The new X-ray absorption spectroscopy beamline at Diamond: B18

The new core XAS spectroscopy beamline at Diamond (B18) has been designed to provide a reliable spectrometer for a broad scientific community. The instrument first became operational in April 2010 and is currently combining further commissining with a rapidly growing user programme. The main goal of the optics design of B18 was to achieve high stability in an instrument that can operate over a wide energy range (2.05 to 35.0 keV). XAS measurements can be carried out using several detection methods: transmission, electron yield and fluorescence (with a Ge detector, a Si drift detector or a gas microstrip). It is also possible to carry out combined absorption and diffraction measurements. The instrument offers several sample environments: a liquid nitrogen cryostat capable of loading over 40 samples, a pulse tube cryostat with base temperature of 1.6 K and an infrared furnace with a maximum temperature of 800$^{o}$C and can integrate a variety of specialised set-ups designed by the users. In this talk we will present the beamline and selected examples to show its capabilities.