imaging of a laboratory plasma using coded imaging techniques is reported. ZPCI has been used to image the x-ray emission from laser compressed DT filled microballoons. The zone plate camera viewed an x-ray spectral window extending from below 2 keV to above 6 keV. It exhibited a resolution approximately 8 ..mu..m, a magnification factor approximately 13, and subtended a radiation collection solid angle at the target approximately 10/sup -2/ sr. X-ray images using ZPCI were compared with those taken using a grazing incidence reflection x-ray microscope. The agreement was excellent. In addition,more » the zone plate camera produced tomographic images. The nominal tomographic resolution was approximately 75 ..mu..m. This allowed three dimensional viewing of target emission from a single shot in planar ''slices''. In addition to its tomographic capability, the great advantage of the coded imaging technique lies in its applicability to hard (greater than 10 keV) x-ray and charged particle imaging. Experiments involving coded imaging of the suprathermal x-ray and high energy alpha particle emission from laser compressed microballoon targets are discussed.« less

Generation of High Brightness X-rays with the PLEIADES Thomson X-ray Source

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, W J; Anderson, S G; Barty, C P J

2003-05-28

The use of short laser pulses to generate high peak intensity, ultra-short x-ray pulses enables exciting new experimental capabilities, such as femtosecond pump-probe experiments used to temporally resolve material structural dynamics on atomic time scales. PLEIADES (Picosecond Laser Electron InterAction for Dynamic Evaluation of Structures) is a next generation Thomson scattering x-ray source being developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Ultra-fast picosecond x-rays (10-200 keV) are generated by colliding an energetic electron beam (20-100 MeV) with a high intensity, sub-ps, 800 nm laser pulse. The peak brightness of the source is expected to exceed 10{sup 20} photons/s/0.1% bandwidth/mm2/mrad2. Simulationsmore » of the electron beam production, transport, and final focus are presented. Electron beam measurements, including emittance and final focus spot size are also presented and compared to simulation results. Measurements of x-ray production are also reported and compared to theoretical calculations.« less

Chromatic X-ray magnifying method and apparatus by Bragg reflective planes on the surface of Abbe sphere

DOEpatents

Thoe, Robert S.

1991-01-01

Method and apparatus for producing sharp, chromatic, magnified images of X-ray emitting objects, are provided. The apparatus, which constitutes an X-ray microscope or telescope, comprises a connected collection of Bragg reflecting planes, comprised of either a bent crystal or a synthetic multilayer structure, disposed on and adjacent to a locus determined by a spherical surface. The individual Bragg planes are spatially oriented to Bragg reflect radiation from the object location toward the image location. This is accomplished by making the Bragg planes spatially coincident with the surfaces of either a nested series of prolate ellipsoids of revolution, or a nested series of spheres. The spacing between the Bragg reflecting planes can be tailored to control the wavelengths and the amount of the X-radiation that is Bragg reflected to form the X-ray image.

Echo-Enabled X-Ray Vortex Generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemsing, E.; Marinelli, A.

2012-11-01

A technique to generate high-brightness electromagnetic vortices with tunable topological charge at extreme ultraviolet and x-ray wavelengths is described. Based on a modified version of echo-enabled harmonic generation for free-electron lasers, the technique uses two lasers and two chicanes to produce high-harmonic microbunching of a relativistic electron beam with a corkscrew distribution that matches the instantaneous helical phase structure of the x-ray vortex. The strongly correlated electron distribution emerges from an efficient three-dimensional recoherence effect in the echo-enabled harmonic generation transport line and can emit fully coherent vortices in a downstream radiator for access to new research in x-ray science.

Pt thermal atomic layer deposition for silicon x-ray micropore optics.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Kazuma; Ezoe, Yuichiro; Ishikawa, Kumi; Numazawa, Masaki; Terada, Masaru; Ishi, Daiki; Fujitani, Maiko; Sowa, Mark J; Ohashi, Takaya; Mitsuda, Kazuhisa

2018-04-20

We fabricated a silicon micropore optic using deep reactive ion etching and coated by Pt with atomic layer deposition (ALD). We confirmed that a metal/metal oxide bilayer of Al 2 O 3 ∼10  nm and Pt ∼20  nm was successfully deposited on the micropores whose width and depth are 20 μm and 300 μm, respectively. An increase of surface roughness of sidewalls of the micropores was observed with a transmission electron microscope and an atomic force microscope. X-ray reflectivity with an Al Kα line at 1.49 keV before and after the deposition was measured and compared to ray-tracing simulations. The surface roughness of the sidewalls was estimated to increase from 1.6±0.2  nm rms to 2.2±0.2  nm rms. This result is consistent with the microscope measurements. Post annealing of the Pt-coated optic at 1000°C for 2 h showed a sign of reduced surface roughness and better angular resolution. To reduce the surface roughness, possible methods such as the annealing after deposition and a plasma-enhanced ALD are discussed.

Acquisition of a High Resolution Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope for the Analysis of Returned Samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nittler, Larry R.

2003-01-01

This grant furnished funds to purchase a state-of-the-art scanning electron microscope (SEM) to support our analytical facilities for extraterrestrial samples. After evaluating several instruments, we purchased a JEOL 6500F thermal field emission SEM with the following analytical accessories: EDAX energy-dispersive x-ray analysis system with fully automated control of instrument and sample stage; EDAX LEXS wavelength-dispersive x-ray spectrometer for high sensitivity light-element analysis; EDAX/TSL electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) system with software for phase identification and crystal orientation mapping; Robinson backscatter electron detector; and an in situ micro-manipulator (Kleindiek). The total price was $550,000 (with $150,000 of the purchase supported by Carnegie institution matching funds). The microscope was delivered in October 2002, and most of the analytical accessories were installed by January 2003. With the exception of the wavelength spectrometer (which has been undergoing design changes) everything is working well and the SEM is in routine use in our laboratory.

Synthesis and characterization of Ag@polycarbazole coaxial nanocables and their enhanced dispersion behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zahoor, Ahmad; Teng, Qiu; Wang, Haiqiao; Choudhry, M. A.; Li, Xiaoyu

2011-06-01

Ag@polycarbazole coaxial nanocables (CNCs) have been successfully fabricated by the oxidative polymerization of carbazole over Ag nanowires (NWs) in acetonitrile. The morphology of Ag NWs and CNCs was studied by employing a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), which showed them to be a monodisperse material. The thickness of the polymer sheath was found to be 5 nm to 8 nm by observation under a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM). Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), FT-IR and Raman measurements were used to characterize the polymer sheath, which demonstrated it to be a carbon material in polycarbazole form. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used for an interfacial study, which revealed that Ag surface atoms remained intact during polymer growth. In the end, zeta potential showed that the dispersion stability of Ag NWs increased due to polymer encapsulation, which is significant to obtain a particular alignment for anisotropic measurement of electrical conductivity.

Signal-to-noise and radiation exposure considerations in conventional and diffraction x-ray microscopy

DOE PAGES

Huang, Xiaojing; Miao, Huijie; Steinbrener, Jan; ...

2009-01-01

Using a signal-to-noise ratio estimation based on correlations between multiple simulated images, we compare the dose efficiency of two soft x-ray imaging systems: incoherent brightfield imaging using zone plate optics in a transmission x-ray microscope (TXM), and x-ray diffraction microscopy (XDM) where an image is reconstructed from the far-field coherent diffraction pattern. In XDM one must computationally phase weak diffraction signals; in TXM one suffers signal losses due to the finite numerical aperture and efficiency of the optics. In simulations with objects representing isolated cells such as yeast, we find that XDM has the potential for delivering equivalent resolution imagesmore » using fewer photons. As a result, this can be an important advantage for studying radiation-sensitive biological and soft matter specimens.« less

Synchrotron X-ray microfluorescence measurement of metal distributions in Phragmites australis root system in the Yangtze River intertidal zone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, Huan; Zhang, Weiguo; Qian, Yu

2016-06-15

This study investigates the distributions of Br, Ca, Cl, Cr, Cu, K, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ti, V and Zn inPhragmites australisroot system and the function of Fe nanoparticles in scavenging metals in the root epidermis using synchrotron X-ray microfluorescence, synchrotron transmission X-ray microscope measurement and synchrotron X-ray absorption near-edge structure techniques. The purpose of this study is to understand the mobility of metals in wetland plant root systems after their uptake from rhizosphere soils.Phragmites australissamples were collected in the Yangtze River intertidal zone in July 2013. The results indicate that Fe nanoparticles are present in the root epidermis and thatmore » other metals correlate significantly with Fe, suggesting that Fe nanoparticles play an important role in metal scavenging in the epidermis.« less

Diffraction and Imaging Study of Imperfections of Protein Crystals with Coherent X-rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hu, Z. W.; Thomas, B. R.; Chernov, A. A.; Chu, Y. S.; Lai, B.

