Tiny Crystals, Tiny Beams: Microcrystallography at MacCHESS

Richard Gillilan

MacCHESS

Microcapillary x-ray optics, improved camera design and other developments at CHESS and MacCHESS will allow users to record diffraction from ever-smaller crystals. Data collection on crystals below 50 microns in size presents a number of new challenges: increased radiation damage, difficulties in handling, visualization and weak signals. This talk will give an overview of the microcrystallography effort at MacCHESS, including recent experience with microbeams on MacCHESS's F1 and ESRF's ID13 beamlines. Collection strategies, crystal handling, noise reduction and radiation damage control will be discussed as well new hardware designs.