DEVELOPMENT OF X-RAY PHOTOEMISSION ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY (X-PEEM) AT THE SRS

The use of synchrotron radiation sources for X-ray spectroscopy is a w ell known and developed field. The majority of applications, however, have been limited to studies of materials containing only a single pha se of the element of interest. Owing to limited availability of suitab le instrumentation, the study of materials comprising intergrowths of different phases has presented difficulties in analysis. The majority of natural materials, including mineralogical samples, fall into this category. However, by applying the technique of photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) to view the X-ray stimulated photoemission generate d at an absorption edge, micro-area-selectable spectroscopy becomes po ssible. An instrument for X-ray PEEM (X-PEEM) is being developed at th e Daresbury SRS and this paper shows how it can be used to obtain char acteristic L-edge XANES spectra from finely intergrown iron oxide mine rals.