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Industrial Liaison Group:
Tel: +44 (0) 1235 778797
E-mail: industry@diamond.ac.uk
Users generally face one of two challenges prior to successful data collection. The first challenge involves locating and alignment of small microcrystal(s) within a larger sample mount or samples with poor optical properties. The other critical issue is the determination of well diffracting crystal sub-volumes in larger, disordered crystals.
The grid scan automates this tedious and time-consuming process and combined with use of Pilatus detector allows rapid screening of large areas of crystal.
This raster-scanning method, performed prior to data collection, uses X-rays to determine the presence of crystalline material. The scan is done with low transmission to reduce any effects of radiation damage. A virtual grid is superimposed over all or part of the sample when viewed by an on-axis microscope. Each diffraction image is processed and evaluated by a scoring system. Rapid processing of the images provides an immediate feedback to the user about the amount and quality of crystalline material within the scanned area.
This invaluable tool is now routinely used on all Diamond’s MX beamlines for the detection and alignment of challenging samples. The wide application range also includes “invisible” crystal samples, where crystals may be embedded within refractive materials of crystal plates, solvents, or within opaque materials as for crystals harvested from the lipid mesophase. The technique can be also applied for detection of crystals in ice covered loops.
Diamond Light Source is the UK's national synchrotron science facility, located at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire.
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