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SPEAR     

Please note:  wafer level TXRF measurements are no longer available, details on TXRF Home Page.


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SPEAR is the synchrotron storage ring used at SLAC to supply energetic electrons to the linear accelerator.  Originally, the parasitic radiation that came from accelerated electrons was considered a nuisance until the potential for high energy x-ray experiments was realized.  Since the accelerated electrons move at relativistic velocities, a highly directional and polarized beam of x-rays is emitted in the plane of the synchrotron.  Experimenters recognized that these x-rays also spanned a broad spectrum of energies  allowing for precise energy tuning using monochromators.  These desirable traits lead to the development of beamlines where x-rays are used for numerous experiments that are not possible with conventional x-ray tubes.

Shown below is a schematic of a typical synchrotron facility.

 

Synchrotron radiation is used in our experiment as it provide a higher photon flux than conventional x-ray sources, and since the radiation is highly tunable.  This has allowed us to achieve extremely low detection limits that are unmatched by conventional TXRF setups.

 
 
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Last modified: January 26, 2007