Abstract：The soft X-ray Spectromicroscopy (SM) beamline at CLS consists of an APPLE II type Elliptically Polarizing Undulator (EPU), a plane grating monochromator (PGM, 130-2700 eV), focusing optics, and three endstations, an ambient scanning transmission X-ray microscope (STXM), a cryo-STXM microscope (under commissioning) and an X-ray photoemission electron microscope (X-PEEM). Both STXM and X-PEEM can be used to measure morphology/structure, quantitative distributions (maps) of chemical components in 2D (3D in STXM), molecular orientation, as well as obtain electronic structure of the materials via the spatially-resolved near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, for a wide range of samples from the fields of materials sciences, environmental/earth sciences, and life sciences at high spatial resolution (sub 30 nm), high spectral resolution (< 0.05 eV) and in variable sample environments. 

In this seminar, the technical aspects of STXM and X-PEEM will be discussed, and selected examples will be presented to illustrate their applications in materials and environmental sciences. Recent instrumentation developments, particularly regarding STXM, will be discussed with focus on STXM-Ptychography, in situ STXM, and multichannel detection in STXM etc. Finally the CFI LEF funded SM beamline/endstation upgrade project will be briefly introduced.