2004-01-01

High angular-resolution x-ray diffraction and phase contrast x-ray imaging were combined to study defects and perfection of protein crystals. Imperfections including line defects, inclusions and other microdefects were observed in the diffraction images of a uniformly grown lysozyme crystal. The observed line defects carry distinct dislocation features running approximately along the <110> growth front and have been found to originate mostly in a central growth area and occasionally in outer growth regions. Slow dehydration led to the broadening of a fairly symmetric 4 4 0 rocking curve by a factor of approximately 2.6, which was primarily attributed to the dehydration-induced microscopic effects that are clearly shown in diffraction images. X-ray imaging and diffraction characterization of the quality of apoferritin crystals will also be discussed in the presentation.

Optics Requirements For The Generation-X X-Ray Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Dell, S. .; Elsner, R. F.; Kolodziejczak, J. J.; Ramsey, B. D.; Weisskopf, M. C.; Zhang, W. W.; Content, D. A.; Petre, R.; Saha, T. T.; Reid, P. B.;

Applications of phase-contrast x-ray imaging to medicine using an x-ray interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Momose, Atsushi; Yoneyama, Akio; Takeda, Tohoru; Itai, Yuji; Tu, Jinhong; Hirano, Keiichi

1999-10-01

We are investigating possible medical applications of phase- contrast X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer. This paper introduces the strategy of the research project and the present status. The main subject is to broaden the observation area to enable in vivo observation. For this purpose, large X-ray interferometers were developed, and 2.5 cm X 1.5 cm interference patterns were generated using synchrotron X-rays. An improvement of the spatial resolution is also included in the project, and an X-ray interferometer designed for high-resolution phase-contrast X-ray imaging was fabricated and tested. In parallel with the instrumental developments, various soft tissues are observed by phase- contrast X-ray CT to find correspondence between the generated contrast and our histological knowledge. The observation done so far suggests that cancerous tissues are differentiated from normal tissues and that blood can produce phase contrast. Furthermore, this project includes exploring materials that modulate phase contrast for selective imaging.

Refinement of the crystal structures of biomimetic weddellites produced by microscopic fungus Aspergillus niger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusakov, A. V.; Frank-Kamenetskaya, O. V.; Gurzhiy, V. V.; Zelenskaya, M. S.; Izatulina, A. R.; Sazanova, K. V.

2014-05-01

The single-crystal structures of four biomimetic weddellites CaC2O4 · (2 + x)H2O with different contents of zeolitic water ( x = 0.10-0.24 formula units) produced by the microscopic fungus Aspergillus niger were refined from X-ray diffraction data ( R = 0.029-0.038). The effect of zeolitic water content on the structural stability of weddellite was analyzed. The parameter a was shown to increase with increasing x due to the increase in the distance between water molecules along this direction. The water content and structural parameters of the synthesized weddellites are similar to those of weddellites from biofilms and kidney stones.

The high squareness Sm-Co magnet having Hcb=10.6 kOe at 150°C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machida, Hiroaki; Fujiwara, Teruhiko; Kamada, Risako; Morimoto, Yuji; Takezawa, Masaaki

2017-05-01

The relationship between magnetic properties and magnetic domain structures of Sm(Fe, Cu, Zr, Co)7.5 magnet was investigated. The developed Sm-Co magnet, which is conducted homogenization heat treatment at ingot state, high temperature short time sintering and long time solid solution heat treatment showed the maximum energy product, [BH]m of 34.0 MGOe and the coercivity, Hcb of 11.3 kOe at 20°C respectively. Moreover, Hcb of 10.6 kOe at 150°C was achieved. Heat treated ingot has clear 1-7 phase in mother phase from optical microscope observation. Kerr effect microscope with magnetic field applied was used to investigate magnetic domain structure. Reverse magnetic domains were generated evenly but generation of them from inside grain were not observed. Cell structure was observed by scanning transmission electron microscope and composition analysis was conducted by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Cell size was approximately 150 ˜ 300 nm, Fe and Cu were clearly separated and concentrated to 2-17 phase and 1-5 phase respectively. Moreover, Cu concentration went up to 40 at% in 1-5 phase. That means the gap of domain wall energy between 1-5 phase and 2-17 phase was increased due to microstructure control by conducting heat treatment for compositional homogeneity.

Repetitive flash x-ray generator operated at low-dose rates for a medical x-ray television system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Eiichi; Isobe, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Kei; Tamakawa, Yoshiharu; Yanagisawa, Toru

1991-04-01

The fundamental studies for the repetitive flash x-ray generator operated at lowdose rates for a medical x-ray television system are described. This x-ray generator consisted of the following components: a high-voltage power supply, an energy storage condenser of lOOnF, a coaxial cable condenser with a capacity of l000pF, a repetitive impulse switching system, a turbo molecular pump, and an x-ray tube having a cold cathode. The condenser was charged from 40 to 70kV by a power supply, and the electric charges stored in the condenser were discharged repetitively by using a trigger electrode operated by an impulse switching system. The x-ray tube was of the triode-type which was connected to the turbo molecular pump and had a large discharge impedance in order to prevent the damped oscillations of the tube current and voltage. The maximum tube voltage was equivalent to the initial charged voltage, and the peak current was less than 70A. The durations were about 2ps, and the x-ray intensities were less than 1. OpC/kg at 0. 5m per pulse. The repetition frequency was less than 50Hz, and the effective focal spot size was equivalent to the anode diameter of 3. 0mm. For the x-ray television system used in conjunction with this repetitive pulsed x-ray generator, since the electromagnetic noise primarily caused by the high tube current was decreased, noise-free stroboscopic radiography performed by the television system could be realized.

Contact Resistance Evolution and Degradation of Highly Cycled

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

i List of Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii I. Introduction...scanning electron microscope EDS energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy ii CONTACT RESISTANCE EVOLUTION AND DEGRADATION OF HIGHLY CYCLED MICRO-CONTACTS I

Direct-write maskless lithography using patterned oxidation of Si-substrate Induced by femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiani, Amirkianoosh; Venkatakrishnan, Krishnan; Tan, Bo

2013-03-01

In this study we report a new method for direct-write maskless lithography using oxidized silicon layer induced by high repetition (MHz) ultrafast (femtosecond) laser pulses under ambient condition. The induced thin layer of predetermined pattern can act as an etch stop during etching process in alkaline etchants such as KOH. The proposed method can be leading to promising solutions for direct-write maskless lithography technique since the proposed method offers a higher degree of flexibility and reduced time and cost of fabrication which makes it particularly appropriate for rapid prototyping and custom scale manufacturing. A Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Micro-Raman, Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), optical microscope and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) were used to evaluate the quality of oxidized layer induced by laser pulses.

