The microscope's features are varied and make it unique in comparison to other similar instruments. Following their passage through the first beam separator, the X-rays from the synchrotron encounter the surface at normal incidence. The resolution and transmission of the microscope are dramatically better than standard microscopes because of its integrated energy analyzer and aberration corrector. A fiber-coupled CMOS camera, novel in its design, boasts enhanced modulation transfer function, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio, surpassing the performance of conventional MCP-CCD detection systems.
The Small Quantum Systems instrument, dedicated to the atomic, molecular, and cluster physics community, is one of six instruments currently operational at the European XFEL. The instrument's user operations started in the final months of 2018, only after completion of commissioning procedures. The design and characterization of the beam transport system are discussed in the following. A comprehensive account of the X-ray optical components in the beamline is presented, alongside a report on the transmission and focusing performance of the beamline itself. Observations confirm that the X-ray beam can be focused effectively, in accordance with ray-tracing simulations. The contribution investigates the impact of non-optimal X-ray source conditions on the focusing characteristics.
The current report examines the practicality of X-ray absorption fine-structure (XAFS) experiments involving ultra-dilute metalloproteins under in vivo conditions (T = 300K, pH = 7) at the BL-9 bending-magnet beamline (Indus-2), exemplifying with an analogous synthetic Zn (01mM) M1dr solution. The XAFS of the M1dr solution's (Zn K-edge) was obtained via a four-element silicon drift detector. A robust first-shell fit, tested for its resistance to statistical noise, produced dependable nearest-neighbor bond results. Under both physiological and non-physiological conditions, the results were found to be invariant, confirming the robust coordination chemistry of Zn with important biological applications. The improvement of spectral quality, enabling higher-shell analysis, is the subject of this discussion.
Determining the precise location of the measured crystals inside the sample is usually problematic in Bragg coherent diffractive imaging techniques. The study of particle behavior varying according to location inside the bulk of inhomogeneous substances, such as extremely thick battery cathodes, would be helped by obtaining this information. This research introduces a novel approach for determining the three-dimensional placement of particles by meticulously aligning them along the instrument's axis of rotation. A 60-meter-thick LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 battery cathode was used in the experiment reported, where particle locations were identified with an accuracy of 20 meters in the out-of-plane direction, and 1 meter in the in-plane coordinates.
The upgrade of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility's storage ring has culminated in ESRF-EBS becoming the most brilliant high-energy fourth-generation light source, enabling in situ studies with unprecedented temporal detail. ML-7 mw Although the degradation of organic materials such as ionic liquids and polymers is commonly recognized as a result of synchrotron beam radiation, this investigation explicitly illustrates that highly intense X-ray beams can also generate structural changes and beam damage in inorganic substances. In iron oxide nanoparticles, the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ by radicals in the ESRF-EBS beam, following its upgrade, is reported as a new phenomenon. The radiolysis of an EtOH-H2O blend, with 6% EtOH by volume, is the source of the generated radicals. Given the extended irradiation times encountered in in-situ studies, particularly in battery and catalysis research, understanding beam-induced redox chemistry is crucial for properly interpreting in-situ data.
Micro-CT, enabled by synchrotron radiation, is a potent technique at synchrotron light sources for studying the development of microstructures. The prevalence of wet granulation in the production of pharmaceutical granules, necessary for capsules and tablets, is undeniable. The influence of granule microstructures on product performance is widely understood, making dynamic computed tomography a significant potential application area. In order to demonstrate the dynamic capabilities of CT, lactose monohydrate (LMH) powder was chosen as the representative substance. Wet granulation of LMH compounds, completing within several seconds, proceeds at a speed that surpasses the capabilities of laboratory CT scanners to document the alterations in internal structures. Analysis of the wet-granulation process is facilitated by the superior X-ray photon flux from synchrotron light sources, which allows for sub-second data acquisition. Beyond this, non-destructive synchrotron radiation imaging, needing no alterations to the specimen, can elevate image contrast utilizing phase-retrieval algorithms. Dynamic CT imaging provides a means to gain understanding of wet granulation, a field previously relying heavily on 2D and/or ex situ analysis methods. Via efficient data-processing strategies, dynamic computed tomography (CT) permits a quantitative assessment of the internal microstructure's evolution within an LMH granule during the initial stages of wet granulation. The results illuminated the consolidation of granules, the dynamic porosity, and how aggregates impact granule porosity.
