Given the continuous growth rate of the electronic industry, tech companies depend on mining and extracting precious metals (PM) to meet the public demand generating an alarming amount of electronic waste (e-waste).1, 2 Ironically, e-wastes such as printed circuit boards contain more precious metals than mined ores. Despite the fact, four-fifths of the waste still ends up in landfills due to...
Neutron Capture Enhanced Particle Therapy (NCEPT) is a novel adjunct to particle therapy that increases its efficacy by using tumour-specific neutron-capture agents (NCA) to capture internally generated thermal neutrons and increase the dose to the target site. Ideally a NCA would have high accumulation and homogenous distribution throughout the tumour. Therefore, the aim of this study was to...
The Australian Synchrotron can host many different beamlines and there are still many possibilities for new beamlines to be added. This poster reports potential fluxes, photon energy resolutions and harmonic content for a collimated light Plane Grating Monochromator (PGM) optimized over the range 25 eV to 1000 eV to be placed on a bending magnet source. This poster is intended to give one...
With increased interest in Sn-Bi based low temperature solder alloys in electronic packaging industries, understanding the changes of the microstructure during heating is essential for improving reliability and enabling wider application. In this study, in-situ heating synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) was adopted to investigate the change in lattice parameters of the Sn and Bi...
Extreme ultraviolet interference lithography (EUV-IL) is a conceptually simple and experimentally powerful method for patterning periodic nanostructures. EUV-IL using synchrotron radiation has recently emerged as a powerful tool for understanding the challenges involved with transitioning from 13.5 nm to 6.x nm wavelength sources [1,2].
At the ANSTO Australian Synchrotron, a new EUV-IL...
The infrared synchrotron beam has a unique fork shaped intensity distribution with a spectrum ranging from near infrared (~1 µm) to far infrared (~ 13 µm). All of the spectroscopy and molecular fingerprinting measurements are carried out in the mid to far infrared (NIR) region. Further, the presence of NIR beam reduces the signal to noise ratio by nearly four times. Consequently, a high pass...
Niobium doping of TiO$_2$ creates a conductive material with possible applications in, for example, energy storage, hydrogen production, and catalysis. When TiO2 is precipitated from HCl solutions containing minor Nb, the Nb in solution is quantitatively deposited with the TiO$_2$. Here, we investigate the structure of Nb doped in anatase and rutile produced from ilmenite digested in...
The integral components of natural systems like the human body are often chiral, as evident in the helical nature of DNA strands and the right-handed bias of glucose and related sugars. However, the same is not always true in the field of supramolecular chemistry. Though the spontaneous resolution of chirality is possible, it is more often the case that chirality is imparted on a...
Unconventional topological spin structures such as chiral spin systems offer a plethora of fascinating phenomena for fundamental research and future technological applications. Cu2OSeO3 is an insulating multiferroic material that was shown to host skyrmions under specific conditions. It possesses a 3D Kagome lattice of Cu2+ sites, such that a triangular network lattice connects the magnetic...
Determination of molecular orientation using linearly polarised Fourier transform infrared (p-FTIR) spectroscopy has been an established method for decades. However, the accuracy of the orientational information obtained when using the traditional approach based on an orthogonal pair of polarisation angles, relies largely on a good understanding of the orientation of molecules within the...
Conventional X-ray imaging non-invasively maps dense objects, likes bones, in an image. Dark-field x-ray imaging is an emerging technique which instead maps scattering from microstructures that are too small to individually resolve in an image. The phase-shifts from these structures can be collectively modelled as a scattering of the x-ray beam that smooths out local intensity variation in an...
Computed tomography (CT) is unique in that it can provide imaging of regional lung function in a non-invasive manner. This can be combined with phase contrast x-ray imaging (PCXI) which creates high contrast x-ray lung images to provide dynamic 3D full lung x-ray images. From these images we can use 4D x-ray velocimetry (4DXV) to produce measures of regional lung ventilation. Our goal is to...
