Labs and instruments

Nanospectroscopy

Nanospectroscopy beamline at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste

The study of nanostructured materials requires analytical methods that combine X-ray spectroscopy with electron microscopy. The Nanospectroscopy beamline at Elettra operates a state-of-the-art Spectroscopic Photoemission and Photoemission Electron Microscope (SPELEEM). This powerful instrument offers a wide range of complementary methods including low energy electron microscopy (LEEM) providing structural, chemical and magnetic sensitivity. The lateral resolution of the microscope currently approaches few tens nm.

Research applications are targeted to Surface and Materials Sciences, addressing issues related to chemical and magnetic characterization of surfaces, interfaces, thin films, and nanostructures.

Contact: Andrea Locatelli
Tel: +39 040 375 8703 (office) | +39 040 375 8308 (beamline)

Technical specifications

The microscope is served by a high photon flux beamline, which can deliver elliptically polarized photons in the range 50 eV to 1000 eV.

Sample environment

Overall, there are eight ports pointing at the sample, which sits in front of the objective lens. One horizontal port connects the main chamber to the beamline, another allows illumination of the sample with Hg-lamp.The sample temperature can be read through the objective lens using an optical pyrometer. The other six ports are generally used for e-beam evaporators (two inclined 45° from above, two 45° from below, one from top, one from bottom). The main chamber is pumped by a ion pump (300 l/s) coupled with a titanium sublimation pump, assuring a base pressure in the low 10^-10 mbar range. Alternatively a magnetic bearing turbo pump with vibration insulation can be used. In the latter configuration, the microscope can be operated using the main chamber as a gas flow reactor, up to a maximum pressure of 10^-6 mbar when the beamline is open. This value can be increased to 1·10-5 mbar when the microscope is isolated from the beamline (LEEM operation mode). Available facilities are a gas line with precision leak valves, e-beam evaporators, a quadrupole mass spectrometer, a magnetization stage, and a sample parking stage.

Detailed information can be found on the beamline’s main homepage.