Sample exchange robot under an oxygen-free atmosphere for DXAFS experiments

The Materials Chemistry Group of the Institute of Materials Structure Science, KEK, aims to clarify irreversible reaction processes such as structural changes of materials induced by laser shock or temperature. We have developed an experimental system using dispersive X-ray absorption fine structure (DXAFS) spectroscopy and a laser to observe these processes in real time. Destruction or a phase transition is triggered by a laser synchronized with an X-ray pulse. Previous experiments have deployed a simple sample exchanger that could load about 50 samples. For more efficient experiments, we developed a new sample exchange robot that can load about 3,000 samples and a large chamber for an oxygen-free atmosphere. The robot, the laser system, and an infrared thermometer were implemented in the chamber. The developed experimental system was installed at PF-AR-NW2A beamline in November 2017. Since then we have confirmed the effectiveness of the new robot in DXAFS experiments.