The effects of terahertz (THz) radiation on biological systems is the subject of ongoing investigation, particularly in light of the increasing frequencies being employed in 5G and beyond technololgies. The THz/Far-IR Beamline is ideally suited to explore possible non-thermal effects. The beamline output is stable over many days with an intensity of approx. 1 μW/cm. This level of incident...
A technique that extends the capabilities of attenuated total reflection (ATR) apparatus to an additional partial reflection/partial transmission mode is explored, using water and water based biological tissues as samples at terahertz radiation frequencies (THz). The method uses synchrotron radiation and a diamond crystal in the ATR apparatus to track the temperature dependent changes in...
A targeted investigation of the FeSn6 intermetallic clusters present in FeFe3SiSnO16 and how they factor into the stability of the perfectly isotropic 2D Kagomé lattice present therein.
There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that treatments using certain types of Electromagnetic fields (EMF) aid the heading of surface wounds and skin lesions, promote bone regeneration after fractures and reduce pain and swelling after surgery. The underlying molecular mechanisms by which exposure to EMF induces these favorable medical outcomes are not yet understood. Of the possible...
X-ray imaging is a useful investigative and diagnostic technique. Recent technological advancements in x-ray imaging have led to the development of Phase Contrast X-ray Imaging (PCXI) techniques which can revolutionise current medical research as well as have future use in clinical imaging. Paired with 4D X-ray Velocimetry (4DXV) it allows for non-invasive assessment of regional lung...
Cast Mg-Si alloys are promising hydrogen storage and transportation media for renewable energy systems due to their low cost, light weight, and non-toxic properties. Phase evolution of Mg-1Si (wt.%) during the hydrogen desorption after the initial absorption was investigated using in-situ synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) at the Australian Synchrotron Powder Diffraction beamline. The...
Terahertz (THz) communication systems are becoming desirable by the availability of extreme bandwidths. Currently, there is limited research on the biological impacts of THz. An adequate water balance (75%-80%) is the main constituent of a healthy cornea; even a minor 10% of water violations may result in pathological conditions. Water illustrates high absorption /reflection coefficient values...
Records of past fire frequency are preserved in cave stalagmites when soluble ash products are transported from the surface into the cave. Recent research indicates that fracturing of limestone after intense heating and cooling caused by fire events may result in an increase in organic material (OM) flushed into cave environments. The character and source of this OM are yet to be investigated....
The Toroidal Analyser for Angle Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy is now well embedded in the user program at the Soft X-ray Beamline at the Australian Synchrotron. Since its initial commissioning, several upgrades to the instrument have been completed. An overview of these developments are outlined. Firstly, a docking station for vacuum "suitcases" has been installed, allowing vacuum...
Non-destructive 3D X-ray tomography imaging is an important technique for sample characterization in a variety of research domains such as for many biological and materials-science applications, as it can reveal intricate internal details without damaging the sample. The Micro-Computed Tomography (MCT) beamline, the first new beamline of the BRIGHT program to be constructed at the Australian...
The development of new and more energy efficient catalytic processes capable of replacing large scale industrial processes is essential to the reduction of greenhouse gasses over the coming decades. To achieve the goal of a greener society not only do these processes need to be revised but a reduction in the waste already present in our environment must also occur. The use of gallium and...
Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3DAM printing is an active field of research in medical radiation physics. Creating patient-specific devices to improve current radiotherapy practice is highly desired. MeV X-ray and keV X-ray radiation interaction processes can differ significantly, hence it is essential to understand the physical and attenuation properties of these AM materials. The...
High-volume semiconductor device manufacturing has recently adopted lithography technology based on extreme ultraviolet radiation of wavelength 13.5 nm. A transition to 6.x nm wavelength sources is anticipated during the next decade to keep pace with the demand for device scaling predicted by Moore’s Law. However, there are many challenges that must be overcome as critical dimensions...
