New soft X-ray facility SINS for surface and nanoscale science at SSLS

The first soft X-ray facility at the Singapore Synchrotron Light Source was built by FMB and commissioned in 2003. Dubbed SINS for surface, interface, and nanostructure science, it covers a photon energy range from 50 to 1200 eV. The photon beam can be set to left circular, right circular or linear polarization by changing the pitch and vertical position of the vertical focusing mirror of the prefocusing optics. The typical resolution (E/Delta E) and flux are about 1000 at 10(10) photons/s or exceeding 4000 at 10(8) photons/s in a spot of about 1.5 mm x 0.2 nun on the sample. The performance of the beamline was measured using gas photoionization spectra of Ar, He, Kr, and N-2 as well as an XMCD spectrum of a Ni sample. From the Ni XMCD signal, calculation shows that the degree of circular polarization can reach 95% at 850 eV photon energy. The end-station is presently equipped with a hemispherical electron energy analyzer and typical surface science diagnostics including LEED and ion sputtering. Upgrading with an in situ STM/AFM and a growth chamber is underway which will make SINS a unique tool for in situ surface and nanoscale science studies. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.