VOXES: a LNF Facility for High-Resolution XRF Measurements

by Simone Manti (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

Thursday 7 May 2026, 14:30 → 16:00 Europe/Rome

Aula Salvini (Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati)

VOXES is a high-resolution X-ray spectrometer developed at the INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati for X-ray spectroscopy measurements in the 5 to 50 keV energy range, with applications to both X-ray fluorescence and absorption studies.

Based on the Von Hamos geometry, the setup is designed to provide a few-eV energy resolution (FWHM), depending on the adopted crystal, detector, and measurement conditions.

One of the distinctive features of VOXES is its capability to perform high-resolution measurements also on extended sources, enabled by the combined use of crystal dispersion and slit-based source shaping.

In this talk, after introducing the main characteristics of the spectrometer, I will show how these features make VOXES a flexible platform for a broad range of applications. The setup includes mosaic and germanium crystals, strip, CCD, and pixel detectors, and X-ray tubes with Mo and W anodes operating up to 80 kV and currents of the order of mA. The system is installed in a dedicated shielded bunker, suitable for experimental integration and further developments. The spectrometer is fully motorized for alignment procedures and complemented by auxiliary diagnostics, including a pin diode for monitoring, ensuring operational flexibility and reproducibility.

On this basis, I will discuss selected application areas that illustrate the scientific and technological relevance of VOXES for LNF activities. These include measurements on liquid samples for edible-liquid analysis within the MITIQO project, measurements on perovskite detectors, imaging with the GEM detector, and ongoing activities in collaboration with ENEA on battery-related materials.

Possible future developments will also be outlined in connection with EuPRAXIA and EuAPS, where compact high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy may provide useful support for diagnostics and materials characterization. In this perspective, VOXES represents an experimental infrastructure with the potential to contribute to the strengthening of laboratory capabilities and to support interdisciplinary activities within LNF and beyond.