Electron-yield x-ray absorption spectroscopy with gas microstrip detectors

It is shown that gas microstrip detectors developed for high-energy physics applications afford a considerable improvement of the surface sensitivity of electron-yield x-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy at ambient pressures. Data with excellent signal-to-noise characteristics can be collected using photon fluxes typical of bremsstrahlung x-ray sources and of synchrotron storage rings operating with reduced (“single bunch”) currents. Possible applications for this detection technology are discussed.