Diamond Light Source is a world-class synchrotron facility that plays a critical role in advancing scientific research across various fields, including Heritage Science. With over 30 state-of-the-art instruments and microscopes, Diamond enables investigations into specimens ranging in size from tiny microfossils to large turbine blades. Synchrotron light, which is significantly brighter than conventional sources, allows researchers to probe deeper into materials, thus amplifying the chemical and spatial information. One of the key advantages of using synchrotron light is the ability to conduct non-destructive analysis, meaning samples may be examined as-is, leaving little to no impact after measurements. This is particularly valuable in Heritage Science where preservation of historical artefacts is paramount.
The Beamline Highlights below showcase the beamlines who are actively participating in the Harwell Heritage Network.
Capabilities: Imaging, spectroscopy, diffraction and scattering. Techniques: X-ray fluorescence imaging (XRF), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), tomography, X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron microscopy (EM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES), Infrared (IR) micro-spectroscopy
Pros: non-destructive, intense brightness allows greater sensitivity and probing depth (dependent on instrument)
Cons: access oversubscription, sample size (dependent on instrument)
Beamline Highlight: I18
Contact: Susan Nehzati – [email protected]
The Microfocus beamline (I18) offers a variety of analytical methods designed to offer insights into the structure and composition of material. Key techniques available include X-ray fluorescence imaging (XRF), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), all of which can be executed in combination to provide a powerful multimodal platform for correlating spatial and chemical information. The potential applications are vast including studies on the preservation of cultural artefacts, the development of better conservation strategies, and uncovering important historical and economic truths of our past. Access to Diamond is normally granted through a peer-reviewed allocation process. If you are involved in heritage research, we would love to hear from you to discuss, share expertise, and help design experiments in the pursuit of conserving our cultural heritage.
Pros: non-destructive, intense brightness allows greater sensitivity and probing depth (dependent on sample)
Cons: access oversubscription
Beamline Highlight B07
Contact: Dave Grinter – [email protected]
Inside the XCT scanner
The Versatile Soft X-ray (VerSoX) beamline B07 serves a very diverse user community interested in studies of heterogeneous catalysts, pharmaceuticals and biomaterials under realistic conditions, environmental and space science studies of liquids and ices, heritage conservation, and studies of novel electronic and photonic materials. VerSoX users share an interest in the chemical nature and composition of the near-surface regions (top few nanometres) of their samples, which can be characterised using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Recently B07 has been involved analysing oil pigments samples from the Tate Gallery, where we helped to understand the chemical nature of the surface and how the formation of the salts happened.
Pros: Compared to conventional XPS, at B07 you can control the depth of analysis, simultaneous bulk and surface information.
Cons: Limited access (contact for information on Rapid Access), struggle to analyse insulating samples.
Beamline Highlight IO8
Contact: Burcu Karagoz – [email protected]
I08 is Diamond’s soft X‑ray Scanning X‑ray Microscope (SXM) beamline. It supports research across many scientific fields, with particularly active user communities in biogeochemistry, environmental and earth sciences, life sciences, medicine and pharmacology, magnetism, energy research, materials science, and space and planetary studies.
The beamline offers several techniques, including Scanning Transmission X‑ray Microscopy (STXM), Near Edge X‑ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) spectromicroscopy, X‑ray fluorescence (XRF), phase contrast imaging (PCI), ptychography, and X‑ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD).
In previous work, I08 has been used to obtain nanoscale, quantitative elemental maps of Zwischgold cross‑sections.
Pros: Broad photon energy range from 250 eV to 4400 eV, covering low-Z elements such as C, N, and O, transition metals, and higher-Z elements. High optical resolution down to sub-10 nm
Cons: Limited access (contact for information on Rapid Access). Sample thickness must be < 100 nm, specimens should be able to mount on EM grids or TEM-type Si