Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

We propose to install a state-of-the-art tender X-ray emission spectrometer (XES) in the energy region of 2-2.5 keV with additional capabilities at energies up to 7 keV at the Soft X-ray Micro-characterization Beamline of the Canadian Light Source. This is a Rowland circle based custom design driven by research activities of the Soochow-Western Centre for Synchrotron Radiation Research at Western as well as demand for high energy resolution tender X-ray emission spectroscopy by CLS users. The spectrometer provides an energy resolution of 1 eV for the detection of K alpha, beta X-rays from P and S and is equipped with a glove box. The design has gone through several iterations between the SXRMB team and the ""easyXAFS"" company, and is optimized for beam line optics, sampling environment and hutch space. The glove box enclosure for atmosphere control is an innovation for tender X-ray XES. Western users design new materials for energy devices, such as Li ion battery, Na ion battery, fuel cell, solar cell, catalysis and light emission device, as well as drug delivery, biomaterials, and more. By tracking the chemical environment of the element of interest in the materials and its functionality (e.g. electrode) in a device with X-ray spectroscopy (absorption, emission and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering) and correlating the results with corresponding performance ex situ and in situ, will help optimize the design. Thus in situ, in operando measurements are the key experiments to unravel the role an element such as S or P plays during device operation. In short, the XES allows us to follow the chemical behavior of an element in a device, e.g. during charging and discharging cycles of a battery. We are interested in P and S because their role are critical to device performance as S and P are key elements in many projects under pursuit, such as Li and Na-S battery, Li and Na-P battery, solid state electrolyte, solar cells, light emitting materials, nano ceramic carrier for drug delivery, etc. S and P exhibit a wide range of oxidation states that can be tracked by the chemical shift of the their absorption and emission energy, which can vary as much as 8 eV between low and high oxidation states. A high energy resolution X-ray emission spectrometer (e.g. 1 eV) can effectively track the chemical environment of the element in situ, in operando. The XES is also capable of detecting K alpha X-ray fluorescence from important first row transition metals such Mn, Fe, Co and Ni, the major ingredients in the modern day Li ion battery; they are also key ingredients in non-precious metal catalyst, bio-molecular complexes and magnetic materials. Tracking the S and P local environment is also important in biomaterials, environment sciences, organic light emitting device, electronic materials and agriculture relevant to the CLS community. This spectrometer will also provide opportunities for studies of energy transfer dynamics at resonance.