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Published on: June 19, 2018
HERMES: a soft X-ray beamline dedicated to X-ray microscopy
Rachid Belkhou1, Stefan Stanescu1, Sufal Swaraj1
1Synchrotron SOLEIL, L'Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, BP 48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
The HERMES beamline at Synchrotron SOLEIL offers advanced soft X-ray microscopy using X-ray Photo Emitted Electron Microscopy (XPEEM) and Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy (STXM). It achieves high spatial resolution below 20 nm, optimizing performance for diverse research needs.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Soft X-ray microscopy is crucial for nanoscale material analysis.
- Existing beamlines face challenges like carbon contamination and thermal instability.
- The need for high-resolution, versatile X-ray microscopy tools is growing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present the design and capabilities of the HERMES beamline.
- To detail the optimization of beamline performance for soft X-ray microscopy.
- To highlight the integration of XPEEM and STXM for complementary analysis.
Main Methods:
- Construction and commissioning of the HERMES beamline at Synchrotron SOLEIL.
- Integration of X-ray Photo Emitted Electron Microscopy (XPEEM) and Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy (STXM).
- Optimization of parameters including flux, resolution, and beam size.
Main Results:
- The HERMES beamline provides soft X-ray microscopy with spatial resolution below 20 nm.
- Dual microscopy techniques (XPEEM and STXM) are available for versatile sample analysis.
- Specific optimizations address common soft X-ray beamline issues like carbon contamination and thermal stability.
Conclusions:
- HERMES is a state-of-the-art facility for advanced soft X-ray microscopy.
- The beamline's design and performance cater to demanding research requirements.
- It enables detailed spectroscopic and microscopic investigations at the nanoscale.
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