This poster will highlight some resent upgrades to the Kowari residual strain scanner. These include the addition of an oscillation system for the radial collimators on the detector side and the implementation of a 90° tilt stage to allow for non-manual collection of the three orthogonal stain measurements required for stress measurement. In addition, some future upgrades will also be detailed.
Chirality, a universal phenomenon, is an intrinsic part of human life. Many major and essential components of a living body including amino acids, sugars, polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids are fundamentally made up of optically active components. It is a well-established fact that the separation of these enantiomers is quite difficult owing to their similar physical and chemical...
This presentation gives an overview of the high throughput NEXAFS system on the SXR beamline and describes how easy it is to run mail-in remote experiments on this system. Over the last few years the SXR beamline team have worked towards making this system more functional for mail-in samples, we will here discuss benefits of running the system in this mode.
The MCT beamline is designed for high throughput micro computed tomography imaging using different beam modes, experimental configurations along with step-and-shoot and on-the-fly imaging modalities. In order for MCT to achieve its goals of high-speed imaging and CT down to sub-micron resolution, state-of-the-art data acquisition, processing, visualisation and analysis systems are...
The application of pressure on crystalline systems has been shown to induce significant structural changes. The ongoing development of diamond anvil cells (DACs) has allowed the study of single crystal systems under high pressure through X-ray diffraction.
In collaboration with Prof. Stephen Moggach at the University of Western Australia, the MX beamline team have developed capability for...
The Australian synchrotron has two infrared microspectroscopy systems: online system with synchrotron infrared source and an offline system with a globar source. The infrared synchrotron beam has a unique fork shaped intensity distribution which demands tight focusing (36×) at the sample plane followed by a pixel-by-pixel scanning approach to record 2D image of the sample. The offline system,...
A recent upgrade of the data collection capabilities at the XAS beamline now gives users the ability to run their scans in a new, extremely fast way that we call “slew scanning”.
In this mode the scan is triggered once by software, and then synchronous acquisition is executed by hardware, thus increasing the speed of collection.
The new and intuitive user interface rolled out to enable these...
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are functional lipid bi-layer enclosed nanoparticles secreted by cells and involved in intercellular communications, and disease progression. EVs have therapeutic potential as drug delivery vehicles, and diagnostic potential as a source of biomarkers. EVs are heterogenous in their morphology both in terms of EV and non-EV nanoparticles, making isolation and...
Our understanding of fire regimes is largely limited to the satellite era. Being able to reconstruct past fire frequency and severity in the pre-satellite era, as well as climate pre-cursors, would greatly extend our knowledge of past fire regimes, and increase our understanding of ecosystem resilience and human relationships to fire. This knowledge would better inform how fire regimes might...
Fluorophores that emit in an aggregated state are useful for many applications, including biosensors, chemosensors and optoelectronic devices. A new class of zwitterionic organic molecules studied show high quantum yields in the solid-state, as well as reversible changes in emission spectra when subjected to anisotropic force. Two representative molecules show quantum yields ranging from 51 to...
While malaria has been eradicated in first-world countries it continues to be a pandemic for hundreds of millions of people worldwide; impacting on health systems, economies and countless of individual lives. Plasmodium knowlesi is a species of malaria parasite prevalent throughout southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa and can cause severe infection including death. Although synchrotron FTIR...
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne Neglected tropical diseases (NTD) associated with a spectrum of clinical manifestations and now endemic in over 90 tropical and subtropical low socioeconomic countries. Current diagnosis for this disease involves serological assessment of infected tissue by either light microscopy, antibody tests or culturing via in vitro inoculation or in vivo animal...
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are highly porous and tuneable solid-state materials formed from metal nodes connected by organic linkers. MOFs can accommodate additional metal centres by post synthetic metalation (PSMet). The natural crystallinity of MOFs and their ability to undergo PSMet makes them great isolation matrixes to study metal complexes, potentially in unusual coordination...
