Optical Laser Bunching for X-ray Crystallography Hit Fraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The low efficiency of serial femtosecond crystallography in intercepting particles with X-ray pulses due to low duty cycle and high concentration requirements, leading to clogging issues and prolonged measurement times, is addressed.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of optical laser light to bunch particles in a fluid flow, creating concentrated bunches that are then exposed to X-ray pulses, increasing the likelihood of particle interception and reducing clogging risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high concentration of particles is injected to increase the chance of X-ray pulse interception, then the hit fraction improves, but the capillary clogging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using optical trapping to pre-concentrate particles into bunches before they reach the X-ray interaction region. This preliminary concentration ensures that when particles arrive at the detection zone, they are already grouped in high-density bunches, guaranteeing interception by X-ray pulses without requiring continuously high particle concentrations in the supply line, thus preventing capillary clogging.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action through synchronized pulsed laser trapping and X-ray pulse delivery. The optical trap is activated periodically to release concentrated particle bunches at specific time intervals that match the X-ray pulse frequency. This periodic synchronization ensures high hit fraction during the interaction window while allowing the system to reset between pulses, preventing continuous high concentration that would cause clogging.
2Reliability
If low concentration of particles is injected to avoid capillary clogging, then the system reliability improves, but the hit fraction decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical trap performs preliminary concentration of particles into high-density bunches before they enter the detection region. This means that even though the overall particle concentration in the supply is low (avoiding clogging), the localized concentration within each trapped bunch is high enough to ensure reliable X-ray interception.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical trap acts as an intermediary device between the low-concentration particle supply and the X-ray detection system. It temporarily accumulates particles into concentrated bunches, serving as a buffer that decouples the supply concentration from the interaction concentration, thereby resolving the contradiction between low supply concentration and high hit fraction.
3Productivity
If continuous high concentration of particles is maintained to ensure X-ray interception, then the hit fraction improves, but the measurement time increases due to clogging interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic pulsed laser trapping synchronized with X-ray pulses to create brief windows of high particle concentration exactly when needed for measurement. Between pulses, the trap is released and particles are replenished at lower concentrations, preventing clogging. This periodic operation maintains high hit fraction during measurement while minimizing interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
Particles are pre-concentrated into bunches using the optical trap just before they reach the X-ray interaction region. This preliminary bunching ensures that high concentration is achieved only at the critical measurement point and only for the brief duration needed, rather than maintaining high concentration throughout the entire delivery system, thus avoiding clogging-related time losses.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly enhances the efficiency of particle examination by X-ray radiation, allowing for higher concentration of particles per unit volume and reducing the initial particle concentration needed, thus saving time and resources while minimizing clogging.
Implementation Method 1
Exposing the sample fluid flowing through a first application section of the fluid path to a first laser light generated by a first laser light source for a first holding time period such that a first optical light pressure is applied on sample particles entering the first application section resulting in a bunch of sample particles
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method and a system (1) for examining sample particles (2) by X-ray radiation. The method comprises the following steps: a) Generating a flow of a sample fluid (4) along a fluid path (6) in a transport direction Y, wherein sample particles (2) are distributed in the sample fluid (4); b) Exposing the sample fluid (4) flowing through a first application section (8) of the fluid path (6) to a first laser light generated by a first laser light source (38) for a first holding time period such that a first optical light pressure is applied on sample particles (2) entering the first application section (8) resulting in a bunch (12) of sample particles (2), which is released at the end of the first holding time period; c) Repeating step b) such that the fluid flow of the sample fluid (4) leaving the first application section (8) carries a first sequence (14) of spaced bunches (12) of sample particles (2); d) Exposing the sample fluid (4) flowing through a detection section (16) of the fluid path (6) downstream to the first application section (8) to an X-ray set of at least one X-ray pulse generated by an X-ray source (18); e) Repeating step d) to form a second sequence of spaced X-ray sets such that each of the spaced X-ray sets partly or fully intersects a different bunch (12) of the bunches (12) of sample particles (2) carried by the sample fluid (4) flowing through the detection section (16); and f) Detecting by means of an X-ray detector (22) an X-ray radiation formed by the X-ray pulses of the second sequence of spaced X-ray set modified by the bunches (12,32) of sample particles (2) in step e).