Demonstration of simultaneous experiments using thin crystal multiplexing at the Linac Coherent Light Source

Abstract

Multiplexing of the Linac Coherent Light Source beam was demonstrated for hard X-rays by spectral division using a near-perfect diamond thin-crystal monochromator operating in the Bragg geometry. The wavefront and coherence properties of both the reflected and transmitted beams were well preserved, thus allowing simultaneous measurements at two separate instruments. In this report, the structure determination of a prototypical protein was performed using serial femtosecond crystallography simultaneously with a femtosecond time-resolved XANES studies of photoexcited spin transition dynamics in an iron spincrossover system. The results of both experiments using the multiplexed beams are similar to those obtained separately, using a dedicated beam, with no significant differences in quality.

The X-ray Correlation Spectroscopy instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source

“…) but most importantly allows multiplexing with another instrument located downstream in the FEH (Feng et al, 2013(Feng et al, , 2015Zhu et al, 2014). A detailed discussion concerning the effect of the monochromaticity on the intensity and longitudinal coherence properties of a FEL SASE beam is provided by Lee et al (2012).…”

The New Macromolecular Femtosecond Crystallography (MFX) Instrument at LCLS

“…This new beamline will allow simultaneous use of XPP in monochromatic mode while using MFX in pink beam mode using thin crystal multiplexing techniques [35]. This will increase the availability of beamtime for users in all science fields by making structural biology experiments previously performed at XPP multiplexable when operated at MFX.…”

Ptychography at the Linac Coherent Light Source in a parasitic geometry

“…One technique that is used successfully at the European XFEL is to 'kick' electron bunches from the linear accelerator to different undulators that lead to distinct experimental stations (Decking & Obier, 2008). Another option that has been used at the LCLS is to use a crystal beam splitter to split and direct the X-ray beam to different end stations (Feng et al, 2015).…”