Development of micro-optics for high-resolution IL spectroscopy with a proton microbeam probe

Confocal optics for ion luminescence (IL) was developed for the precise analysis of the chemical composition of microscopic targets with an external proton microbeam probe. Anti-reflection-coated confocal micro-lens optics with an effective focus area of approximately 800 × 800 μm was installed on the microbeam line of a single-ended accelerator. Chromatic aberrations of the confocal optics were examined at wavelengths of 300–900 nm. An electrically-cooled back-thinned charge coupled device spectrometer with a wavelength resolution of 0.5 nm was used for the microscopic spectroscopy and IL imaging of microscopic mineral targets. Simultaneous microscopic IL and micro-PIXE analysis were performed using an external 3 MeV H+ microbeam with a current of less than 100 pA. A spectral resolution of 3 nm was achieved for a single IL peak which corresponded to Cr3+ impurities in a single-crystal of aluminum oxide. The use of IL spectroscopy and imaging for aerosol targets revealed microscopic distributions of the chemical and elemental composition in the atmosphere.