Hard X-ray Nanoprobe

I14 Beamline

The Hard X-ray nanoprobe beamline (I14) is a dedicated facility for nanoscale microscopy.

The nanoprobe provides a flexible end station, with a beam size of 50 nm, optimised for scanning X-ray fluorescence, X-ray spectroscopy, and diffraction.

To maximise the distance from the focusing optic to the sample, the beamline extends beyond the main building to a distance of approximately 185m and is housed in an external building alongside the eBIC and ePSIC national electron microscopy facilities.

I14 provides a state-of-the-art facility in which a focused x-ray spot is positioned or scanned over a specimen. The central theme of the beamline is the ability to obtain structural and chemically-specific information on a full range of materials (inorganic/organic) under both static and real (e.g. wet, heated, in-situ strain) conditions.

I14 provides:

• Spatial resolution down to 50nm
• Wide energy range (5-23 KeV)
• Raster scanning capability for fast acquisition and increased sample area coverage.
• XANES mapping capability
• Differential phase-contrast imaging
• Ptychography
• Simple data acquisition software with a strong emphasis on fast post-acquisition data processing