Development of advanced x-ray spectrometer

X-ray absorption and X-ray emission spectroscopy (XAS/XES) are important techniques that provide the electronic and molecular information needed to advance major research initiatives such as high power density batteries or catalyst development (for applications such as carbon dioxide removal). Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has developed a novel, compact spectrometer that enables far greater efficiency by acquiring multiple spectra simultaneously and a larger solid angle of collection than conventional approaches. This spectrometer could benefit a large number of synchrotron beamlines and would make a powerful laboratory tool, but requires a technology transfer to an experienced manufacturer that can assemble the spectrometers at a larger scale and work with ANL to improve the spectrometerĺs usability. The goal of Phase I is to perform a technology transfer from ANL to Sigray. Sigray is a leader in commercial x-ray systems with specific expertise in facilitating synchrotron technologies to widespread, worldwide adoption by developing them into usable and laboratory-based techniques. In Phase I, ANL will teach Sigray how to manufacture the first generation of the spectrometer. Sigray will then integrate this spectrometer into a laboratory breadboard system that will serve to: 1) baseline the spectrometer in a laboratory tool for faster iterations of future improvements and 2) serve as a prototype for a laboratory XES tool. The final products of Phase I will include a negotiated licensing agreement for the technology and a Phase I report, which will detail how the Phase I learnings will inform the Phase II mechanical design of a final commercial product. The transferred spectrometer will be commercialized both as a component sold directly to synchrotron beamlines and integrated into a dedicated laboratory x-ray emission spectrometer (XES). Use of the spectrometer in both synchrotron and laboratory XAS/XES will provide economic, social, and technical benefits including: Accelerating the critical research that XAS and XES are critical for, including development of high efficiency catalysts and of new high power density battery concepts. Furthering the emergence of XES as a workhorse technique. XES has more recently gained traction due to significantly improved theoretical understanding and development in modeling XES spectra. However, work remains on establishing libraries of standards, and more XES systems (both synchrotron and laboratory) will greatly benefit these efforts.