Synchrotron Radiation Based Techniques for Materials and Environmental Research

Fri., Oct. 25, 2013 3:30 p.m. - Fri., Oct. 25, 2013 4:30 p.m.

Location: CL 305

Because of its properties, especially the continuous spectrum reaching form the far infrared to the hard X-ray range and its intensity that is in most case several orders of magnitude higher than from corresponding conventional source, synchrotron light offers tremendous new opportunities for research in a broad range of areas from gasphase spectroscopy in the infrared range to biomedical imaging in the hard X-ray range. “Standard” techniques such as IR-micro-spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction, for example, can be used with significantly improved properties regarding spatial and/or time resolution and detection limit. New techniques such as element specific tomography and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) offer completely new insights into the electronic and geometric structure of matter.

After a short general overview over the properties of synchrotron radiation, this talk will focus on the Canadian Light Source (CLS) and the various techniques that are available at the CLS with an emphasis on techniques using X-rays. Some examples from materials (e.g. metallic nanoparticles and colored window glasses from medieval churches) and environmental research (e.g. Phytoremediation) using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), will highlight some of the specific advantages; XAS is element specific, non destructive, extremely sensitive (ppm-range), it does not require long range order, allows investigations of sample in all phases and a quantitative analysis of the spectra and because of the penetrating strength of X-rays also time resolved in situ investigations of biological/chemical processes and reactions.

Speaker: Dr. Josef Hormes, Director, Canadian Light Source