BM31 Swiss Norwegian beamlines

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Beamline characteristics

The newly installed (2022) BM31 end-station is specialized in combining X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), powder diffraction (XRD), and total-scattering (XRTS) and works together seamlessly with the optics. The optics and end-station can automatically switch between various configurations. This enables measurements of XAS, XRD, and XRTS datasets in a combined time-resolved manner on the same sample under the same experimental conditions.

A set of sample environments is available for temperature-dependent-, catalytic- and electrochemistry experiments as well as a gas distribution and analysis system.

Techniques

  • X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) - unfocused 4.9 - 45 keV
  • X-ray diffraction (XRD) - focused, 48 keV
  • X-ray total-scattering (XRTS) and pair distribution functions (PDF) - focused, 48 keV, Qmax 27 Å-1
  • Resonant XRD, thin film XRD on unfocused beam - 15 - 45 keV

Optics

Element
Description
Monochromator Air-bearing liquid nitrogen double-crystal monochromator
Monochromator crystals 2 Flat Si[111] pair, and 2 sagittal focusing second crystals
Spectral range 4.8 - 45 keV for XAS (unfocused), ~40 and ~50keV focused for XRD & PDF
Intrinsic resolution (DE/E) Si[111]: 1.4 x 10-4
Spot size up to 10mm H x 0.6mm V and focussed 50µm H x 300µm V

Detectors

The following detectors can be automatically put into action during the execution of your experiment.

  • 14 ion chambers on translation stages - 4 I0 (before sample), 6 I1 (after sample) and 4 I2 (after I1) chambers available, selected automatically based on the measurement energy - moving during experiment to match energy
  • A Vortex SDD with XIA Falcon X fast digital multichannel analyzer electronics for fluorescence spectroscopy
  • A PILATUS3 X CdTe 2M with x-, y- and z- translation and pitch rotation for XRD and PDF. Sample-to-detector distance 190 - 1160 mm, pitch rotation up to 15°.

Sample Environment

  • Gas flow stage with furnace for catalytic experiments in capillaries. Tmax 900 °C. High heating rate (100 °C/min), and low axial gradient capillary furnace. Gas distribution system including 4 mass flow controllers, each with a switch valve, 2 back pressure regulators (sample and exhaust), and a mass spectrometer. MFCs, switch valves and BPRs controllable from Pylaus software to synchronise with measurements.
  • Static-gas pressure using a rig with turbo vacuum pump and gas dosing.
  • Electrochemistry experiments can be performed with a  BioLogic 16-channel potentiostat.
  • Oxford Cryosystems Cryostream for 100 - 500 K (liquid N2).
  • IUCR goniometer mount with goniometer heads for capillary measurements (XRD, PDF, XAS).
  • Capillary rack with a fast x-, y-, z- stage for running multiple ex-situ samples in (XRD, PDF,  XAS).
  • Pellet grid for multiple ex-situ pellets (XAS).

High-Resolution Powder Diffraction (decommissioned)

NB. The old high-resolution diffractometer is unavailable, and likely not to be recommissioned unless there are a significant number of requests.

For users: please add the following to your acknowledgments:

The BM31 setup was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant 206021_189629) and the Research Council of Norway (grant 350506).