Cement is used in a wellbore to isolate the formation fluids from the adjacent geologic regions. However, the interfaces between cement and casing as well as cement and formation can develop into leakage conduits in the form of microannuli. The formation of microannuli is a result of poor bonding which can be related to differential stress exerted on wellbore system due to the changes in...
X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a common diagnostic tool for lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Australia. Clinical CTs derive contrast from differences in the attenuation of X-rays by various biological tissues, meaning there is poor contrast seen from the weakly-attenuating lungs. Novel X-ray phase-contrast imaging techniques, currently best realised at a...
Speckle-based phase-contrast X-ray imaging (SB-PCXI) is capable of reconstructing sample information below the imaging system’s spatial resolution. Since its realisation in 2012 [1,2], there has been significant development in the experimental implementation and theoretical formalism of SB-PCXI. We have been investigating how the concept of “local energy conservation” can be used to...
Planetary analogue simulants are materials, terrestrial in origin and often mixtures of minerals, which are designed to be spectrally and compositionally identical to the materials we observe on other planets. Both ESA and NASA produce and curate simulant materials for various planetary bodies. In the coming years, there are a number of sample return missions scheduled and interest in...
To unlock the potential of electrochemical reduction of waste CO2 emissions (CO2RR) to facilitate decarbonisation efforts, we have developed a series of single-atom catalysts, incorporating inexpensive Ni. Our preliminary mechanistic investigations reveal that changing coordination environment can affect both catalytic activity and tolerance towards impurities in flue gas. In situ x-ray...
Treatment planning for synchrotron radiotherapy is a complex and time-consuming task, but it has been simplified with the Eclipse Treatment Planning System (TPS) (Varian Medical Systems). In this work, we present the first use of Eclipse for the planning and delivery of multi-modal, multi-fraction, and multi-port synchrotron radiotherapy treatments.
Tumour cells were implanted into the...
The X-ray fluorescence microscopy beamline (XFM) at the Australian Synchrotron saw first light in 2008 and has been serving a diverse user research community since. XFM was delivered with a unique horizontal-bounce double crystal monochromator (DCM) at the heart of its design. Several major upgrades to the X-ray fluorescence detection and scanning microprobe instrumentation have been made....
Viruses form extensive interfaces with host proteins to modulate host biology. The interfaces are typically formed by multifunctional viral proteins with diverse arrays of cellular proteins and are conventionally viewed as discrete protein-protein complexes. However, the sheer size/complexity of the interactomes challenges this view. Here, we aim to use an array of structural biology...
The 114-compound material of YBaCo$ _{4} $O$ _{7} $ is a mixed cobalt valence system that exists in a hexagonal arrangement (space group P 6$ _{3}$mc), which exhibits interesting physical properties such as magnetism and oxygenation absorption. Cobalt tetrahedra in the 6c position are in a Kagome arrangement which is the source of the magnetic frustration seen in this system. The Co 2a...
Due to its unusual mix of electrical conductivity, large surface area, and good dispersibility in a variety of liquids, the 2D nanomaterial MXene recently gained enormous attention. In order to create functional macro structures from nanomaterials, a few solution processing techniques, including as wet-spinning, coating, printing, and freeze casting, are favoured because to their superior...
In a biosensing device, the sensing performance is governed by the biotic/abiotic interface, where the biorecognition element (BRE) needs to interact with both the abiotic transducer and the target of interest to trigger the desired response. The morphology of the BRE at the biotic/abiotic surface is a result of numerous interactions that strongly influence which conformation the BRE will...
Frying chips on IMBL
As part of the newly founded Australian National Space Qualification Network (NSQN). ANSTO is building several capabilities to test and qualify electronic systems destined to fly on space craft.
The radiation environment in space is highly varied in species and energy, all potentially damaging to electronics. By using IMBL on the Australian Synchrotron along...
