Publications by authors named "Christopher T Chantler"

This work presents ab initio calculations for the Kα spectrum of manganese (Z = 25, [Ar]3d54s2), a highly complex system due to the five open orbitals in the 3d shell. The spectrum is composed of the canonical diagram line [1s]→[2p] and shake-off satellite lines [1snl]→[2pnl] (nl∈{2s,2p,3s,3p,3d,4s}), where square brackets denote a hole state. The multiconfiguration Dirac-Hartree-Fock method with the active set approach provides the initial and final atomic wavefunctions.

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Here, the novel technique of extended-range high-energy-resolution fluorescence detection (XR-HERFD) has successfully observed the n = 2 satellite in manganese to a high accuracy. The significance of the satellite signature presented is many hundreds of standard errors and well beyond typical discovery levels of three to six standard errors. This satellite is a sensitive indicator for all manganese-containing materials in condensed matter.

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An X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) electrochemical cell was used to collect high-quality XAS measurements of N-truncated Cu:amyloid-β (Cu:Aβ) samples under near-physiological conditions. N-truncated Cu:Aβ peptide complexes contribute to oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's patients' brains. However, the redox properties of copper in different Aβ peptide sequences are inconsistent.

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X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is a promising technique for determining structural information from sensitive biological samples, but high-accuracy X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) requires corrections of systematic errors in experimental data. Low-temperature XAS and room-temperature X-ray absorption spectro-electrochemical (XAS-EC) measurements of N-truncated amyloid-β samples were collected and corrected for systematic effects such as dead time, detector efficiencies, monochromator glitches, self-absorption, radiation damage and noise at higher wavenumber (). A new protocol was developed using extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data analysis for monitoring radiation damage in real time and post-analysis.

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The discovery of a new physical process in manganese metal is reported. This process will also be present for all manganese-containing materials in condensed matter. The process was discovered by applying our new technique of XR-HERFD (extended-range high-energy-resolution fluorescence detection), which was developed from the popular high-resolution RIXS (resonant inelastic X-ray scattering) and HERFD approaches.

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The most accurate measurements of the mass attenuation coefficient for metals at low temperature for the zinc K-edge from 9.5 keV to 11.5 keV at temperatures of 10 K, 50 K, 100 K and 150 K using the hybrid technique are reported.

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High-accuracy X-ray mass attenuation coefficients were measured from the first X-ray Extended Range Technique (XERT)-like experiment at the Australian Synchrotron. Experimentally measured mass attenuation coefficients deviate by ∼50% from the theoretical values near the zinc absorption edge, suggesting that improvements in theoretical tabulations of mass attenuation coefficients are required to bring them into better agreement with experiment. Using these values the imaginary component of the atomic form factor of zinc was determined for all the measured photon energies.

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The first X-ray Extended Range Technique (XERT)-like experiment at the Australian Synchrotron, Australia, is presented. In this experiment X-ray mass attenuation coefficients are measured across an energy range including the zinc K-absorption edge and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS). These high-accuracy measurements are recorded at 496 energies from 8.

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The design and performance of an electrochemical cell and solution flow system optimized for the collection of X-ray absorption spectra from solutions of species sensitive to photodamage is described. A combination of 3D CAD and 3D printing techniques facilitates highly optimized design with low unit cost and short production time. Precise control of the solution flow is critical to both minimizing the volume of solution needed and minimizing the photodamage that occurs during data acquisition.

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Measurements of mass attenuation coefficients and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) of zinc selenide (ZnSe) are reported to accuracies typically better than 0.13%. The high accuracy of the results presented here is due to our successful implementation of the X-ray extended range technique, a relatively new methodology, which can be set up on most synchrotron X-ray beamlines.

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We present a new technology for analyzing the molecular structure and in particular subtle conformational differences in Ni complexes using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), enabling tighter and more robust constraints of structure and dynamic bond lengths. Self-absorption and attenuating effects have a large impact in fluorescence X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), compromising accuracy and insight in structural and advanced analyses. We correct for these dominant systematic effects.

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One of the most common types of experiment in X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measures the secondary inelastically scattered fluorescence photon. This widespread approach has a dominant systematic of self-absorption of the fluorescence photon. The large impact of self-absorption compromises accuracy, analysis and insight.

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A characterization of the Cu Kα spectrum is presented, including the 2p satellite line, Kα, the details of which are robust enough to be transferable to other experiments. This is a step in the renewed attempts to resolve inconsistencies in characteristic X-ray spectra between theory, experiment and alternative experimental geometries. The spectrum was measured using a rotating anode, monolithic Si channel-cut double-crystal monochromator and backgammon detector.

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X-ray absorption spectroscopy of Cu amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) under in situ electrochemical control (XAS-EC) has allowed elucidation of the redox properties of Cu bound to truncated peptide forms. The Cu binding environment is significantly different for the Aβ and the N-truncated Aβ, Aβ, and Aβ (Aβ) peptides, where the N-truncated sequence (FRH) provides the high-affinity amino-terminal copper nickel (ATCUN) binding motif. Low temperature (ca.

