General Questions

I have never used ID13 and would like to apply for beamtime.

ID13 staff are ready to discuss your experiment with you and can help you filling in the application form if necessary.

How do I know which experimental hutch to use?

It is not necessary to specify which hutch you wish use when making a proposal. Beamline staff can make this decision if the proposal is accepted (based upon the beam characteristics required).

What is the energy range of ID13?

The beamline primarily operates in (and is optimised for) the range 12-13keV. However, a wider energy range is also accessible if required (6<E<24keV). Although specific wavelengths can be selected during an experiment, large energy changes may be incompatible with some optics.

Can I apply for microfluorescence experiments?

Yes, particularly if you have experience in synchrotron radiation microfluorescence (SXRF). ID13 has two Si drift Vortex (EM) detectors for complementary microfluorescence data collection in EH3.

Which beam sizes are available?

Various beam sizes are available, ranging from 5 µm to sub-µm dimensions. A selection of different beam sizes are listed on the first page (within the beamline synopsis).

Which detectors are available at the beamline?

ESRF Maxipix use: scanning setup
Maxipix homepage 516x516 pixels/frame (28.4 x 28.4 mm2 area); 55x55 µm2 pixel size; 350 Hz frame rate; 68% efficiency at 15keV
FReLoN 4M use: scanning setup
No reference website 2048x2048 pixels/frame; 24x24 µm2 pixel size; 16 bit readout; 70 mm Kodak CCD
FReLoN 2000 use: scanning setup
FReLoN homepage 2048x2048 pixels/frame; 14x14 µm2 pixel size; 16 bit readout; about 200 ms readout time/frame
MAR 165 CCD use: scanning setup & microgoniometer
MAR research homepage 2048x2048 pixels/frame; 78.94x78.94 µm2 pixel size; 16 bit readout.
Vortex-EM use: SXRF
SII homepage 50 mm2 active area; typically <136 eV resolution @ 12 µs peaking time; vibration free

 

Protein Crystallography Questions

How about protein crystallography?

ID13 now performs protein crystallography (PX) experiments in EH2 as a matter of routine. Set aside normal beamtime applications or proprietary research, you can also apply for test beamtime.

crystal size requirements (e.g. needle):
screening experiments: > 5 mm diameter
full data collection >15 mm diameter
(assuming sufficient crystal quality)

What type of sample supports are used?

Single crystal goniometer: Hampton loops for PX experiments; thin capillaries for other experiments. There is considerable experience in sample mounting available and potential non-PX users should contact beamline staff.

How do I mount small single crystals?

PX-experiments rely usually on the smallest Hampton loops available. In case background scattering is not too important, these loops can also be used for small- to medium-cell crystals. For low background experiments, glass capillary tips are used. ID13 staff are ready to share expertise in crystal mounting techniques with you.

Is there a sample observation available at the beamline?

A high resolution drop-down microscope is calibrated to the beam position. This allows high-magnification sample visualisation and provides a means of selecting specific points on the sample for study.

 

Scanning WAXS/SAXS Questions

How about X-ray small angle scattering?

X-ray small-angle scattering experiments are possible with any beam size, however the lower q-limit will depend upon the beam size selected. Please contact beamline staff for details of the different possibilities. For example, the first order of dry collagen (65 nm) can be resolved using a 5 µm beam. Combined SAXS/WAXS experiments are feasible by an appropriate choice of detector-to-sample distance.

What type of sample supports are used?

Scanning setup: samples can be fixed on capillaries which are then mounted on a eucentric Huber goniometer head. Sample supports can include electron microscopy grids or small metal washers. Nevertheless, there is a high degree of flexibility for sample mounting and special sample environments can be discussed with beamline staff. Custom built cells for studying the influence of deformation, hydration and temperature change are mounted as a matter of routine.

What is the positioning accuracy of the scanning setup?

The highest precision currently available is using a PI nanocube device (X/Y/Z), offering a repeatability of approximately 10 nm. Alternatively, a step size of 400 nm is available with the 'standard' setup.

Is there a sample observation available at the beamline?

In both EH2 and EH3 a high resolution drop-down microscope is calibrated to the beam position. This allows high-magnification sample visualisation and provides a means of selecting specific points on the sample for study.

 

Nanofocus Extension Questions (Exp. Hutch III)

Is the nanofocus extension operational?

The nanofocus extension already became operational in 2008 and has been used for several user experiments since then.

What is the smallest beam size available?

At the moment, the smallest beam size in regular use is around 250 nm using KB-mirror optics. Smaller beam sizes (< 100 nm) can be anticipated, however, in the not-to-distant future.

Are there any special sample preparation considerations for experiments in EH3?

The high-precision and ultra-stable sample environment in EH3 means there are certain constraints in terms of sample mounting and scan range (compared to EH2 for example). Scan ranges (particularly vertical movements) are limited to a few mm travel range and the stages cannot support heavy loads (> 1 kg).