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Cost-effective EMCCD-based detector for time-resolved biological SAXS applications.
Vivek V Nagarkar1, Bipin Singh, Liang Guo
1Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc., 44 Hunt Street, Watertown, MA 02472, USA.
Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
|November 11, 2008
Summary
Researchers developed a cost-effective detector for time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) using an electron multiplying CCD (EMCCD). This advancement enables detailed structural studies of biological materials at high speeds.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Materials Science
- X-ray scattering
Background:
- Third-generation synchrotron sources offer powerful X-ray diffraction capabilities for non-crystalline biological materials.
- Current detector limitations hinder millisecond-timescale structural studies at high count rates.
- Advanced Photon Source (APS) provides high flux, demanding faster detector technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a cost-effective detector for time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS).
- To enable detailed structural information acquisition on millisecond timescales.
- To overcome limitations of existing detectors at high-flux synchrotron sources.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a cooled, 512x512 pixel electron multiplying CCD (EMCCD) for detector development.
- Designed and implemented a detector system for SAXS experiments.
- Evaluated detector performance at various frame rates (30-500 fps).
Main Results:
- The developed EMCCD detector is cost-effective for time-resolved SAXS.
- The detector provides detailed structural information at millisecond timescales.
- Demonstrated effective imaging performance with high frame rates.
Conclusions:
- The new EMCCD detector is suitable for time-resolved SAXS studies at synchrotrons.
- This technology enhances the study of dynamic processes in non-crystalline biological materials.
- The detector offers a viable solution for high-speed, high-flux X-ray scattering experiments.