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Round robin studies have been used across fields of science for quality control testing and to investigate laboratory dependencies and cross-platform inconsistencies as well as to drive forward the improvement of understanding of experimental systems, systematic effects and theoretical limitations. Here, following the Q2XAFS Workshop and Satellite to IUCr Congress 2017 on `Data Acquisition, Treatment, Storage - quality assurance in XAFS spectroscopy', a mechanism is suggested for a suitable study across XAFS (X-ray absorption fine-structure) beamlines and facilities, to enable each beamline to cross-calibrate, provide representative test data, and to enable collaborative cross-facility activities to be more productive.

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Accurate experimental XAFS (X-ray absorption fine-structure) data including uncertainties are required during analysis for valid comparison of results and conclusions of hypothesis testing on structural determinations. Here an approach is developed to investigate data without standard interpolation of experimental data and with minimal loss of information content in the raw data. Nickel coordination complexes bis(i-n-propylsalicylaldiminato)nickel(II) (i-pr) and bis(N-n-propylsalicylaldiminato)nickel(II) (n-pr) are investigated.

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Molecular distortion of dynamic molecules gives a clear signature in the vibrational spectra, which can be modeled to give estimates of the energy barrier and the sensitivity of the frequencies of the vibrational modes to the reaction coordinate. The reaction coordinate method (RCM) utilizes ab initio-calculated spectra of the molecule in its ground and transition states together with their relative energies to predict the temperature dependence of the vibrational spectra. DFT-calculated spectra of the eclipsed (D ) and staggered (D ) forms of ferrocene (Fc), and its deuterated analogue, within RCM explain the IR spectra of Fc in gas (350 K), solution (300 K), solid solution (7-300 K), and solid (7-300 K) states.

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A new theoretical approach and computational package, FDMX, for general calculations of X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) over an extended energy range within a full-potential model is presented. The final-state photoelectron wavefunction is calculated over an energy-dependent spatial mesh, allowing for a complete representation of all scattering paths. The electronic potentials and corresponding wavefunctions are subject to constraints based on physicality and self-consistency, allowing for accurate absorption cross sections in the near-edge region, while higher-energy results are enabled by the implementation of effective Debye-Waller damping and new implementations of second-order lifetime broadening.

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High-accuracy transmission XAFS determined using the hybrid technique has been used to refine the geometries of bis(N-n-propyl-salicylaldiminato) nickel(II) (n-pr Ni) and bis(N-i-propyl-salicylaldiminato) nickel(II) (i-pr Ni) complexes which have approximately square planar and tetrahedral metal coordination. Multiple-scattering formalisms embedded in FEFF were used for XAFS modelling of the complexes. Here it is shown that an IFEFFIT-like package using weighting from experimental uncertainty converges to a well defined XAFS model.

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A new approach is introduced for determining X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) spectra on absolute and relative scales using multiple solutions with different concentrations by the characterization and correction of experimental systematics. This hybrid technique is a development of standard X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) along the lines of the high-accuracy X-ray extended range technique (XERT) but with applicability to solutions, dilute systems and cold cell environments. This methodology has been applied to determining absolute XAS of bis(N-n-propyl-salicylaldiminato) nickel(II) and bis(N-i-propyl-salicylaldiminato) nickel(II) complexes with square planar and tetrahedral structures in 15 mM and 1.

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The X-ray mass attenuation coefficients of silver were measured in the energy range 5-20 keV with an accuracy of 0.01-0.2% on a relative scale down to 5.

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This paper explains how to take the counting precision available for XAFS (X-ray absorption fine structure) and attenuation measurements, of perhaps one part in 10(6) in special cases, to produce a local variance below 0.01% and an accuracy of attenuation of the order 0.01%, with an XAFS accuracy at a similar level leading to the determination of dynamical bond lengths to an accuracy similar to that obtained by standard and experienced crystallographic measurements.

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We investigate established theoretical approaches for the determination of electron energy loss spectra (EELS) and inelastic mean free paths (IMFPs) in solids. In particular, we investigate effects of alternate descriptions of the many plasmon resonances that define the energy loss function (ELF), and the contribution of lifetime broadening in these resonances to the IMFP. We find that despite previously claimed agreement between approaches, approximations of different models consistently conspire to underestimate electron scattering for energies below 100 eV, leading to significant overestimates of the IMFP in this regime.

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Methods for the quantification of statistically valid measures of the uncertainties associated with X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) data obtained from dilute solutions using fluorescence measurements are developed. Experimental data obtained from 10 mM solutions of the organometallic compound ferrocene, Fe(C(5)H(5))(2), are analysed within this framework and, following correction for various electronic and geometrical factors, give robust estimates of the standard errors of the individual measurements. The reliability of the refinement statistics of standard current XAFS structure approaches that do not include propagation of experimental uncertainties to assess subtle structural distortions is assessed in terms of refinements obtained for the staggered and eclipsed conformations of the C(5)H(5) rings of ferrocene.

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