title: A modular and compact portable mini-endstation for high-precision, high-speed fixed target serial crystallography at FEL and synchrotron sources.
abstract: The design and implementation of a compact and portable sample alignment system suitable for use at both synchrotron and free-electron laser (FEL) sources and its performance are described. The system provides the ability to quickly and reliably deliver large numbers of samples using the minimum amount of sample possible, through positioning of fixed target arrays into the X-ray beam. The combination of high-precision stages, high-quality sample viewing, a fast controller and a software layer overcome many of the challenges associated with sample alignment. A straightforward interface that minimizes setup and sample changeover time as well as simplifying communication with the stages during the experiment is also described, together with an intuitive naming convention for defining, tracking and locating sample positions. The setup allows the precise delivery of samples in predefined locations to a specific position in space and time, reliably and simply.
authors.affiliation: Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 ODE, UK.
authors.forename: Darren A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Sherrell
authors.affiliation: Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 ODE, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 ODE, UK.
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.affiliation: Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 ODE, UK.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nutter
authors.affiliation: Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 ODE, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Hea
authors.affiliation: LCLS, SLAC National Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of Toronto, 80 St George St, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Paré-Labrosse
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of Toronto, 80 St George St, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oghbaey
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of Toronto, 80 St George St, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
authors.forename: R J Dwayne
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 ODE, UK.
authors.forename: Robin L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Owen
keywords: fixed-target serial femtosecond crystallography; motion control; portable endstation; sample delivery