New opportunities in XAFS investigation in the 1–2 keV region

Abstract

We report herein the first of a series of K-edge XAFS (x-ray absorption fine structure) spectra of some selected Mg, Al and Si model compounds in the 1–2 keV region using a newly developed YB 66 monochromator. These elements have K-edges in the 1–2 keV region (Mg: 1303 eV; Al: 1559 and Si: 1839 eV), and have hithertofore often been regarded as relatively spectroscopic silent, both because of the difficulties associated with obtaining XAFS data, due to a lack of synchrotron radiation-stable monochromator, and because there are few other readily available spectroscopic probes of local structure for these elements. The present data clearly show that the K-edge spectra are sensitive probes of the chemical nature of these elements. We forsee that XAFS will provide a valuable spectroscopic probe for these and other elements in a variety of technological, biological and environmentally relevant materials.