Synergistic effect of tartaric acid with 2,6-diaminopyridine on the corrosion inhibition of mild steel in 0.5 M HCl

PubMed Central

Qiang, Yujie; Guo, Lei; Zhang, Shengtao; Li, Wenpo; Yu, Shanshan; Tan, Jianhong

2016-01-01

The inhibitive ability of 2,6-diaminopyridine, tartaric acid and their synergistic effect towards mild steel corrosion in 0.5 M HCl solution was evaluated at various concentrations using potentiodynamic polarization measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and weight loss experiments. Corresponding surfaces of mild steel were examined by atomic force microscope (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The experimental results are in good agreement and reveal a favorable synergistic effect of 2,6-diaminopyridine with tartaric acid, which could protect mild steel from corrosion effectively. Besides, quantum chemical calculations and Monte Carlo simulation were used to clarify the inhibition mechanism of the synergistic effect. PMID:27628901

Development of a combined portable x-ray fluorescence and Raman spectrometer for in situ analysis.

PubMed

Guerra, M; Longelin, S; Pessanha, S; Manso, M; Carvalho, M L

2014-06-01

In this work, we have built a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer in a planar configuration coupled to a Raman head and a digital optical microscope, for in situ analysis. Several geometries for the XRF apparatus and digital microscope are possible in order to overcome spatial constraints and provide better measurement conditions. With this combined spectrometer, we are now able to perform XRF and Raman measurements in the same point without the need for sample collection, which can be crucial when dealing with cultural heritage objects, as well as forensic analysis. We show the capabilities of the spectrometer by measuring several standard reference materials, as well as other samples usually encountered in cultural heritage, geological, as well as biomedical studies.

Accuracy of radiographic caries diagnosis using different X-ray generators.

PubMed

Svenson, B; Petersson, A

1989-05-01

Dental X-ray machines utilizing five different combinations of X-ray generators and tube voltages (Philips Oralix 65 kV, Siemens Heliodent EC 60 kV, Siemens Heliodent 70 kV, Soredex Minray DC 60 kV and Soredex Minray DC 70 kV) were compared with respect to the accuracy of radiographic diagnosis of proximal caries. Nine observers diagnosed proximal caries in radiographs of extracted premolars. The findings of the observers were compared to the actual presence or absence of caries. The ROC-curve technique was used to evaluate differences in diagnostic accuracy between the X-ray machines. The results showed small differences in diagnostic accuracy between the different X-ray generators but they proved to be statistically non-significant.

Photochemically Generated Thiyl Free Radicals Observed by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Sneeden, Eileen Y.; Hackett, Mark J.; Cotelesage, Julien J. H.; ...

2017-07-27

Sulfur-based thiyl radicals are known to be involved in a wide range of chemical and biological processes, but they are often highly reactive, which makes them difficult to observe directly. We report herein X-ray absorption spectra and analysis that support the direct observation of two different thiyl species generated photochemically by X-ray irradiation. The thiyl radical sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectra of both species are characterized by a uniquely low energy transition at about 2465 eV, which occurs at a lower energy than any previously observed feature at the sulfur K-edge and corresponds to a 1s → 3p transition tomore » the singly occupied molecular orbital of the free radical. In conclusion, our results constitute the first observation of substantial levels of thiyl radicals generated by X-ray irradiation and detected by sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy.« less

Wavelet processing and digital interferometric contrast to improve reconstructions from X-ray Gabor holograms.

PubMed

Aguilar, Juan C; Misawa, Masaki; Matsuda, Kiyofumi; Suzuki, Yoshio; Takeuchi, Akihisa; Yasumoto, Masato

2018-05-01

In this work, the application of an undecimated wavelet transformation together with digital interferometric contrast to improve the resulting reconstructions in a digital hard X-ray Gabor holographic microscope is shown. Specifically, the starlet transform is used together with digital Zernike contrast. With this contrast, the results show that only a small set of scales from the hologram are, in effect, useful, and it is possible to enhance the details of the reconstruction.

Coupled tomography and distinct-element-method approach to exploring the granular media microstructure in a jamming hourglass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsukahara, M.; Mitrovic, S.; Gajdosik, V.; Margaritondo, G.; Pournin, L.; Ramaioli, M.; Sage, D.; Hwu, Y.; Unser, M.; Liebling, Th. M.

2008-06-01

We describe an approach for exploring microscopic properties of granular media that couples x-ray microtomography and distinct-element-method (DEM) simulations through image analysis. We illustrate it via the study of the intriguing phenomenon of instant arching in an hourglass (in our case a cylinder filled with a polydisperse mixture of glass beads that has a small circular shutter in the bottom). X-ray tomography provides three-dimensional snapshots of the microscopic conditions of the system both prior to opening the shutter, and thereafter, once jamming is completed. The process time in between is bridged using DEM simulation, which settles to positions in remarkably good agreement with the x-ray images. Specifically designed image analysis procedures accurately extract the geometrical information, i.e., the positions and sizes of the beads, from the raw x-ray tomographs, and compress the data representation from initially 5 gigabytes to a few tens of kilobytes per tomograph. The scope of the approach is explored through a sensitivity analysis to input data perturbations in both bead sizes and positions. We establish that accuracy of size—much more than position—estimates is critical, thus explaining the difficulty in considering a mixture of beads of different sizes. We further point to limits in the replication ability of granular flows away from equilibrium; i.e., the difficulty of numerically reproducing chaotic motion.

Enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic bacteria disinfection by g-C3N4-AgBr.

PubMed

Deng, Jun; Liang, Jialiang; Li, Mian; Tong, Meiping

2017-04-01

g-C 3 N 4 -AgBr was synthesized by depositing AgBr nanoparticles onto g-C 3 N 4 . Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and Photoluminescence (PL) spectra were employed to characterize the as-synthesized photocatalysts. The disinfection activities towards representative Gram-negative strain E. coli and Gram-positive strain S. aureus were examined under visible light irradiation. Complete inactivation of 3×10 6 CFU/mL viable cell density was reached in 60min for E. coli and 150min for S. aureus, respectively. Ag + released from the photocatalysts did not contribute to the photocatalytic disinfection process. Direct contact of g-C 3 N 4 -AgBr composites and bacterial cells, as well as the presence of O 2 was indispensable for the cell inactivation. Photo-generated holes, surface bounded OH, and indirect generation of intracellular active species played important roles in disinfection process of g-C 3 N 4 -AgBr under visible light irradiation. The disruption of outside structure of cells as well as inner cell injury led to the inactivation. High pH condition led to increasing the cell disinfection due to the generation of surface bounded OH. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crystals for krypton helium-alpha line emission microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koch, Jeffrey A.; Haugh, Michael J.

2018-04-17

A system for reflecting and recording x-ray radiation from an x-ray emitting event to characterize the event. A crystal is aligned to receive radiation along a first path from an x-ray emitting event. Upon striking the crystal, the x-ray reflects from the crystal along a second path due to a reflection plane of the crystal defined by one of the following Miller indices: (9,7,3) or (11,3,3). Exemplary crystalline material is germanium. The x-rays are reflected to a detector aligned to receive reflected x-rays that are reflected from the crystal along the second path and the detector generates a detector signalmore » in response to x-rays impacting the detector. The detector may include a CCD electronic detector, film plates, or any other detector type. A processor receives and processes the detector signal to generate reflection data representing the x-rays emitted from the x-ray emitting event.« less

Effective increase in beam emittance by phase-space expansion using asymmetric Bragg diffraction.

PubMed

Chu, Chia-Hung; Tang, Mau-Tsu; Chang, Shih-Lin

2015-08-24

We propose an innovative method to extend the utilization of the phase space downstream of a synchrotron light source for X-ray transmission microscopy. Based on the dynamical theory of X-ray diffraction, asymmetrically cut perfect crystals are applied to reshape the position-angle-wavelength space of the light source, by which the usable phase space of the source can be magnified by over one hundred times, thereby "phase-space-matching" the source with the objective lens of the microscope. The method's validity is confirmed using SHADOW code simulations, and aberration through an optical lens such as a Fresnel zone plate is examined via matrix optics for nano-resolution X-ray images.

Structure and magnetic properties of Fe-doped ZnO prepared by the sol-gel method.

