Ultra-bright x-ray coherent diffraction facility

The facility consists of a FR-E+ Super Bright x-ray generator (Rigaku, Japan) equipped with a 9 kW refrigeration chiller. ASTIX two-dimensional “side-by-side” x-ray optics (AXO Dresden, Germany, Fig. 2) made of two parabolic multilayer mirrors preliminary monochromatizes the x-ray beam. It also converts a divergent beam from the 100 (or 70) micron source to a parallel beam of approximately 1.5x1.5 mm cross-section size. The beam enters a triple-axis ultra-high angular resolution (0.01 arc. sec.) diffractometer, which is installed on an adjustable vibration-isolated table. The beam is further monochromatized and collimated to produce a coherent x-ray beam of spectral brightness that is on par with a second generation 2.5 GeV synchrotron, that is of approximately 10¹³ photons/s/mm²/mrad²/(0.1% bandwidth) at Cu_α1 radiation energy.

The facility can produce diffraction images of nanostructures with spatial resolution of better than 5 nm. For information about research projects conducted at the facility see “Fundamental X-ray Physics and 3D Imaging of Nanoparticles”.

Further inquiries: Associate Professor Andrei Nikulin.