X-ray Raman scattering at ID20: an exciting tool for the study of soft x-ray absorption edges under extreme conditions - Christoph Sahle

Christoph Sahle - ESRF (Grenoble)

Mardi 15 mars 2016 à 10 h 30
IMPMC - Université P. et M. Curie - 4, Place Jussieu - 75005 Paris

Salle de Conférence - Barre 22-23 - 4e étage - Salle 401

Abstract

Unraveling the electronic and local atomic structure of disordered matter, such as liquids and glasses, poses significant challenges. X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been tremendously useful in case the atoms in question exhibit absorption edges in the hard xray regime. However, the highly absorbing sample environments used to create extreme conditions render the investigation of absorption edges of light elements impossible. Nonresonant inelastic x-ray scattering from core electrons, or x-ray Raman scattering (XRS), uses hard x-rays and thus enables one to study these edges of low-Z elements contained in highly absorbing sample environments.

In this talk, I will present the new end-station for XRS at ID20 of the ESRF, background information and most recent developments of the technique and, especially, examples of how we use XRS to study the local structure of low-Z element containing samples. In particular, we will explore the local atomic structure of water at high temperature and pressure conditions, the local structure of water in aqueous osmolyte solutions, and the high-to-low-spin transition in siderite.