Beamline Imaging
Beamline Imaging - Related Videos
09:00
A Sample Preparation Pipeline for Microcrystals at the VMXm Beamline
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Cited by 10 •
2021
The signal-to-noise ratio of data is one of the most important considerations in performing X-ray diffraction measurements from microcrystals. The VMXm beamline provides a low-noise environment and microbeam for such experiments. Here, we describe sample preparation methods for mounting and cooling microcrystals for VMXm and other microfocus macromolecular crystallography beamlines.
11:09
Online Size-exclusion and Ion-exchange Chromatography on a SAXS Beamline
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Cited by 39 •
2017
The determination of the solution structure of a protein by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) requires monodisperse samples. Here, we present two possibilities to ensure minimal delays between sample preparation and data acquisition: online size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and online ion-exchange chromatography (IEC).
07:54
Preparing Adherent Cells for X-ray Fluorescence Imaging by Chemical Fixation
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Cited by 14 •
2015
Here, we present a protocol on how to determine the quantity and distribution of metals in a sample using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence. We focus on adherent cells, and describe the chemical fixation method to prepare this sample. We then describe how to mount and image the sample using synchrotron X-rays.
10:32
Sample Preparation and Transfer Protocol for In-Vacuum Long-Wavelength Crystallography on Beamline I23 at Diamond Light Source
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Cited by 2 •
2021
Here, we present a protocol for cryogenic sample preparation and transfer of crystals into the vacuum endstation on beamline I23 at Diamond Light Source, for long-wavelength macromolecular X-ray crystallography experiments.
13:45
Hybrid µCT-FMT imaging and image analysis
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Cited by 35 •
2015
We describe a protocol for hybrid imaging, combining fluorescence-mediated tomography (FMT) with micro computed tomography (µCT). After fusion and reconstruction, we perform interactive organ segmentation to extract quantitative measurements of the fluorescence distribution.
FAQs
Changing the selected X-ray energy changes how the beam interacts with the sample and which signal becomes informative. Absorption, scattering, diffraction, and fluorescence can therefore emphasize different aspects of composition or structure. This energy selection lets a chemistry experiment target the contrast most relevant to a reaction, catalyst, battery material, geological specimen, or biological sample.
Beamline imaging can produce either images or elemental maps because detectors record signals generated at different sample positions. Absorption and fluorescence primarily support composition-sensitive views, whereas scattering and diffraction provide information related to structure. The resulting spatially resolved data show where chemical components or structural features occur, rather than reporting only an average over the entire sample.
Temperature, pressure, and chemical environment can be controlled during acquisition, allowing researchers to observe samples under conditions relevant to their behavior. This is especially important for operando studies, where imaging links local composition and structure with ongoing chemical processes. Such measurements can reveal spatially varying changes that would be hidden if the material were examined only before or after a reaction.
A typical measurement selects an X-ray energy, delivers the beam through a synchrotron beamline, and positions the sample so the radiation interacts with the region of interest. A detector then records absorption, scattering, diffraction, or fluorescence signals and converts them into an image or elemental map. Researchers interpret the spatial pattern in relation to the sample’s chemistry and structure.
For reaction fronts, the key outcome is a spatial record of how chemical behavior varies across the sample. Imaging can connect the location of a front with local composition or structure, while catalyst studies can show chemically distinct regions within the material. This information helps relate spatial heterogeneity to chemical behavior and supports more informed materials design.
Applications extend across catalysts, batteries, geological materials, and biological specimens. The same spatially resolved approach can examine composition and structure in very different sample types, while controlled environments permit measurements under selected conditions. The resulting connection between local chemical information and chemical behavior supports investigations of reactions and the development of improved materials.