Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026
08:53
Angle-resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy At Ultra-low Temperatures
Published on: October 9, 2012
A tunable low-energy photon source for high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy
John W Harter1, Philip D C King, Eric J Monkman
1Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics, Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|December 5, 2012
Summary
We developed a tunable, bright, low-energy photon source for high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy. This laser-driven xenon plasma lamp system offers performance comparable to synchrotrons.
Area of Science:
- Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
Background:
- High-resolution photoemission spectroscopy requires bright, narrow-bandwidth photon sources.
- Existing sources like synchrotron beamlines are often inaccessible for routine laboratory experiments.
- Helium plasma lamps offer limited tunability and photon flux.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize a novel tunable low-energy photon source for laboratory-based photoemission spectroscopy.
- To assess the performance of this source for high-resolution experiments.
- To compare its capabilities with conventional laboratory sources.
Main Methods:
- Coupling a laser-driven xenon plasma lamp with a Czerny-Turner monochromator.
- Characterizing the photon source's energy, brightness, and spectral bandwidth.
- Performing angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) using the developed source.
Main Results:
- The developed photon source provides tunable photons up to ~7 eV.
- It delivers >10^12 photons/second within a 10 meV spectral bandwidth.
- Performance is comparable to helium plasma lamps and many synchrotron beamlines.
Conclusions:
- The tunable xenon plasma source is a viable alternative for laboratory-based high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy.
- It offers comparable or superior performance to existing laboratory sources.
- This advancement facilitates high-resolution ARPES experiments in standard laboratory settings.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Instrumentation
Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is the common plasma source used in atomic emission spectroscopy (AES), a technique that detects and analyzes various elements in a sample. This method is often called inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES).
There are three main types of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) instruments: sequential, simultaneous multichannel, and Fourier transform instruments, with the latter being less commonly used.
There are three main types of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) instruments: sequential, simultaneous multichannel, and Fourier transform instruments, with the latter being less commonly used.
01:13Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: Radiation and Light Sources
Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) relies on the Beer-Lambert law, which requires that the radiation source emits a narrow range of wavelengths to match the absorption characteristics of the analyte atom. The primary criteria for choosing an appropriate radiation source in AAS is to provide a precise and intense emission at specific wavelengths that will allow accurate detection of the analyte.
Two common narrow-range 'line' sources used in AAS are hollow-cathode lamps (HCLs) and...
Two common narrow-range 'line' sources used in AAS are hollow-cathode lamps (HCLs) and...
01:20Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Overview
Atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) is an analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of a sample by analyzing the light emitted from excited atoms. In AES, atoms in a sample are excited to higher energy levels by thermal energy from high-temperature sources, such as plasma, arcs, or sparks. When these excited atoms return to lower energy states, they emit light at specific wavelengths characteristic of each element. The resulting atomic emission spectrum, which consists of...
01:22Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Instrumentation
The instrumentation of atomic emission spectrometry (AES) involves various components, including atomization devices that convert samples into gas-phase atoms and ions. There are two main types of atomization devices: continuous and discrete atomizers. Continuous atomizers, like plasmas and flames, introduce samples in a constant stream, while discrete atomizers inject individual samples using syringes or autosamplers. The most common discrete atomizer is the electrothermal atomizer.
01:16UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Molecular Electronic Transitions
In Ultraviolet–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, the absorption of electromagnetic radiation is used to probe the electronic structure of molecules. This technique provides insights into molecular electronic transitions, particularly the movement of electrons between different molecular orbitals. Radiation is absorbed if the energy of the electromagnetic radiation passing through the molecule is precisely equal to the energy difference between the excited and ground states. During this process,...
01:29Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Lab
AES is a powerful analytical technique, especially effective when used with plasma sources, producing abundant spectra in characteristic emission lines. The Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP), in particular, yields superior quantitative analytical data due to its high stability, low noise, low background, and minimal interferences under optimal experimental conditions. However, newer air-operated microwave sources are emerging as promising alternatives that could be more cost-effective than...