The Surface Diffraction beamline is back, fully operating for users' activities.

The insertion device sources and all the optical components of the beamline have been updated and tested. The beamline is now windowless and works in either one of three basic optical designs providing the following beam size and flux:

a) 50 x 30 microns (HxV) with 1013 ph/s

b) 20 x 15 microns (HxV) with 1013 ph/s

c) 5 x 3 microns (HxV) with 1012 ph/s

The X-ray beam energy can be continuously tuned in the 5-24 keV range. The upper limit is defined by the Pd coating of the mirrors. The energy scans can be carried out maintaining the diffractometer tuned at a particular reciprocal space position, thus allowing resonance experiments.

Experimental hutch 1 was opened for users’ experiments on August 2006, while the second hutch was opened on November 2006. Users can appreciate a 3 to 5 fold increase in the available flux and the stability of the beamline. Both hutches still host the same diffractometers, which are under refurbishment at the present.

The first hutch hosts a vertical diffractometer where we can install users’ chambers. The X-ray beam can be tilted downwards (at a maximum angle of about 0.5°), as a consequence experiments at liquid surfaces are now possible.

In experimental hutch 2 we have a large diffractometer hosting a UHV chamber for in-situ growth and preparation of samples. The possibility of tuning the energy is of particular importance not only for experiments at resonance, two experiments at the resonance energy of the L3 lines of rare earth elements are planned during this semester, but also to limit the radiation damage in the case of organic molecules. We now also offer the possibility of preparing the sample in an external chamber and of transferring it under UHV conditions in the measuring chamber.

During 2007 we shall upgrade the electronics of the two diffractometers to allow faster motions and the possibility of performing continuous scans in any trajectory in the reciprocal space. A 2D pixel detector will be available before the end of the year.

A new experimental chamber for UHV studies in EH2 is planned for next year.

All users are more than welcome to submit proposals and to contact the beamline staff for more detailed information.

 

The ID3 archive refers to the description of the beamline prior to refurbishment.