PubMed

Liu, Huilian; Yang, Jinghai; Zhang, Yongjun; Yang, Lili; Wei, Maobin; Ding, Xue

2009-04-08

Zn(0.97)Fe(0.03)O nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis revealed that the samples had pure ZnO wurtzite structure and Fe ions were well incorporated into the ZnO crystal lattice. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that both Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) existed in Zn(0.97)Fe(0.03)O. The result of x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) further testified that Fe ions took the place of Zn sites in our samples. Magnetic measurements indicated that Zn(0.97)Fe(0.03)O was ferromagnetic at room temperature.

Development of Experimental Techniques Using LVP (Large Volume Press) at GSECARS Beamlines, Advanced Photon Source (in Japanese with English abstract)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nishiyama, N.; Wang, Y.

GSECARS (GeoSoilEnviroCARS, the University of Chicago) operates a bending magnet and an undulator beamlines at Sector 13, Advanced Photon Source. Experimental technique for High Pressure X-ray Tomographic Microscope (HPXTM) using monochromatized X-rays has been developed. The module for HPXTM also has shear deformation capability, which enables us to perform HPXTM experiments for microstructure developed by shear deformation under high pressure. A combination of Deformation DIA (D-DIA) and monochromatic X-rays has been developed for quantitative deformation experiments under pressure above 10 GPa. Deformation experiments of e-iron was performed at pressures up to 19 GPa and temperatures up to 700 K.

Remediation of uranium-contaminated groundwater by sorption onto hydoxyapatite derived from catfish bones

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hydroxyapatite was prepared from catfish bones, called catfish hydroxyapatite (CFHA), by mechanical and chemical treatment methods and was characterized by x-ray diffraction (X-RD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques to confirm the presence of hydroxyapatite. The ability of CFHA to rem...

Toward Adaptive X-Ray Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Dell, Stephen L.; Atkins, Carolyn; Button, Tim W.; Cotroneo, Vincenzo; Davis, William N.; Doel, Peer; Feldman, Charlotte H.; Freeman, Mark D.; Gubarev, Mikhail V.; Kolodziejczak, Jeffrey J.;

Toward active x-ray telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Dell, Stephen L.; Atkins, Carolyn; Button, Timothy W.; Cotroneo, Vincenzo; Davis, William N.; Doel, Peter; Feldman, Charlotte H.; Freeman, Mark D.; Gubarev, Mikhail V.; Kolodziejczak, Jeffery J.; Michette, Alan G.; Ramsey, Brian D.; Reid, Paul B.; Rodriguez Sanmartin, Daniel; Saha, Timo T.; Schwartz, Daniel A.; Trolier-McKinstry, Susan; Wilke, Rudeger H. T.; Willingale, Richard; Zhang, William W.

2011-09-01

Future x-ray observatories will require high-resolution (< 1") optics with very-large-aperture (> 25 m2) areas. Even with the next generation of heavy-lift launch vehicles, launch-mass constraints and aperture-area requirements will limit the areal density of the grazing-incidence mirrors to about 1 kg/m2 or less. Achieving sub-arcsecond x-ray imaging with such lightweight mirrors will require excellent mirror surfaces, precise and stable alignment, and exceptional stiffness or deformation compensation. Attaining and maintaining alignment and figure control will likely involve active (in-space adjustable) x-ray optics. In contrast with infrared and visible astronomy, active optics for x-ray astronomy is in its infancy. In the middle of the past decade, two efforts began to advance technologies for adaptive x-ray telescopes: The Smart X-ray Optics (SXO) Basic Technology project in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Generation-X (Gen-X) concept studies in the United States (US). This paper discusses relevant technological issues and summarizes progress toward active x-ray telescopes.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yashchuk, V. V., E-mail: VVYashchuk@lbl.gov; Chan, E. R.; Lacey, I.

We present a modulation transfer function (MTF) calibration method based on binary pseudo-random (BPR) one-dimensional sequences and two-dimensional arrays as an effective method for spectral characterization in the spatial frequency domain of a broad variety of metrology instrumentation, including interferometric microscopes, scatterometers, phase shifting Fizeau interferometers, scanning and transmission electron microscopes, and at this time, x-ray microscopes. The inherent power spectral density of BPR gratings and arrays, which has a deterministic white-noise-like character, allows a direct determination of the MTF with a uniform sensitivity over the entire spatial frequency range and field of view of an instrument. We demonstrate themore » MTF calibration and resolution characterization over the full field of a transmission soft x-ray microscope using a BPR multilayer (ML) test sample with 2.8 nm fundamental layer thickness. We show that beyond providing a direct measurement of the microscope’s MTF, tests with the BPRML sample can be used to fine tune the instrument’s focal distance. Our results confirm the universality of the method that makes it applicable to a large variety of metrology instrumentation with spatial wavelength bandwidths from a few nanometers to hundreds of millimeters.« less

21 CFR 892.1760 - Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly. 892.1760... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1760 Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly. (a) Identification. A diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly is an x-ray generating tube encased...

21 CFR 892.1760 - Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly. 892.1760... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1760 Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly. (a) Identification. A diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly is an x-ray generating tube encased...

21 CFR 892.1760 - Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly. 892.1760... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1760 Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly. (a) Identification. A diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly is an x-ray generating tube encased...

21 CFR 892.5930 - Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly. 892.5930... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 892.5930 Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly. (a) Identification. A therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly is an x-ray generating tube encased...

21 CFR 892.5930 - Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly. 892.5930... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 892.5930 Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly. (a) Identification. A therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly is an x-ray generating tube encased...

21 CFR 892.5930 - Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly. 892.5930... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 892.5930 Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly. (a) Identification. A therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly is an x-ray generating tube encased...

21 CFR 892.5930 - Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly. 892.5930... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 892.5930 Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly. (a) Identification. A therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly is an x-ray generating tube encased...

21 CFR 892.5930 - Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly. 892.5930... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 892.5930 Therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly. (a) Identification. A therapeutic x-ray tube housing assembly is an x-ray generating tube encased...

21 CFR 892.1760 - Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly. 892.1760... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1760 Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly. (a) Identification. A diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly is an x-ray generating tube encased...

21 CFR 892.1760 - Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly. 892.1760... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1760 Diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly. (a) Identification. A diagnostic x-ray tube housing assembly is an x-ray generating tube encased...

Toward a fourth-generation x-ray source.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monction, D. E.

1999-05-19

The field of synchrotron radiation research has grown rapidly over the last 25 years due to both the push of the accelerator and magnet technology that produces the x-ray beams and the pull of the extraordinary scientific research that is possible with them. Three successive generations of synchrotrons radiation facilities have resulted in beam brilliances 11 to 12 orders of magnitude greater than the standard laboratory x-ray tube. However, greater advances can be easily imagined given the fact that x-ray beams from present-day facilities do not exhibit the coherence or time structure so familiar with the optical laser. Theoretical workmore » over the last ten years or so has pointed to the possibility of generating hard x-ray beams with laser-like characteristics. The concept is based on self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) in flee-electron lasers. A major facility of this type based upon a superconducting linac could produce a cost-effective facility that spans wave-lengths from the ultraviolet to the hard x-ray regime, simultaneously servicing large numbers experimenters from a wide range of disciplines. As with each past generation of synchrotrons facilities, immense new scientific opportunities would result from fourth-generation sources.« less

Generation of flash x-rays using a mercury-anode radiation tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oizumi, Teiji; Sato, Eiichi; Sagae, Michiaki; Hayasi, Yasuomi; Tamakawa, Yoshiharu; Yanagisawa, Toru

1993-02-01

The constructions and the radiographic characteristics of a flash x-ray generator having a liquid-anode radiation tube are described. This generator consisted of the following essential components: a high-voltage power supply, a combined ceramic condenser of 10.7 nF, an oil- diffusion pump, an oil circulator, a trigger device, and a flash x-ray tube. The x-ray tube was of a triode and was composed of the following major devices: a mercury anode, a rod-shaped graphite cathode, a trigger electrode made from a copper wire, an x-ray window made from a polyethyleneterephthalate film, and a glass tube body. The ceramic condenser was charged from 40 to 60 kV by a power supply, and the electric charges in the condenser were discharged to the x-ray tube after the triggering. The maximum tube voltage was equivalent to the initial charged voltage of the condenser, and the tube current was less than 0.7 kA. The pulse widths of the flash x rays had values of about 1 microsecond(s) , and the time-integrated x-ray intensity was about 2.4 (mu) C/kg at 0.26 m per pulse with a charged voltage of 60 kV.

