Quartz-based flat-crystal resonant inelastic x-ray scattering spectrometer with sub-10 meV energy resolution

Journal Article · 31 January 2018 · Scientific Reports

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-20396-z · OSTI ID:1426719

Kim, Jungho ^[1]; Casa, D. ^[1]; Said, Ayman ^[1]; Krakora, Rich ^[1]; Kim, B. J. ^[2]; Kasman, Elina ^[1]; Huang, Xianrong ^[1]; Gog, T. ^[1]

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1. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
2. Pohang Univ. of Science and Technology (POSTECH) (Korea, Republic of). Dept. of Physics; Inst. for Basic Science (IBS), Pohang (Korea, Republic of). Center for Artificial Low Dimensional Electronic Systems; Max Planck Inst. for Solid State Research, Stuttgart (Germany)

Continued improvement of the energy resolution of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) spectrometers is crucial for fulfilling the potential of this technique in the study of electron dynamics in materials of fundamental and technological importance. In particular, RIXS is the only alternative tool to inelastic neutron scattering capable of providing fully momentum resolved information on dynamic spin structures of magnetic materials, but is limited to systems whose magnetic excitation energy scales are comparable to the energy resolution. The state-of-the-art spherical diced crystal analyzer optics provides energy resolution as good as 25 meV but has already reached its theoretical limit. For this study, we demonstrate a novel sub-10 meV RIXS spectrometer based on flat-crystal optics at the Ir-L3 absorption edge (11.215 keV) that achieves an analyzer energy resolution of 3.9 meV, very close to the theoretical value of 3.7 meV. In addition, the new spectrometer allows efficient polarization analysis without loss of energy resolution. The performance of the instrument is emonstrated using longitudinal acoustical and optical phonons in diamond, and magnon in Sr₃Ir₂O₇. The novel sub-10 meV RIXS spectrometer thus provides a window into magnetic materials with small energy scales.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities Division
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1426719
• Journal Information: Scientific Reports, Vol. 8, Issue 1; ISSN 2045-2322
• Publisher: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English