NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN XAFS INVESTIGATION IN THE 1-2-KEV REGION

We report herein the first of a series of K-edge XAFS (x-ray absorptio n fine structure) spectra of some selected Mg, Al and Si model compoun ds in the 1-2 keV region using a newly developed YB66 monochromator. T hese elements have K-edges in the 1-2 keV region (Mg: 1303 eV; Al: 155 9 and Si: 1839 eV), and have hitertofore often been regarded as relati vely spectroscopic silent, both because of the difficulties associated with obtaining XAFS data, due to a lack of synchroton radiation-stabl e monochromator, and because there are few other readily available spe ctroscopic probes of local structure for these elements. The present d ata clearly show that the K-edge spectra are sensitive probes of the c hemical nature of these elements. We forsee that XAFS will provide a v aluable spectroscopic probe for these and other elements in a variety of technological, biological and environmentally relevant materials.