Contact Resistance Evolution and Degradation of Highly Cycled Micro-Contacts

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

i List of Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii I. Introduction...scanning electron microscope EDS energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy ii CONTACT RESISTANCE EVOLUTION AND DEGRADATION OF HIGHLY CYCLED MICRO-CONTACTS I

High-flux soft x-ray harmonic generation from ionization-shaped few-cycle laser pulses

PubMed Central

Brahms, Christian; Gregory, Andrew; Tisch, John W. G.; Marangos, Jon P.

2018-01-01

Laser-driven high-harmonic generation provides the only demonstrated route to generating stable, tabletop attosecond x-ray pulses but has low flux compared to other x-ray technologies. We show that high-harmonic generation can produce higher photon energies and flux by using higher laser intensities than are typical, strongly ionizing the medium and creating plasma that reshapes the driving laser field. We obtain high harmonics capable of supporting attosecond pulses up to photon energies of 600 eV and a photon flux inside the water window (284 to 540 eV) 10 times higher than previous attosecond sources. We demonstrate that operating in this regime is key for attosecond pulse generation in the x-ray range and will become increasingly important as harmonic generation moves to fields that drive even longer wavelengths. PMID:29756033

Generation of drugs coated iron nanoparticles through high energy ball milling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radhika Devi, A.; Murty, B. S.; Chelvane, J. A.

The iron nanoparticles coated with oleic acid and drugs such as folic acid/Amoxicillin were synthesized by high energy ball milling and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron microscope, zeta potential, dynamic light scattering, Fourier Transform Infra red (FT-IR) measurements, and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). FT-IR and TGA measurements show good adsorption of drugs on oleic acid coated nanoparticles. Magnetic measurements indicate that saturation magnetization is larger for amoxicillin coated particles compared to folic acid coated particles. The biocompatibility of the magnetic nanoparticles prepared was evaluated by in vitro cytotoxicity assay using L929 cells as model cells.

Study of laser-generated debris free x-ray sources produced in a high-density linear Ar, Kr, Xe, Kr/Ar and Xe/Kr/Ar mixtures gas jets by 2 ω, sub-ps LLNL Titan laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kantsyrev, V. L.; Schultz, K. A.; Shlyaptseva, V. V.; Safronova, A. S.; Cooper, M. C.; Shrestha, I. K.; Petkov, E. E.; Stafford, A.; Moschella, J. J.; Schmidt-Petersen, M. T.; Butcher, C. J.; Kemp, G. E.; Andrews, S. D.; Fournier, K. B.

2016-10-01

The study of laser-generated debris-free x-ray sources in an underdense plasma produced in a high-density linear gas-puff jet was carried out at the LLNL Titan laser (2 ω, 45 J, sub-ps) with an intensity in the 10 um focal spot of 7 x 1019 W/cm2. A linear nozzle with a fast valve was used for the generation of a clusters/gas jet. X-ray diagnostics for the spectral region of 0.7 - 9 keV include: two spectrometers and pinhole cameras, and 3 groups of fast filtered detectors. Electron beams were measured with the EPPS magnetic spectrometer (>1 MeV) and Faraday cups (>72 keV). Spectralon/spectrometer devices were also used to measure absorption of laser radiation in the jets. New results were obtained on: anisotropic generation of x-rays (laser to x-ray conversion coefficient was >1%) and characteristics of laser-generated electron beams; evolution of x-ray generation with the location of the laser focus in a cluster-gas jet, and observations of a strong x-ray flash in some focusing regimes. Non-LTE kinetic modeling was used to estimate plasma parameters. UNR work supported by the DTRA Basic Research Award # HDTRA1-13-1-0033. Work at LLNL was performed under the auspices of the U.S. DOE by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Trace Element Abundance Measurements on Cosmic Dust Particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flynn, George

1996-01-01

The X-Ray Microprobe on beamline X-26A at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) at Brookhaven National Laboratory was used to determine the abundances of elements from Cr through Sr in individual interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) collected from the Earth's stratosphere and the Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscope (STXM) on beamline X-1A at the NSLS was used to determine the carbon abundances and spatial distributions in IDPs. In addition, modeling was performed in an attempt to associate particular types of IDPs with specific types of parent bodies, and thus to infer the chemistry, mineralogy, and structural properties of those parent bodies.

STUDIES OF THE ORIGIN OF HIGH-FREQUENCY QUASI-PERIODIC OSCILLATIONS OF MASS-ACCRETING BLACK HOLES IN X-RAY BINARIES WITH NEXT-GENERATION X-RAY TELESCOPES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beheshtipour, Banafsheh; Hoormann, Janie K.; Krawczynski, Henric, E-mail: b.beheshtipour@wustl.edu

Observations with RXTE ( Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer ) revealed the presence of high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (HFQPOs) of the X-ray flux from several accreting stellar-mass black holes. HFQPOs (and their counterparts at lower frequencies) may allow us to study general relativity in the regime of strong gravity. However, the observational evidence today does not yet allow us to distinguish between different HFQPO models. In this paper we use a general-relativistic ray-tracing code to investigate X-ray timing spectroscopy and polarization properties of HFQPOs in the orbiting Hotspot model. We study observational signatures for the particular case of the 166 Hz quasi-periodicmore » oscillation (QPO) in the galactic binary GRS 1915+105. We conclude with a discussion of the observability of spectral signatures with a timing-spectroscopy experiment such as the LOFT ( Large Observatory for X-ray Timing ) and polarization signatures with space-borne X-ray polarimeters such as IXPE ( Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer ), PolSTAR ( Polarization Spectroscopic Telescope Array ), PRAXyS ( Polarimetry of Relativistic X-ray Sources ), or XIPE ( X-ray Imaging Polarimetry Explorer ). A mission with high count rate such as LOFT would make it possible to get a QPO phase for each photon, enabling the study of the QPO-phase-resolved spectral shape and the correlation between this and the flux level. Owing to the short periods of the HFQPOs, first-generation X-ray polarimeters would not be able to assign a QPO phase to each photon. The study of QPO-phase-resolved polarization energy spectra would thus require simultaneous observations with a first-generation X-ray polarimeter and a LOFT -type mission.« less

X-ray imaging of aggregation in silica and zeolitic precursors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrison, Graeme R.; Browne, Michael T.; Beelen, Theo P. M.; van Garderen, Harold F.

1993-01-01

The resolution available in the King's College London scanning transmission x-ray microscope (STXM) can be exploited to study aggregate structures over a length scale from 100 nm to 10 micrometers that overlaps with and complements that available from small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) data. It is then possible to use these combined sets of data to test between different growth models for the aggregates, using the fractal dimension of the structures as a way of distinguishing the different models. In this paper we show some of the first transmission x-ray images taken of silica gels and zeolite precursors, materials that are of great practical and economic importance for certain selective catalytic processes in the chemical industry, and yet for which there is still only limited understanding of the complicated processes involved in their preparation. These images reveal clearly the fractal aggregates that are formed by the specimens.

A liquid jet setup for x-ray scattering experiments on complex liquids at free-electron laser sources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steinke, I.; Lehmkühler, F., E-mail: felix.lehmkuehler@desy.de; Schroer, M. A.

