| AVS 65th International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Actinides and Rare Earths Focus Topic | Thursday Sessions |
| Session AC+AS+SA-ThM |
| Session: | Nuclear Power, Forensics, and Other Applications |
| Presenter: | David Shuh, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory |
| Authors: | D.K. Shuh, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory A. Altman, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and UC Berkeley A.L.D. Kilcoyne, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory S.G. Minasian, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory J.I. Pacold, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory D.E. Smiles, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory T. Tyliszczak, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory D. Vine, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory L. He, Idaho National Laboratory J. Harp, Idaho National Laboratory M. Meyer, Idaho National Laboratory C. Degueldre, University of Lancaster, Switzerland |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Soft X-ray synchrotron radiation methodologies are being developed and employed at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) to elucidate the electronic structure of radioactive and actinide materials. Results from these investigations have begun to provide improved fundamental knowledge that can be used as a scientific basis for the enhanced design of actinide materials, complexes, ligands, and the overall understanding of actinide materials. The experimental developments at the ALS have centered on studies of radioactive materials with the soft X-ray scanning transmission X-ray microscope (STXM) at Beamline 11.0.2 for spatially-resolved near-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The spectromicroscopy capabilities of the STXM provide the means to determine the speciation and composition in a range of actinide materials, particularly those of technological and environmental interest with spatial resolution that can reach to the true nanoscale. A particular emphasis has been on the use of light atom (B, C, N, O, F, Na, Mg, Al, Si) ligand K–edge XAS technique to determine the electronic structure characteristics in an array of unique and relevant materials. Furthermore, there are a host of additional electron energy level thresholds (such as the L–edges of the transition metals, the M–edges of the lanthanides, and others) that can be probed by near-edge XAS in the soft X-rays.
Recently, STXM spectromicroscopy studies have been extended to focused ion beam (FIB) prepared radioactive and irradiated material specimens in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory. Future scientific developments and applications of soft X-ray spectromicroscopy investigations utilizing ptychography and in-operando methodologies will be discussed.