Compact X-ray Station for Protein Crystallography

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this Fast-Track SBIR is to develop an innovative Compact X-ray Station (CXS) for macromolecular crystallography. This station accepts the output x-ray beam of the Compact Light Source, a miniature synchrotron, and delivers x-ray beams to 3 end stations. Each beamline accommodates an integrated commercial diffractometer. Each of 2 side stations receives a tunable, monochromatic x-ray beam in a 30 micron rms spot. The forward station receives a focused higher-flux narrow band x-ray beam. Each of the x-ray beams is tunable from 7 to 16 keV and will provide a flux and energy resolution comparable to synchrotron beamlines. The beamlines can be run separately, in pairs or all 3 simultaneously. In Phase I, we will design the x-ray optics systems and experimentally test a new, tunable focusing monochromator. In Phase II, we will build the x-ray optics and end stations, integrate a commercial diffractometer and fully test the end stations. The CXS is an innovative, powerful, 'turn key' x-ray system which will provide a home laboratory with 3 'synchrotron' beamlines for macromolecular crystallography; 2 beamlines will have the flux, tunability, and energy resolution for single- or multi-wavelength anomalous dispersion experiments, and the third beamline will be optimized for higher-flux screening.