An IAEA multi‐technique X‐ray spectrometry endstation at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste: benchmarking results and interdisciplinary applications

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) jointly with the Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste (EST) operates a multipurpose X‐ray spectrometry endstation at the X‐ray Fluorescence beamline (10.1L). The facility has been available to external users since the beginning of 2015 through the peer‐review process of EST. Using this collaboration framework, the IAEA supports and promotes synchrotron‐radiation‐based research and training activities for various research groups from the IAEA Member States, especially those who have limited previous experience and resources to access a synchrotron radiation facility. This paper aims to provide a broad overview about various analytical capabilities, intrinsic features and performance figures of the IAEA X‐ray spectrometry endstation through the measured results. The IAEA–EST endstation works with monochromatic X‐rays in the energy range 3.7–14 keV for the Elettra storage ring operating at 2.0 or 2.4 GeV electron energy. It offers a combination of different advanced analytical probes, e.g. X‐ray reflectivity, X‐ray absorption fine‐structure measurements, grazing‐incidence X‐ray fluorescence measurements, using different excitation and detection geometries, and thereby supports a comprehensive characterization for different kinds of nanostructured and bulk materials. A broad overview of the various analytical capabilities, intrinsic features and performance figures of the IAEA X‐ray spectrometry endstation operated at the X‐ray Fluorescence beamline of Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste is given, and different applications are demonstrated to familiarize the user community with the applicable intersdisciplinary research.