XAFS (X-ray Absorption Fine Structure) reveals atomic-scale local chemical environments and structural details by measuring the energy-dependent variation in a material’s absorption coefficient for monochromatic X-rays. Its core principle is as follows: when the incident X-ray energy matches the binding energy of inner-shell electrons of a specific element in the sample, ionization occurs and a characteristic absorption edge is formed. Above the absorption edge, the emitted photoelectron wave is scattered by neighboring atoms and interferes with the outgoing wave, generating fine oscillations in the absorption spectrum. Through mathematical transformation, these oscillations can be analyzed to obtain key structural parameters around the absorbing atom—such as the type of neighboring atoms, bond lengths, coordination numbers, and structural disorder—effectively providing a “local snapshot” of its immediate atomic environment.

This instrument successfully reproduces the powerful synchrotron-based technique in a conventional laboratory environment by integrating a high-brightness X-ray source, a spherically bent crystal focusing monochromator, and high-resolution detectors, enabling convenient and precise analysis of the electronic structure and atomic configuration of materials.