Improved Condenser Alignment in Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Microscopy
MIRAS works in the field of Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and microscopy. FTIR is a method to identify the chemical composition of materials by detecting their vibrational signatures.
The beamline provides a modern synchrotron-based infrared spectrometer and microscope, covering a wavelength range from approx. 1 to 100 μm with a spectral region optimized for investigation in the range of 2.5 to 14 μm.
The endstation of MIRAS is a Bruker Hyperion 3000 microscope coupled to a Bruker Vertex 70 FTIR spectrometer.
Recently, the condenser holder of the microscope has been replaced by a 4D motorized condenser holder from SmarAct. It provides XYZ motion in a working range of 35 x 18.5 x 24 mm3 with a resolution < 1 nm and a repeatability <] 100 nm per axis, combined with a motorized iris diaphragm with an opening resolution of < 30 nm. The motorized holder has significantly improved the condenser alignment and hence the illumination of the samples by the synchrotron beam.
Many multidisciplinary applications are performed at MIRAS by experts and scientists from different fields of application. SmarAct‘s motorized condenser holder makes the system more intuitive to operate and more user-friendly.