SOFT-X-RAY SPECTROMICROSCOPY DEVELOPMENT FOR MATERIALS SCIENCE AT THEADVANCED LIGHT-SOURCE

Several third generation synchrotron radiation facilities are now oper ational, and the high brightness of these photon sources offers new op portunities for X-ray microscopy. Well developed synchrotron radiation spectroscopy techniques are being applied in new instruments capable of imaging the surface of a material with a spatial resolution smaller than 1 mu m. There are two aspects to this. One is to further the fie ld of surface science by exploring the effects of spatial variations a cross a surface on a scale not previously accessible to X-ray measurem ents. The other is to open up new analytical techniques in materials s cience using X-rays on a spatial scale comparable with that of the pro cesses or devices to be studied. The development of the spectromicrosc opy program at the Advanced Light Source will employ a variety of inst ruments, some of which are already operational. Their development and use will be discussed, and recent results will be presented to illustr ate their capabilities. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.