DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES

 

Set-up occurs in a series of steps:

  • Mounting and aligning crystals:
    • SER-CAT staff member loading pucks into beamline dewar(s)
    • User choice of puck/pin from available pucks
    • Auto-loop alignmenmt of sample
    • 2-point crystal alignment; point and click
    • Manual alignment; point and click
  • Fluorescence scans
    • Mount a poor-quality crystal from your project
    • Take a "single" diffraction image, to make sure crystal is centered in x-ray beam
    • Run a scan with low transmission to avoid detector saturation
    • Click on "Analyze", to analyze the scan
  • Data collection setup; single pass
    • Collect single images in different orientations under the "Collect Single" tab
    • Set up and upload data collection parameters under the "Collect Strategy" tab
    • Start data collection under "Collect Runs" tab
  • Data collection setup; MAD
    • Collect single images in different orientations under "Collect Single" tab
    • Set up data collection parameters under the "Collect Strategy" tab
    • Enter/check the peak, edge and remote energies from the fluorescence scan
    • Upload the parameters and collect data sets under "Collect Runs" tab
  • Rastering
    • Center the loop and click on Automation -> Sample Rastering on "sergui"
    • Click "Yes" to the pop-up window, requesting: "Do you want to open the help PDF for rastering?"
    • Follow the instructions in the PDF for sample rastering
  • Helical data collections
    • Center the crystal and click on Automation -> Helical Data Collection on "sergui"
    • Click "Yes" to the pop-up window, requesting: "Do you want to open the help PDF for helical data collection?"
    • Follow instructions in the PDF for helical data collection
  • The most recent and reliable direct beam information is obtained by typing:
    • ssbeamxy aps22idd (or: ssbeamxy aps22ide); this will return a list of the following:
      • Definitions of various different detectors
      • Directbeam coordinates, as required for various processing packages
      • Command-line User Input commands for quick and automatic data processing when using SER-CAT computer systems
      • Also, the relevant direct beam information for your data collections (along with a great deal of other useful information) will be automatically be saved for you in the following location(s):
        • /data/IDD_name_institution.raw/beamcenter_22IDD.dat (or analogous gzipped file)
        • /data/IDE_name_institution.raw/beamcenter_22IDE.dat (or analogous gzipped file)