The third AP has proceeded very well with nearly 60% of the time given to users. In general very high quality data has been obtained, although the small spot size does require very uniform samples to get the best quality data. We can now defocus the beam to some degree which can help. AP10 (Oct 2011 – Mar 2012) will continue with a similar number of user groups. The new DC motor for the Bragg is finally being installed in August, so after this has been commissioned in Sept we hope the problems with scan speed and dropouts will solved. Commissioning will concentrate on detailed optimising of QEXAFS and a new ADC ion chamber readout system which should give better signal to noise for QEXAFS under 1 minute. The LN2 cryostat is also being extensively modified to improve cool-down times.
| Equipment or detector | Availability | Comments |
| Si (111) monochromator giving energy range 2.1 - 20.2 keV | Available | |
| Si (311) monochromator giving energy range 4-35 keV | Available | Mainly used for high energy > 20keV, but can be used at lower energy to improve edge resolution (at the expense of flux) |
| Soft X-ray Vessel | Available | For 2.1-5 keV |
| QEXAFS 5-20 keV for Si(111) mono QEXAFS 15-35 keV for Si(311) mono | Available | QEXAFS < 1 min depending on energy. Transmission and fluorescence. |
| Combined EXAFS/XRD | Available | |
| 9 element Ge detector (6 – 35 keV) | Available | Count rate 300 kcps per element low energy; 200cps high energy |
| Electron Yield | Available | |
| Channeltron | Available from April 2012 | Commissioning Autumn 2011 |
| 4 element Si Drift detector (2 - 15 keV) | Available | Count rate 100 kcps per element. Can be used in vacuum with soft X-ray vessel or on sample table |
| GMSD gas microstrip detector | Available | For use in soft X-ray vessel for concentrated samples at low energies |
Sample environments and stages
| Small Sample stage (100 mm X movement, 25 mm Y movement, 75 kg load, 360 rotation) | Available | Mainly used for standard sample sand small sample environments |
| Large Sample stage (10 mm X movement, 10 mm Y movement, 150kg load) | Available | For large sample environments |
| Soft –X-ray Vessel 2-20keV. Manipulator for up to 12 samples | Available | Mainly for soft X-rays 2-5keV. Sample cooling RT-77K |
| “Sankar” in-situ 13mm pellet furnace RT-1000°C | Available | Inert and some reactive gases possible – please ask. |
| LN2 cryostat RT-77K – takes up to 40 8mm pellets | Available | |
| He pulse tube cryostat RT-1.5K. Takes up to 3 samples | Available | |
Support Labs
| Three labs: wet, dry and characterisation | Available | With basic equipment such as hot plate, balances, selection of glassware, pestle and mortar, tweezers, spatulas etc. |
| Thermo FT-IR Microscope | Available | FT-IR with mapping capabilities |
| Fischer XDAL-FD XRF | Available | 50keV - 100μm spot size |
| Perkin Elmer UV spectrometer | Available | |
| Renishaw Raman Microscope | Available | Micro-Raman system with mapping capabilities |
| Zeiss AxioVision Optical Microscope | Available | |
| Nikon Polarised Microscope | Available | |
| Fume cupboard | Available | |
| Solvent tolerant dry, O2 free glove box | Available | |
| Incubator | Available | |
| Microbiological safety cabinet (class 2) | Available | |
| Grinding/Polishing machine | Available | Range of polishing grades available |
| Cutting machine | Available | Water cooled |
| Microtome | Available | WC and Stainless blades |
| Pellet Press | Available | 8 and 13mm dies |
| Ball Mill for grinding samples | Available | For quantities < 1g |
| Tube Furnaces | Available on request | Advance notice required. |
| Upright Furnace | Available | |
| Clean Room | Available | Balance and Microscope installed |
| Fridge/ Freezer (-20 C) | Available | Access to a -80 freezer available on request |