SMALL-ANGLE X-RAY-SCATTERING DIFFRACTION SYSTEM FOR STUDIES OF BIOLOGICAL AND OTHER MATERIALS AT THE STANFORD-SYNCHROTRON-RADIATION-LABORATORY

A versatile small-angle x-ray diffraction/scattering system has been developed at Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory for studies of biological and other materials. The system includes two sets of collimation slits separated by an ionization chamber, a sample holder cooled by a circulation bath, a vacuum/He scattering path after the sample holder and a detector, either a linear one-dimensional position-sensitive proportional counter or a position-sensitive quadrant detector. Data aquisition is controlled by a VAXstation through a CAMAC interface. Menu-driven data acquisition and on-line analysis software has been developed. The system can be used to collect small- to intermediate-angle x-ray scattering and diffraction data. Monochromatic, anomalous, and time-resolved scattering/diffraction experiments are possible. A time-resolved spectrophotometer using photodiode arrays has also been developed for simultaneous measurements of optical absorption spectra and x-ray scattering/diffraction.