Cryo-SXT on B24

The B24 beamline is designed to operate at low (soft) X-ray energies in the region termed the “water window” although it also has the capability of operating at higher energies.

The water window is the region between the K-absorption edges of carbon at 284 eV and oxygen at 543 eV. Between these two energies oxygen is virtually transparent to X-rays whereas carbon is highly absorbing. Thus there exists a natural contrast between the vitreous ice surrounding a frozen biological cell and the carbon containing structures making up the cell.

Beamline specification:

• Data collection at ~500eV (water window) using absorption contrast mode
• Extensive field of view (16 x 16 microns with stitching capability)
• Limited angle tomography (140 degrees total tilt)
• Resolution: ~25-40nm in up to ~12um thick samples
• Samples vitrified, not sectioned, stained, dehydrated or otherwise processed.
• Automatic data processing in place.
   

For further details on B24, take a look at our beamline pages.