News for International X-ray Analysis Community

			As of December 2, 2004

for international journal X-Ray Spectrometry (John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
Sciences
Synchrotron sub-microbeam analysis of living bacteria cells (October 22, 2004)
Argonne research group recently published details of their successful application of high-spatial-resolution XRF and XAFS measurements, which they performed in order to make elemental maps and qualitative chemical analyses of single free-floating, or planktonic, and surface-adhered, or biofilm, cells of Pseudomonas fluorescens. The results revealed differences between the planktonic and biofilm cells in terms of morphology, elemental composition and sensitivity to hexavalent chromium, a heavy-metal contaminant and a known carcinogen. The biofilm cells were more tolerant of the contaminant, which damaged or killed the planktonic cells. The experiments were performed with a 150 nm X-ray beam produced by phase zone plate at the beamline XOR 2-ID, at the Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne, USA. For more information, see the paper, "Elemental and Redox Analysis of Single Bacterial Cells by X-ray Microbeam Analysis", K. M. Kemner et al., Science, 306, 686-687 (2004).
X-rays revealed that Roman cosmetic used tin oxides (November 4, 2004)
A whitish cream in a small canister, which was recently discovered during archaeological surveys of the remains of a Roman temple in London, has been found to contain SnO₂. Archaeologists think the SnO₂wasadded intentionally, presumably for use as cosmetic. They believe the unguent was prepared using sophisticated technology: animal fat was heated, possibly with the aim of bleaching it, and the starch was separated by treatment of roots or grains with boiling water, and then white SnO₂ , which is readily produced by heating refined tin metal in air, was added. The non-toxic properties of SnO₂ would also have been desirable, because by the second century AD, the dangers of lead were becoming recognized. XRF and XRD analysis played an important role in the identification of the ancient cosmetic cream. For more information, see the paper, "Archaeology: Formulation of a Roman cosmetic", R. P. Evershed et al., Nature, 432, 35-36 (2004).
X-ray investigation to solve the mystery of how King Tutankhamen died (November 13, 2004)
Zahi Hawass and his co-workers plan to conduct X-ray analysis of the mummy of King Tutankhamen who ruled Egypt about 3,300 years ago and died while still a teenager. They will move the mummy from the tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, where it was discovered in 1922, to the Egyptian Museum in central Cairo by the end of November. Earlier X-ray tests in 1968 revealed bone fragments inside the skull, prompting speculation that the young king was murdered by a blow to the head. However, other evidence suggests death due to illness. This year's experiment is intended to put to rest this mystery by employing a much more powerful X-ray machine donated by Siemens and National Geographic. The main news source is Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/). For more information about the mummy, see for example, http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/mummy/
Professional
New X-ray undulator to be introduced soon at the Japanese 2^nd-generation 2.5 GeV synchrotron light source (November 2, 2004)
The Photon Factory in Tsukuba, Japan commenced operation in 1982 as a typical 2^nd-generation synchrotron radiation facility. The 2.5 GeV storage ring is now being upgraded in order to maintain the competitiveness of its specifications in the field of X-ray sciences via the introduction of new mini-gap undulators. If such undulators are installed, it is possible to produce X-rays even at the 2.5 GeV ring (which does not have the same high energy as a 3^rd-generation source), since the spectra of undulator radiation depend on the periodic length of the magnet array, as well as the accumulation energy of the storage ring. The plan is to create new straight sections (BL-1, 3, 15, 17, 4, 18), as well as to lengthen the existing straight sections (BL-2, 5, 13, 14, 16, 19, 28). The facility will cease operation at the end of February 2005 and restart in the fall of the same year.
Obituary -- Dale E. Sayers (November 25, 2004)
Dale E. Sayers, physics professor at North Carolina State University, died on November 25, 2004 at the age of 60 from complications following a heart attack while exercising at the gym. He was a world leader in X-ray absorption spectroscopy. He came to fame with the publication of the first EXAFS paper, in 1971. With it, he opened up a new field of research, which is now about to celebrate its twelfth bi-annual meeting in 2003 in Sweden. Professor Sayer's work using synchrotron radiation led him into a broad variety of research topics including investigations of amorphous materials, biophysical specimens, contaminated soils, nanoscale structures, and cancerous tissues. Professor Sayers was a recipient of the Bertram Eugene Warren Award (American Crystallographic Association); the Case Centennial Scholar Award (Case Western Reserve University); and the N.C. State Alumni Association Outstanding Research Award. His family would appreciate contributions to the Dale E. Sayers Scholarship Fund, PAMS Foundation NCSU, c/o Anita Stallings, College of PAMS, 116 Cox Hall Campus Box 8201, North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC 27695-8201.