Within the context of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM), the visualization of low-density tissue scaffolds constructed from hydrogels is both critical and difficult. For synchrotron radiation propagation-based imaging computed tomography (SR-PBI-CT), despite its potential, the ring artifacts observed in its imagery are a significant barrier. To resolve this matter, this research centers on the integration of SR-PBI-CT and the helical scanning approach (specifically, Employing the SR-PBI-HCT technique, we sought to visualize hydrogel scaffolds. A comprehensive investigation into the effect of key imaging parameters, including helical pitch (p), photon energy (E), and the number of acquisition projections per rotation (Np), on the image quality of hydrogel scaffolds was conducted. This study resulted in optimized parameters, improving image quality while reducing noise and artifacts. The in vitro visualization of hydrogel scaffolds using SR-PBI-HCT imaging with parameters p = 15, E = 30 keV, and Np = 500, demonstrates a notable benefit in minimizing ring artifacts. The results also highlight SR-PBI-HCT's ability to visualize hydrogel scaffolds with good contrast at a low radiation dose (342 mGy) and suitable voxel size (26 μm), enabling in vivo imaging. This paper presents a systematic study on visualizing and characterizing low-density hydrogel scaffolds in vitro, using SR-PBI-HCT, which proved to be an effective tool with high image quality. This work presents a noteworthy progress in non-invasive in vivo visualization and assessment of hydrogel scaffolds, ensuring that a safe and appropriate radiation dose is used.
Concentrations of beneficial and harmful substances in rice grains have an impact on human health, primarily due to the form and location of these substances within the grain. To safeguard human health and characterize elemental equilibrium in plants, methods for spatially quantifying elemental concentration and speciation are essential. Average rice grain concentrations of As, Cu, K, Mn, P, S, and Zn were assessed using quantitative synchrotron radiation microprobe X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) imaging. These measurements were compared to concentrations determined through acid digestion and ICP-MS analysis of 50 grain samples. The two methods exhibited a more substantial alignment for high-Z elements. ML-7 mw Quantitative concentration maps of the measured elements were a consequence of the regression fits between the two methods. The maps displayed the prevailing concentration of most elements within the bran, with exceptions noted for sulfur and zinc, which permeated the endosperm. ML-7 mw The ovular vascular trace (OVT) exhibited the highest arsenic concentration, reaching nearly 100 milligrams per kilogram in the OVT of a grain from an arsenic-contaminated rice plant. While facilitating comparative analyses across diverse studies, quantitative SR-XRF methods demand rigorous scrutiny of sample preparation procedures and beamline characteristics.
Dense planar objects, not amenable to X-ray micro-tomography, have had their inner and near-surface structures elucidated through the development of high-energy X-ray micro-laminography. A high-intensity X-ray beam, generated by a multilayer monochromator and possessing an energy of 110 keV, was employed for high-resolution, high-energy laminographic observations. A compressed fossil cockroach on a planar matrix was subjected to high-energy X-ray micro-laminography analysis. Wide-field-of-view observations were performed with an effective pixel size of 124 micrometers, while high-resolution observations utilized an effective pixel size of 422 micrometers. A noteworthy aspect of this analysis was the distinct observation of the near-surface structure, unmarred by the problematic X-ray refraction artifacts often present from outside the region of interest in tomographic analyses. In a planar matrix, fossil inclusions were demonstrated in a further visual display. The surrounding matrix's micro-fossil inclusions and the gastropod shell's micro-scale characteristics were demonstrably visible. Local structural analysis using X-ray micro-laminography on dense planar objects demonstrates a reduction in the penetration length through the surrounding matrix. X-ray micro-laminography's superior capability is its ability to generate signals at the designated region of interest, where optimal X-ray refraction facilitates image formation. Unwanted interactions in the dense surrounding matrix are effectively avoided. Accordingly, X-ray micro-laminography permits the recognition of the intricate local fine structures and subtle variations in image contrast of planar objects, which elude detection in a tomographic view.