Journal Article

PUBDB-2016-00573

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Single-molecule imaging with longer X-ray laser pulses

Martin, A. V. (Corresponding author) ; Corso, J. K. ; Caleman, C.CFEL*DESY* ; Timneanu, N. ; Quiney, H. M.

2015
International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) Chester

This record in other databases:        

Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1107/S2052252515016887

Abstract: During the last five years, serial femtosecond crystallography using X-ray laser pulses has been developed into a powerful technique for determining the atomic structures of protein molecules from micrometre- and sub-micrometre-sized crystals. One of the key reasons for this success is the `self-gating' pulse effect, whereby the X-ray laser pulses do not need to outrun all radiation damage processes. Instead, X-ray-induced damage terminates the Bragg diffraction prior to the pulse completing its passage through the sample, as if the Bragg diffraction were generated by a shorter pulse of equal intensity. As a result, serial femtosecond crystallography does not need to be performed with pulses as short as 5–10 fs, but can succeed for pulses 50–100 fs in duration. It is shown here that a similar gating effect applies to single-molecule diffraction with respect to spatially uncorrelated damage processes like ionization and ion diffusion. The effect is clearly seen in calculations of the diffraction contrast, by calculating the diffraction of the average structure separately to the diffraction from statistical fluctuations of the structure due to damage (`damage noise'). The results suggest that sub-nanometre single-molecule imaging with 30–50 fs pulses, like those produced at currently operating facilities, should not yet be ruled out. The theory presented opens up new experimental avenues to measure the impact of damage on single-particle diffraction, which is needed to test damage models and to identify optimal imaging conditions.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. CFEL-Coherent X-Ray Imaging (FS-CFEL-1)

Research Program(s):

1. 6215 - Soft Matter, Health and Life Sciences (POF3-621) (POF3-621)

Experiment(s):

1. No specific instrument

Appears in the scientific report 2015

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Database coverage:
; ; ; ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; NCBI Molecular Biology Database ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Thomson Reuters Master Journal List ; Web of Science Core Collection

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