Log spiral of revolution highly oriented pyrolytic graphite monochromator for fluorescence x-ray absorption edge fine structure

We have constructed an x-ray monochromator based on a log spiral of revolution covered with highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. Such a monochromator is used for obtaining x-ray absorption edge fine structure by the fluorescence method, and is particularly useful for measuring the fine structure of dilute element A in a concentrated matrix of element B, where B is to the left of A in the Periodic Table. Using the log spiral monochromator, we measure good Cr x-ray fine structure in an alloy of 1% Cr in a V matrix, whereas the corresponding spectrum is severely distorted by the V background if nonmonochromatized fluorescence is used. We also obtain excellent rejection of Mn fluorescence relative to Cr fluorescence in a Cr80Mn20 alloy, and can tune the monochromator such that the entire Mn step height is significantly smaller than the Cr x-ray absorption edge fine structure oscillations for this system. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(00)04109-5].