Advanced applications of X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy with synchrotron radiation to materials science and biostructures

The general objective of the proposed exchange program is to exploit the existing unique experimental facilities and scientific expertise in a two-way collaboration between Italy and Japan, thus fostering scientific collaboration between the two countries. Funding of the project would allow groups in each country access to facilities in the other, strengthening the existing collaboration. The involvement in the project of a PhD student of the Bologna group is considered an important aspect. Concerning studies of dopants in the soft x-ray range, the objective of this work is to examine the direct lattice location of light element p-type dopants using soft x-ray XAS of light element dopants. The changes in lattice incorporation would be studied as a function of Zn(1-x)MgxO alloy composition and dopant type. It is the goal of this collaboration to extend the state-of-the-art of soft x-ray based XAS analysis to real-world applications involving the materials science of cutting edge materials. Concerning time-resolved studies, the objective is to perform pilot experiments which will extend time resolved XAS to biostructures and probe the presence and magnitude of local structural distortion around Fe atoms in photosynthetic RC following illumination with a laser light on the ns to s time scale.