Single-molecule X-ray diffraction
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Updated: Oct 11, 2026

Synchrotron X-ray Microdiffraction and Fluorescence Imaging of Mineral and Rock Samples
Published on: June 19, 2018
1Department of Biochemistry, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Box 576, S-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden. janos@xray.bmc.uu.se
Abstract:
Free-electron lasers could provide femtosecond X-ray flashes with a peak brilliance 10-11 orders of magnitude higher than that which is currently available from synchrotrons. Such pulses may allow structural studies of single biomolecules before radiation damage destroys them and may permit the imaging of complex structures without the need to amplify scattered radiation through Bragg reflections.
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