The scanning transmission x-ray microscope at the NSLS: From XANES to cryo
- State Univ. of New York, Stony Brook, NY (United States); and others
The Stony Brook scanning transmission x-ray microscope (STXM) has been operated at the XIA beamline at the NSLS since 1989. A large number of users have used it to study biological and material science samples. The authors report on changes that have been performed in the past year, and present recent results. To stabilize the position of the micro probe when doing spectral scans at high spatial resolution, they have constructed a piezo-driven flexure stage which carries out the focusing motion of the zone plate needed when changing the wavelength. To overcome the detector limitation set by saturation of the gas-flow counter at count rates around 1 MHz, they are installing an avalanche photo diode with an active quenching circuit which they expect to respond linearly to count rates in excess of 10 MHz. They have improved the enclosure for STXM to improve the stability of the Helium atmosphere while taking data. This reduces fluctuations of beam absorption and, therefore, noise in the image. A fast shutter has been installed in the beam line. The authors are also developing a cryo-STXM which is designed for imaging frozen hydrated samples at temperatures below 120 K. At low temperatures, radiation sensitive samples can tolerate a considerably higher radiation dose than at room temperature. This should improve the resolution obtainable from biological samples and should make recording of multiple images of the same sample area possible while minimizing the effects of radiation damage. This should enable them to perform elemental and chemical mapping at high resolution, and to record the large number of views needed for 3D reconstruction of the object.
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-89ER60858
- OSTI ID:
- 220781
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950793-; ISBN 0-8194-1875-7; TRN: IM9620%%175
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 40. annual meeting of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers, San Diego, CA (United States), 9-14 Jul 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of X-ray microbeam technology and applications; Yun, W. [ed.] [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source]; PB: 249 p.; Proceedings/SPIE, Volume 2516
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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