Synchrotron Activities
Synchrotron radiation is a powerful tool in a wide range of research fields such as physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, environmental science, nanoscience & technology, mechanical engineering, and electronics. Some applications have included studying the structure and dynamics study of hard and soft matter, and biomaterials; chemical and physical information about surfaces and interfaces; analysis of trace element concentrations in micron-sized regions; measurements of local molecular structure in disordered systems; and image scans with micron resolution.
Techniques that are often used in synchrotron radiation facilities include photoemission or photoelectron spectroscopy (e.g. XPS, XAFS, EXAFS, NEXAFS), diffraction/scattering (e.g. XRD, SAXS, WAXS), and X-ray imaging.
Synchrotron research in this group is focused on surface and interface characteristics of nanomaterials, semi-conductive materials and minerals. Research is funded through the Australian Synchrotron Research Program (ASRP) giving access to a range of state-of-the-art synchrotron radiation research capabilities at overseas synchrotron light source facilities. Synchrotron facilities that are most frequently attended by the group include the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Centre (NSRRC) in Hsinchu, Taiwan and the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne, Illinois, USA.
For more information about the Australian Synchrotron Research Program, visit ASRP's website (http://www.ansto.gov.au/natfac/). Contact Dr. H. Zhang (ASRP Fellow, hua.zhang@unsw.edu.au) if you are interested in discussing research proposals or any disciplines which may have applications for synchrotron radiation.