2016-06-15

In this paper we describe a setup for x-ray scattering experiments on complex fluids using a liquid jet. The setup supports Small and Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS/WAXS) geometries. The jet is formed by a gas-dynamic virtual nozzle (GDVN) allowing for diameters ranging between 1 μm and 20 μm at a jet length of several hundred μm. To control jet properties such as jet length, diameter, or flow rate, the instrument is equipped with several diagnostic tools. Three microscopes are installed to quantify jet dimensions and stability in situ. The setup has been used at several beamlines performing both SAXSmore » and WAXS experiments. As a typical example we show an experiment on a colloidal dispersion in a liquid jet at the X-ray Correlation Spectroscopy instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source free-electron laser.« less

High spatial resolution soft-x-ray microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meyer-Ilse, W.; Medecki, H.; Brown, J.T.

1997-04-01

A new soft x-ray microscope (XM-1) with high spatial resolution has been constructed by the Center for X-ray Optics. It uses bending magnet radiation from beamline 6.1 at the Advanced Light Source, and is used in a variety of projects and applications in the life and physical sciences. Most of these projects are ongoing. The instrument uses zone plate lenses and achieves a resolution of 43 nm, measured over 10% to 90% intensity with a knife edge test sample. X-ray microscopy permits the imaging of relatively thick samples, up to 10 {mu}m thick, in water. XM-1 has an easy tomore » use interface, that utilizes visible light microscopy to precisely position and focus the specimen. The authors describe applications of this device in the biological sciences, as well as in studying industrial applications including structured polymer samples.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dhesi, S. S.; Cavill, S. A.; Potenza, A.

The Nanoscience beamline (I06) is one of seven Diamond Phase-I beamlines which has been operational since January 2007 delivering polarised soft x-rays, for a PhotoEmission Electron Microscope (PEEM) and branchline, in the energy range 80-2100 eV. The beamline is based on a collimated plane grating monochromator with sagittal focusing elements, utilising two APPLE II helical undulator sources, and has been designed for high flux density at the PEEM sample position. A {approx}5 {mu}m ({sigma}) diameter beam is focussed onto the sample in the PEEM allowing a range of experiments using x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) andmore » x-ray magnetic linear dichroism (XMLD) as contrast mechanisms. The beamline is also equipped with a branchline housing a 6T superconducting magnet for XMCD and XMLD experiments. The magnet is designed to move on and off the branchline which allows a diverse range of experiments.« less

Tin-polyimide and indium-polyimide thin-film composites as soft X-ray bandpass filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, Stephen F.; Allen, Maxwell J.; Willis, Thomas D.

1993-01-01

A tin-polyimide and an indium-polyimide soft X-ray bandpass filter were fabricated with thicknesses of 1400 and 1750 A for the metal and polyimide components, respectively. The transmission of each filter was measured at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. The transmission of the tin-polyimide filter was found to be about 40 percent for radiation with wavelengths between 60 and 80 A. The transmission of the indium-polyimide filter was greater than 40 percent between 70 and 90 A. The indium was about 5 percent more transmissive than the tin and attained a maximum transmission of about 48 percent at 76 A. Such filters have potential applications to soft X-ray telescopes that operate in this region. They might also be of interest to investigators who work with X-ray microscopes that image live biological specimens in the 23-44-A water window.

Multi-scale mechanics of granular solids from grain-resolved X-ray measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurley, R. C.; Hall, S. A.; Wright, J. P.

2017-11-01

This work discusses an experimental technique for studying the mechanics of three-dimensional (3D) granular solids. The approach combines 3D X-ray diffraction and X-ray computed tomography to measure grain-resolved strains, kinematics and contact fabric in the bulk of a granular solid, from which continuum strains, grain stresses, interparticle forces and coarse-grained elasto-plastic moduli can be determined. We demonstrate the experimental approach and analysis of selected results on a sample of 1099 stiff, frictional grains undergoing multiple uniaxial compression cycles. We investigate the inter-particle force network, elasto-plastic moduli and associated length scales, reversibility of mechanical responses during cyclic loading, the statistics of microscopic responses and microstructure-property relationships. This work serves to highlight both the fundamental insight into granular mechanics that is furnished by combined X-ray measurements and describes future directions in the field of granular materials that can be pursued with such approaches.

Synchrotron X-ray microfluorescence measurement of metal distributions in Phragmites australis root system in the Yangtze River intertidal zone

DOE PAGES

Feng, Huan; Zhang, Weiguo; Qian, Yu; ...

2016-06-15

This paper investigates the distributions of Br, Ca, Cl, Cr, Cu, K, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ti, V and Zn in Phragmites australis root system and the function of Fe nanoparticles in scavenging metals in the root epidermis using synchrotron X-ray microfluorescence, synchrotron transmission X-ray microscope measurement and synchrotron X-ray absorption near-edge structure techniques. The purpose of this study is to understand the mobility of metals in wetland plant root systems after their uptake from rhizosphere soils. Phragmites australis samples were collected in the Yangtze River intertidal zone in July 2013. The results indicate that Fe nanoparticles are present in themore » root epidermis and that other metals correlate significantly with Fe, suggesting that Fe nanoparticles play an important role in metal scavenging in the epidermis.« less

Synchrotron X-ray microfluorescence measurement of metal distributions in Phragmites australis root system in the Yangtze River intertidal zone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, Huan; Zhang, Weiguo; Qian, Yu

This paper investigates the distributions of Br, Ca, Cl, Cr, Cu, K, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ti, V and Zn in Phragmites australis root system and the function of Fe nanoparticles in scavenging metals in the root epidermis using synchrotron X-ray microfluorescence, synchrotron transmission X-ray microscope measurement and synchrotron X-ray absorption near-edge structure techniques. The purpose of this study is to understand the mobility of metals in wetland plant root systems after their uptake from rhizosphere soils. Phragmites australis samples were collected in the Yangtze River intertidal zone in July 2013. The results indicate that Fe nanoparticles are present in themore » root epidermis and that other metals correlate significantly with Fe, suggesting that Fe nanoparticles play an important role in metal scavenging in the epidermis.« less

A liquid jet setup for x-ray scattering experiments on complex liquids at free-electron laser sources

DOE PAGES

Steinke, I.; Walther, M.; Lehmkühler, F.; ...

2016-06-01

In this study we describe a setup for x-ray scattering experiments on complex fluids using a liquid jet. The setup supports Small and Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS/WAXS) geometries. The jet is formed by a gas-dynamic virtual nozzle (GDVN) allowing for diameters ranging between 1 μm and 20 μm at a jet length of several hundred μm. To control jet properties such as jet length, diameter, or flow rate, the instrument is equipped with several diagnostic tools. Three microscopes are installed to quantify jet dimensions and stability in situ. The setup has been used at several beamlines performing both SAXSmore » and WAXS experiments. Finally, as a typical example we show an experiment on a colloidal dispersion in a liquid jet at the X-ray Correlation Spectroscopy instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source free-electron laser.« less

Rapid microwave assisted synthesis of YIn1-xMnxO3 blue pigments: Synthesis, microstructure and optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yuncheng; Jiang, Peng; Kuang, Jianlei; Yang, Xueshan; Cao, Wenbin

2018-07-01

The YIn1-xMnxO3 (0.1 ≤x ≤ 0.5) blue pigment samples are successfully prepared through a sol-gel process followed by microwave assisted sintering process. All the samples are shown single phases in the X-ray diffraction results. In the morphology study from scanning electronic microscope, the samples are composed of loosely connected small particles. The oxidation state of Mn is confirmed to be 3 + from the results of X-ray photonelectronic scan. The optical properties are characterized by UV-Visible spectrum and UV-visible-NIR spectrum. The samples exhibit intense blue color and they show small absorption in infrared region.

The calibration of photographic and spectroscopic films: 1: A microscopic analysis of IIaO films. 2: The effects of agitation and soaking on IIaO films. 3: The effects of electric field on IIaO films. 4: The effects of X-ray radiation on IIaO films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hammond, E. C., Jr.; Peters, K.; Boone, K.

1978-01-01

The grain structure of the emulsion using both reflected and transmission light was examined along with the effects of soaking. The effect of a static charge by a Tesla-coil, and the effects of airport equipment, and dental X-rays on the film were also analyzed.

