Real Time Observation of X-ray-Induced Surface Modification Using Simultaneous XANES and XEOL-XANES

In experiments preliminary to the design of an X-ray-excited optical luminescence (XEOL)-based chemical mapping tool we have used X-ray micro (4.5 X 5.2 mu m) and macro (1 X 6 mm) beams with similar total fluxes to assess the effects of a high flux density beam of X-rays at energies close to an absorption edge on inorganic surfaces in air. The near surface composition of corroded cupreous alloys was analyzed using parallel X-ray and optical photoemission channels to collect X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) data at the Cu K edge. The X-ray fluorescence channel is characteristic of the composition averages over several micrometers into the surface, whereas the optical channel is surface specific to about 200 nm. While the X-ray fluorescence data were mostly insensitive to the X-ray dose, the XEOL-XANES data from the rnicrobeam showed significant dose-dependent changes to the superficial region, including surface cleaning, changes in the oxidation state of the copper, and destruction of surface compounds responsible for pre-edge fluorescence or phosphorescence in the visible. In one case, there was evidence that the lead phase in a bronze had melted. Conversely, data from the macrobeam were stable over several hours. Apart from localized heating effects, the microbeam damage is probably associated with the O-3 loading of the surface and increased reaction rate with atmospheric water vapor.