Experimental endstation setup

The experimental end-station of BL14.1 is a "state-of-the-art" setup for carrying out single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments optimized for structural biology application. It consists of the following major components:

  • MD2-Microdiffractometer with MK3 minikappa
  • Oxford Instruments CryoJet-XL crystal cooling system
  • Bruker AXS/Roentec X-Flash XRF detector
  • Dectris Pilatus 6M detector with translation stage
  • CATS sample changer for handling of up to 90 frozen samples and in-situ crystal screening

Experimental station technical specifications

Within this table the major technical specifications for the main components of the experimental station are listed.

Fig. 1 Experimental station of BL14.1


Control Computer

The following machines are dedicated for the operation of bl141 and its experimental systems.

  • md2.psf.bessy.de -->Tango device server MD2
  • esc.psf.bessy.de -->Tango device server Experimental station
  • exp141.psf.bessy.de -->User frontend
  • bl141.psf.bessy.de --> Beamline control system
  • pil141.psf.bessy.de --> 6M controller
  • hkl5.psf.bessy.de --> Number cruncher for 6M data

MD2 & Minikappa goniometer

Omega axis drive

Air bearing, fully encoded, proprietary

SOC Omega axis

<3µm

Kappa goniometer, Chi angular range

0° - 48°

SOC Omega with mounted Kappa gonimeter

<5µm

Omega axis max. rotation speed

130°/sec

On-axis zoom microscope

120x magnification

Light polarization for sample microscope

Available

CryoJet-XL system

Operation range

290-100 K

Temperature stability

<0.1°

Sample distance to nozzle exit

<5 mm

X-Flash detector

X-ray sensitive surface

9 mm²

Acceptable count rate

up to 1.000.000

Energy resolution

140 eV @ 300kcps input-countrate

Working temperature

-15°

Pilatus 6M and detector table

X-ray sensitive surface

431mm x 448mm

Pixel size

172 µm

Point spread function

1 pixel

Dynamic range

20 bits (1.048.576)

Module cooling

23°C, water

Frame rate

12 Hz

readout time, 2463x2527 pixel

2.5 ms

Energy range

4.5 -36 keV

Crystal-detector distance (min-max)

110-500 mm

CATS sample changer

Sample capacity

90 frozen samples

Motion system

Stäubli TX-85

Repeatability

30 µm

Mechanical resolution

10µm

CATS operational speed

up to 1200 mm/sec

Sample delivery time

15 sec

Sample retrival time

26 sec