DESIGN NOTE: From nanometre to millimetre: a feasibility study of the combination of scanning probe microscopy and combined optical and x-ray interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yacoot, Andrew; Koenders, Ludger

2003-09-01

This feasibility study investigates the potential combination of an x-ray interferometer and optical interferometer as a one-dimensional long range high resolution scanning stage for an atomic force microscope (AFM) in order to overcome the problems of non-linearity associated with conventional AFMs and interferometers. Preliminary results of measurements of the uniformity of the period of a grating used as a transfer standards show variations in period at the nanometre level.

Role of Bi3+ substitution on structural, magnetic and optical properties of cobalt spinel ferrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anjum, Safia; Sehar, Fatima; Awan, M. S.; Zia, Rehana

2016-04-01

Bismuth-doped cobalt ferrite CoBi x Fe(2- x)O4 with x = 0, 0.1,0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 have been prepared using powder metallurgy route. The structural, morphological, elemental, magnetic and optical properties have been investigated using X-ray diffractometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-rays, vibrating sample magnetometer and ultraviolet-visible spectrometer, respectively. X-ray diffractometer analysis confirms the formation of single-phase cubic spinel structure. As the substitution of larger ionic radii Bi3+ ions increases in cobalt ferrite which is responsible to increase the lattice parameters and decrease the crystallite size. SEM micrographs revealed the spherical shape of the particles with the nonuniform grain boundaries. The saturation magnetization decreases and bandgap energy increases as the concentration of non-magnetic Bi3+ ions increases.

Enhanced renal image contrast by ethanol fixation in phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography.

PubMed

Shirai, Ryota; Kunii, Takuya; Yoneyama, Akio; Ooizumi, Takahito; Maruyama, Hiroko; Lwin, Thet Thet; Hyodo, Kazuyuki; Takeda, Tohoru

2014-07-01

Phase-contrast X-ray imaging using a crystal X-ray interferometer can depict the fine structures of biological objects without the use of a contrast agent. To obtain higher image contrast, fixation techniques have been examined with 100% ethanol and the commonly used 10% formalin, since ethanol causes increased density differences against background due to its physical properties and greater dehydration of soft tissue. Histological comparison was also performed. A phase-contrast X-ray system was used, fitted with a two-crystal X-ray interferometer at 35 keV X-ray energy. Fine structures, including cortex, tubules in the medulla, and the vessels of ethanol-fixed kidney could be visualized more clearly than that of formalin-fixed tissues. In the optical microscopic images, shrinkage of soft tissue and decreased luminal space were observed in ethanol-fixed kidney; and this change was significantly shown in the cortex and outer stripe of the outer medulla. The ethanol fixation technique enhances image contrast by approximately 2.7-3.2 times in the cortex and the outer stripe of the outer medulla; the effect of shrinkage and the physical effect of ethanol cause an increment of approximately 78% and 22%, respectively. Thus, the ethanol-fixation technique enables the image contrast to be enhanced in phase-contrast X-ray imaging.

Dopant concentration dependent optical and X-Ray induced photoluminescence in Eu3+ doped La2Zr2O7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pokhrel, Madhab; Brik, Mikhail; Mao, Yuanbing

2015-03-01

Herein, we will be presenting the dopant (Eu) concentration dependent high density La2Zr2O7 nanoparticles for optical and X-ray scintillation applications by use of X - ray diffraction, Raman, FTIR, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), optically and X-ray excited photoluminescence (PL). Several theoretical methods have been used in order to investigate the structural, electronic, optical, elastic, dynamic properties of Eu doped La2Zr2O7. It is observed that Eu: La2Zr2O7 shows an intense red luminescence under 258, 322, 394 and 465 nm excitation. The optical intensity of Eu: La2Zr2O7 depends on the dopant concentration of Eu3+. Following high energy excitation with X-rays, Eu: La2Zr2O7 shows an atypical Eu PL response (scintillation) with a red emission. The intense color emission of Eu obtained under 258 nm excitation, the X-ray induced luminescence property along with reportedly high density of La2Zr2O7, makes these nanomaterials attractive for optical and X-ray applications. The authors thank the support from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (Award #HDTRA1-10-1-0114).

The Generation-X X-ray Observatory Vision Mission and Technology Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Figueroa-Feliciano, Enectali

2004-01-01

The new frontier in astrophysics is the study of the birth and evolution of the first stars, galaxies and black holes in the early Universe. X-ray astronomy opens a window into these objects by studying the emission from black holes, supernova explosions and the gamma-ray burst afterglows of massive stars. However, such objects are beyond the grasp of current or near-future observatories. X-ray imaging and spectroscopy of such distant objects will require an X-ray telescope with large collecting area and high angular resolution. Our team has conceived the Generation-X Vision Mission based on an X-ray observatory with 100 sq m collecting area at 1 keV (1000 times larger than Chandra) and 0.1 arcsecond angular resolution (several times better than Chandra and 50 times better than the Constellation-X resolution goal). Such an observatory would be capable of detecting the earliest black holes and galaxies in the Universe, and will also study extremes of density, gravity, magnetic fields, and kinetic energy which cannot be created in laboratories. NASA has selected the Generation-X mission for study under its Vision Mission Program. We describe the studies being performed to develop the mission concept and define candidate technologies and performance requirements for Generation-X. The baseline Generation-X mission involves four 8m diameter X-ray telescopes operating at Sun-Earth L2. We trade against an alternate concept of a single 26m diameter telescope with focal plane instruments on a separate spacecraft. A telescope of this size will require either robotic or human-assisted in-flight assembly. The required effective area implies that extremely lightweight grazing incidence X-ray optics must be developed. To achieve the required aerial density of at least 100 times lower than in Chandra, we will study 0.1mm thick mirrors which have active on-orbit figure control. We discuss the suite of required detectors, including a large FOV high angular resolution imager, a cryogenic imaging spectrometer and a grating spectrometer. We outline the development roadmap to confront the many technological challenges far implementing the Generation-X mission.

Wide-area phase-contrast X-ray imaging using large X-ray interferometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Momose, Atsushi; Takeda, Tohoru; Yoneyama, Akio; Koyama, Ichiro; Itai, Yuji

2001-07-01

Large X-ray interferometers are developed for phase-contrast X-ray imaging aiming at medical applications. A monolithic X-ray interferometer and a separate one are studied, and currently a 25 mm×20 mm view area can be generated. This paper describes the strategy of our research program and some recent developments.

X-ray tube thermal management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadella, Naresh; Khounsary, Ali M.

2015-09-01

This paper presents a brief overview of the various stationary anode X-ray tube designs and the thermal management challenges of the anode target that limit the intensity of the generated X-ray beams. Several options to further increase X-ray beam intensity are discussed.

Biological imaging by soft X-ray diffraction microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapiro, David

We have developed a microscope for soft x-ray diffraction imaging of dry or frozen hydrated biological specimens. This lensless imaging system does not suffer from the resolution or specimen thickness limitations that other short wavelength microscopes experience. The microscope, currently situated at beamline 9.0.1 of the Advanced Light Source, can collect diffraction data to 12 nm resolution with 750 eV photons and 17 nm resolution with 520 eV photons. The specimen can be rotated with a precision goniometer through an angle of 160 degrees allowing for the collection of nearly complete three-dimensional diffraction data. The microscope is fully computer controlled through a graphical user interface and a scripting language automates the collection of both two-dimensional and three-dimensional data. Diffraction data from a freeze-dried dwarf yeast cell, Saccharomyces cerevisiae carrying the CLN3-1 mutation, was collected to 12 run resolution from 8 specimen orientations spanning a total rotation of 8 degrees. The diffraction data was phased using the difference map algorithm and the reconstructions provide real space images of the cell to 30 nm resolution from each of the orientations. The agreement of the different reconstructions provides confidence in the recovered, and previously unknown, structure and indicates the three dimensionality of the cell. This work represents the first imaging of the natural complex refractive contrast from a whole unstained cell by the diffraction microscopy method and has achieved a resolution superior to lens based x-ray tomographic reconstructions of similar specimens. Studies of the effects of exposure to large radiation doses were also carried out. It was determined that the freeze-dried cell suffers from an initial collapse, which is followed by a uniform, but slow, shrinkage. This structural damage to the cell is not accompanied by a diminished ability to see small features in the specimen. Preliminary measurements on frozen-hydrated yeast indicate that the frozen specimens do not exhibit these changes even with doses as high as 5 x 109 Gray.