New Products
NITON LLC introduces new advanced lead paint analyzer (October 2004)
NITON LLC has announced the introduction of the XLp 300 Series lead analyzer, which is suitable for fast, dependable on-site analysis of lead applications (lead paint, dust wipes, airborne lead, soil testing etc.) For further information, contact Michelle Drombetta, Marketing Communications Coordinator, Phone: +1-541-388-0779, Fax: +1-541-388-1003, mdrombetta@niton.com, http://www.niton.com
Bruker AXS Inc. launches XRF solutions designed specifically for the petrochemical industry (October 27, 2004)
Bruker AXS Inc. has announced the launch of PETRO-QUANT elemental analysis solutions specifically designed for the petrochemical industry. Liquid samples are poured into a container and then analyzed by either the S4 EXPLORER or S4 PIONEER wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometers. For further information, contact Colleen Kenney, Sales & Marketing, Phone: +1-608-276-3043, FAX: +1-608-276-3006, colleen.kenney@bruker-axs.com, http://www.bruker-axs.com
Oxford Instruments Analytical launches new coating thickness analyzer (November 10, 2004)
Oxford Instruments has announced the introduction of the X-Strata960, a new XRF analyzer for coating thickness and composition analysis, specifically designed to deliver clear performance advantages for the general metal finishing, electronics and precious metals industries. For further information, contact Analytical Head Office, Oxford Instruments Analytical, Halifax Road, High Wycombe, Bucks, UK, HP12 3SE, Phone: +44-1494-442255, Fax: +44-1494-524129, analytical@oxinst.co.uk, http://www.oxford-instruments.com/
Corporate
Bede forms alliance with Scientech in Taiwan and China (November 16, 2004)
Bede plc has announced a new alliance with Scientech, which is a supplier of equipment, instrument, material, and outsourcing services to the semiconductor, flat panel display, data storage, scientific instruments and related industries. Scientech will be the sole distributor for Bede's X–ray metrology tools in Taiwan and China. For further information, contact Scientech, 11F, No. 208, Rui-Kuang Rd., Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C., Phone: +886 2 8751-2323, Fax: +886 2 8751-2020, info@scientech.com.tw, http://www.scientech.com.tw/
Future X-ray devices
Advances in soft and hard X-ray sources are one of the most stimulating topics for the internal X-ray spectrometry community, even though the subject area is far from mature. Below, we list several interesting reports published during the period from September to November 2004.
"A high-intensity highly coherent soft X-ray femtosecond laser seeded by a high harmonic beam", Ph. Zeitoun et al., Nature, 431, 426 (2004). "Monoenergetic beams of relativistic electrons from intense laser-plasma interactions", S.P.D.Mangles et al.,Nature,431, 535 (2004). "A laser–plasma accelerator producing monoenergetic electron beams", J. Faure et al., Nature, 431, 541 (2004). "X-ray Generation in Strongly Nonlinear Plasma Waves�h, S. Kiselev et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 135004 (2004). "Production of a keV X-Ray Beam from Synchrotron Radiation in Relativistic Laser-Plasma Interaction", A. Rousse et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 135005 (2004) "Kinetics of ultrashort relativistic electron pulses emitted from solid targets�h, E.E. Fill, Phys. Rev. E 70, 036409 (2004). "Two-beam free-electron laser", B. W. J. McNeil et al., Phys. Rev. E 70, 035501 (2004). "Model for the dynamics of a water cluster in an x-ray free electron laser beam�h, M. Bergh et al., Phys. Rev. E 70, 051904 (2004). "Electron-Beam Conditioning by Thomson Scattering", C. B. Schroeder et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 194801 (2004). "Driver-pulse configuration of the nickel-like Ta x-ray laser at 4.48 nm�h, J. Y. Zhong et al., Phys. Rev. A 70,053803 (2004)

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2005! I recently succeeded Dr. John Sieber as News Editor of X-Ray Spectrometry. My first thought on taking up the position was that in view of the wealth of information available through the internet—which is accessible at high speeds and in huge amounts from anywhere on the globe—we may have to reconsider the method of disseminating information via bimonthly journals like X-Ray Spectrometry. However, I would stress that the essence of the journal will not change. One of the most important requirements for the news column is that it must be informative. We have only a few pages every two months, but I hope that you will be able to find all the information you are seeking here. I think that selecting the contents for a journal such as this is very much like acquiring spectroscopic data—I would appreciate it therefore if all contributions have an excellent signal to background ratio, reasonable resolution and are suitably smoothed by time-averaging! I expect that you probably already make good use of the internet to collect information and I hope, therefore, that this column will complement such activity. Please do not hesitate to write to me, and I also look forward to receiving your phone calls and faxes. We also welcome all contributions on the announcements of meetings and events, professional news (budgets, awards, prizes etc., but job advertisements cannot be accepted), press releases on new products and services, organizational and address changes, etc, that will be of particular interest to the international X-ray spectrometry community. Please note that submission of an article does not automatically guarantee publication. I will make it my task to select articles that fit the bill as described above.


Kenji Sakurai Director, X-Ray Physics Group, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) and Professor, Doctoral Program in Materials Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba 1-2-1, Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047 Japan Phone : +81-29-859-2821, Fax : +81-29-859-2801 sakurai@yuhgiri.nims.go.jp http://www.nims.go.jp/xray/lab/

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