The SAXS instrument provides cutting edge capabilities for probing large lengthscale structures such as polymers, biological macromolecules, meso- and nano-porous materials, and molecular self-assemblies. Background scattering is minimized through the use of a evacuated flight path and vacuum compatible motorized slits.
Designed and constructed by researchers in the MRL X-ray Facility, the SAXS diffractometer first became available to users in fall of 2000. In 2008, the system was upgraded with a high brilliance x-ray micro-source and new optics from XENOCS which resulted in substantial performance enhancement.
As a result of a recent in house development, the SAXS instrument was upgraded with the single crystal/metal hybrid scatterless slits that are practically free of parasitic slit scattering. The total number of of apertures in the collimation system is reduced to two. For most applications, only one set of slits is used, effectively making the instrument a Single Aperture SAXS camera, with a 300% boost in flux at sample position without compromising resolution.
