AN ENERGY-DISPERSIVE X-RAY-ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY BEAMLINE, X6A, AT NSLS

An energy dispersive x-ray absorption spectroscopy instrument has been built at the X6A beam port of the x-ray ring at the National Synchrot ron Light Source (NSLS). This instrument allows the collection of exte nded x-ray-absorption fine structure and/or x-ray absorption near-edge structure spectra for many elements on the millisecond time scale. Th e beamline employs a four-point crystal bender and a rectangular Si 22 0 crystal to access incident energies between 6.5 and 21 keV. Because the polychromator focuses the synchrotron beam to a narrow 100-mum lin e, this experimental apparatus is ideal for x-ray absorption spectrosc opy experiments in special environments such as at high pressures, for in situ experiments, and/or for very small samples. In this manuscrip t we will describe the instrument design and present data with which t o evaluate the instrument. This beamline is available through the NSLS user proposal system.