Articles you may be interested inCCD camera as feasible large-area-size x-ray detector for x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and imaging Review of Scientific Instruments 88, 063703 (2017) (Received 25 April 2017; accepted 6 July 2017; published online 27 July 2017) X-ray emission spectroscopy is emerging as an important complement to x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, providing a characterization of the occupied electronic density of states local to the species of interest. Here, we present details of the design and performance of a compact x-ray emission spectrometer that uses a dispersive refocusing Rowland (DRR) circle geometry to achieve excellent performance for the 2-2.5 keV range, i.e., especially for the K-edge emission from sulfur and phosphorous. The DRR approach allows high energy resolution even for unfocused x-ray sources. This property enables high count rates in laboratory studies, approaching those of insertion-device beamlines at third-generation synchrotrons, despite use of only a low-powered, conventional x-ray tube. The spectrometer, whose overall scale is set by use of a 10-cm diameter Rowland circle and a new small-pixel complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor x-ray camera, is easily portable to synchrotron or x-ray free electron laser beamlines. Photometrics from measurements at the Advanced Light Source show excellent overall instrumental efficiency. In addition, the compact size of this instrument lends itself to future multiplexing to gain large factors in net collection efficiency or its implementationincontrolledgasgloveboxeseitherinthelaborinanendstation.

CmIII, AmIII, and AcIII have been characterized by solution L3-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy as a function of nitric acid concentration. This enabled the first experimental determination of Cm and Ac nitrate distances.