X-ray microscopy: A novel, low damage approach to core excitation spectroscopy at high spatial resolution

Abstract

Only recently has transmission x-ray microscopy been utilized for chemical analysis from small spots and chemical mapping via near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. NEXAFS microscopy is analogous to Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) in an electron microscope. Particularly in imaging mode, NEXAFS microscopy requires a considerable lower dose than EELS microscopy which makes it very suitable to studying radiation sensitive materials such as polymers. In addition, NEXAFS microscopy can exploit the dependence of x-ray absorption resonances on the bond orientation relative to the linearly polarized x rays (linear dichroism microscopy) and determine the orientation of specific chemical bonds in (partially) orientated materials.