1. SRC USERS MEETING AND WORKSHOP

The program for the 1998 SRC Users Meeting on Friday, Oct. 23 is taking shape. Last minute suggestions can be sent to Cliff Olson

This year's SRC Workshop is on Spectromicroscopy, chaired by Gelsomina "Pupa" De Stasio. It starts Friday evening, Oct. 23 and continues on to Sunday, Oct. 25 with twenty international experts presenting spectromicroscopy techniques and their use in chemical imaging of materials, cells, plus applications in environmental chemistry. Examples are boron incorporation for neutron capture therapy of tumors, malaria infection, DNA repair, the chemical state of metal contaminants in soil and roots, and carbon in fossil wood, polymers and human bones.

Up-to-date information is available in the News section of the SRC Web page at

http://www.src.wisc.edu/news/usermeeting/default.html .

2. ALADDIN LAMP AWARD NOMINATIONS DUE SEPTEMBER 15

The Aladdin Lamp Award is awarded annually for the best student thesis performed at the SRC. The '98 award will be presented at the Users Meeting on Friday Oct. 23. A complete application consists of:

1. A brief letter of nomination from the applicant’s advisor.
2. An extended abstract (4 page maximum, including figures), written by the applicant.
3. The applicant’s curriculum vitae including publications and works in progress.
4. Optional supporting material.

For further information and for submittal of the nomination contact:

Pam Layton, SRC
Aladdin Lamp Award
3731 Schneider Drive
Stoughton, WI 53589
Email Pam

3. EXTRA OPPORTUNITY FOR SUBMITTING BEAM TIME PROPOSALS: DUE AUG. 1

A second proposal submission date is being made available (Aug. 1, 1998), which provides an extra option for submitting beam time proposals in addition to the familiar spring date (Feb. 1). To reduce the load on PI's and reviewers, while maintaining flexibility in the scheduling, the duration of proposals will be extended from 12 to 18 months. Users who prefer the current system will be able to continue with the previous 1 year cycle.

A Beamtime Request form can be obtained on line from the SRC Web site at:

http://www.src.wisc.edu/currentusers/online_forms/
98_99_beamtime/default.html

It is also available as zipped Word file at that location. Request forms for the Scienta analyzer and the CMA chamber are availabe at:

http://www.src.wisc.edu/currentusers/online_forms/default.html

Submit proposals by Aug. 1, 1998 to:

Pam Layton, SRC
3731 Schneider Drive
Stoughton, WI 53589
Email Pam

4. WORD OF THE INFRARED BEAMLINE IS SPREADING

The infrared beamline at the SRC has been optimized in order to take dvantage of the unique properties of using a synchrotron as a source of infrared radiation. The extreme brightness of the beam compared to the standard glower source makes it ideal for studies of samples which are small in size or for high-resolution spatial mapping of samples. Word of these facilities at the SRC is getting around and several new applications, most employing the use of the infrared microscope, have recently been developed. One of these is the study of additive migration through a polymer film. Mapping studies across the microtomed film using a conventional source were previously diffraction limited to a slit aperture of about 20 micrometers. Measurements using a 4 micrometer aperture were easily obtained using the infrared beamline. Other examples include preliminary mapping of plaque material which builds up on the brain tissue of Alzheimer’s patients and surface studies of adsorbate monolayers on cadmium telluride wafers.

Coming in the not too distant future will be a branch line dedicated to far-infrared (below 400 cm-1, 25 micrometer) studies, combined with UV spectroscopy for surface analysis.

5. NEW BEAM LINES

The Canadian spherical grating monochromator (SGM) has seen its first light all the way through. The optical elements are installed and aligned and are currently undergoing a bakeout and conditioning. This new beam line operates in the photon energy range from 120 to 1000 eV with a resolving power of 4000. Initially, only one of the three planned gratings is installed, covering photon energies from 250 to 600 eV. Brian Yates and Greg Retzlaff from the Canadian group, together with Dan Wallace and Greg Rogers from the SRC have been working on this project and can be contacted for details.

A new undulator beam line for high-resolution spectroscopy of valence states is nearing its completion. Under the coordination of Greg Rogers, an electromagnetic undulator and the first part of the beamline were installed earlier this year, including two beam position monitors and a pinhole assembly. These diagnostics have been used to characterize the undulator and determine the position of the undulator beam. This work is now finished and soon the first optical component, a water cooled actively bent cylinder, will be put in place and tested. Recently, the high-resolution 4m normal incidence monochromator (NIM) arrived from McPherson. It has been mounted in its position and is currently being tested. This project is a joint, NSF-funded effort involving SRC and several users with Juan Carlos Campuzano (University of Illinois-Chicago) as Principal Investigator. The beam line covers the energy range from 6 to 50 eV with a resolving power up to 3 x 10^4, and throughput up to 3 x 10^11 photons/sec. The completed line will be turned over to users early in '99. A picture of the work in progress can be found on the SRC Web page at:

http://www.src.wisc.edu/highlights/monochromators/default.html

An extra grating has been ordered for the HERMON monochromator, which will extend its spectral capabilities to the very wide range from 63 to 1300 eV. It covers the sharpest core levels of all elements, which makes it particularly useful for spectromicroscopy and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) experiments. Expected delivery is Spring '99. For details contact Mark Bissen.