Guided self-assembly of nanostructured titanium oxide.

PubMed

Wang, Baoxiang; Rozynek, Zbigniew; Fossum, Jon Otto; Knudsen, Kenneth D; Yu, Yingda

2012-02-24

A series of nanostructured titanium oxide particles were synthesized by a simple wet chemical method and characterized by means of small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS)/wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS), atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), thermal analysis, and rheometry. Tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) and ethylene glycol (EG) can be combined to form either TiO(x) nanowires or smooth nanorods, and the molar ratio of TBT:EG determines which of these is obtained. Therefore, TiO(x) nanorods with a highly rough surface can be obtained by hydrolysis of TBT with the addition of cetyl-trimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant in an EG solution. Furthermore, TiO(x) nanorods with two sharp ends can be obtained by hydrolysis of TBT with the addition of salt (LiCl) in an EG solution. The AFM results show that the TiO(x) nanorods with rough surfaces are formed by the self-assembly of TiO(x) nanospheres. The electrorheological (ER) effect was investigated using a suspension of titanium oxide nanowires or nanorods dispersed in silicone oil. Oil suspensions of titanium oxide nanowires or nanorods exhibit a dramatic reorganization when submitted to a strong DC electric field and the particles aggregate to form chain-like structures along the direction of applied electric field. Two-dimensional SAXS images from chains of anisotropically shaped particles exhibit a marked asymmetry in the SAXS patterns, reflecting the preferential self-assembly of the particles in the field. The suspension of rough TiO(x) nanorods shows stronger ER properties than that of the other nanostructured TiO(x) particles. We find that the particle surface roughness plays an important role in modification of the dielectric properties and in the enhancement of the ER effect.

Simple route to (NH4)xWO3 nanorods for near infrared absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Chongshen; Yin, Shu; Dong, Qiang; Sato, Tsugio

2012-05-01

Described here is how to synthesize one-dimensional ammonium tungsten bronze ((NH4)xWO3) by a facile solvothermal approach in which ethylene glycol and acetic acid were employed as solvents and ammonium paratungstate was used as a starting material, as well as how to develop the near infrared absorption properties of (NH4)xWO3 nanorods for application as a solar light control filter. The as-obtained product was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetry (TG), atomic force microscope (AFM) and UV-Vis-NIR spectra. The SEM and TEM images clearly revealed that the obtained sample possessed rod/fiber-like morphologies with diameters around 120 nm. As determined by UV-Vis-NIR optical measurement, the thin film consisted of (NH4)xWO3 nanoparticles, which can selectively transmit most visible lights, but strongly absorb the near-infrared (NIR) lights and ultraviolet rays. These interesting optical properties make the (NH4)xWO3 nanorods suitable for the solar control windows.Described here is how to synthesize one-dimensional ammonium tungsten bronze ((NH4)xWO3) by a facile solvothermal approach in which ethylene glycol and acetic acid were employed as solvents and ammonium paratungstate was used as a starting material, as well as how to develop the near infrared absorption properties of (NH4)xWO3 nanorods for application as a solar light control filter. The as-obtained product was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetry (TG), atomic force microscope (AFM) and UV-Vis-NIR spectra. The SEM and TEM images clearly revealed that the obtained sample possessed rod/fiber-like morphologies with diameters around 120 nm. As determined by UV-Vis-NIR optical measurement, the thin film consisted of (NH4)xWO3 nanoparticles, which can selectively transmit most visible lights, but strongly absorb the near-infrared (NIR) lights and ultraviolet rays. These interesting optical properties make the (NH4)xWO3 nanorods suitable for the solar control windows. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c2nr30612c

Removal of heavy metal Cu(II) in simulated aquaculture wastewater by modified palygorskite.

PubMed

Cao, Jia-Shun; Wang, Cheng; Fang, Fang; Lin, Jun-Xiong

2016-12-01

Palygorskite (PAL) is a good heavy metal adsorbent due to its high surface area, low cost, and environmentally compatibility. But the natural PAL has limited its adsorption capacity and selectivity. In this study, a cost-effective and readily-generated absorbent, l-threonine-modified palygorskite (L-PAL), was used and its performance for Cu(II) removal in simulated aquaculture wastewater was evaluated. After preparation, L-PAL was characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The impacts of pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and initial Cu(II) concentration on the adsorption capacity of L-PAL were examined. The Cu(II) adsorption capacity on L-PAL was enhanced almost 10 times than that of raw PAL. The adsorption isotherms of Cu(II) fit the Langmuir isotherms, and the adsorption kinetics was dominated by the pseudo-second-order model. The thermodynamic parameters at four temperatures were calculated, which indicated that the adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic. The adsorption mechanism involves complexation, chelation, electrostatic attraction, and micro-precipitation. Furthermore, L-PAL is shown to have a high regeneration capacity. These results indicate that L-PAL is a cheap and promising absorbent for Cu(II) removal and hold potential to be used for aquaculture wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acceptor-modulated optical enhancements and band-gap narrowing in ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Ali; Jin, Yuhua; Irfan, Muhammad; Jiang, Yijian

2018-03-01

Fermi-Dirac distribution for doped semiconductors and Burstein-Moss effect have been correlated first time to figure out the conductivity type of ZnO. Hall Effect in the Van der Pauw configuration has been applied to reconcile our theoretical estimations which evince our assumption. Band-gap narrowing has been found in all p-type samples, whereas blue Burstein-Moss shift has been recorded in the n-type films. Atomic Force Microscopic (AFM) analysis shows that both p-type and n-type films have almost same granular-like structure with minor change in average grain size (˜ 6 nm to 10 nm) and surface roughness rms value 3 nm for thickness ˜315 nm which points that grain size and surface roughness did not play any significant role in order to modulate the conductivity type of ZnO. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) have been employed to perform the structural, chemical and elemental analysis. Hexagonal wurtzite structure has been observed in all samples. The introduction of nitrogen reduces the crystallinity of host lattice. 97% transmittance in the visible range with 1.4 × 107 Ω-1cm-1 optical conductivity have been detected. High absorption value in the ultra-violet (UV) region reveals that NZOs thin films can be used to fabricate next-generation high-performance UV detectors.

Determination of ensemble-average pairwise root mean-square deviation from experimental B-factors.

PubMed

Kuzmanic, Antonija; Zagrovic, Bojan

2010-03-03

Root mean-square deviation (RMSD) after roto-translational least-squares fitting is a measure of global structural similarity of macromolecules used commonly. On the other hand, experimental x-ray B-factors are used frequently to study local structural heterogeneity and dynamics in macromolecules by providing direct information about root mean-square fluctuations (RMSF) that can also be calculated from molecular dynamics simulations. We provide a mathematical derivation showing that, given a set of conservative assumptions, a root mean-square ensemble-average of an all-against-all distribution of pairwise RMSD for a single molecular species, (1/2), is directly related to average B-factors () and (1/2). We show this relationship and explore its limits of validity on a heterogeneous ensemble of structures taken from molecular dynamics simulations of villin headpiece generated using distributed-computing techniques and the Folding@Home cluster. Our results provide a basis for quantifying global structural diversity of macromolecules in crystals directly from x-ray experiments, and we show this on a large set of structures taken from the Protein Data Bank. In particular, we show that the ensemble-average pairwise backbone RMSD for a microscopic ensemble underlying a typical protein x-ray structure is approximately 1.1 A, under the assumption that the principal contribution to experimental B-factors is conformational variability. 2010 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.