Three-dimensional-printed gas dynamic virtual nozzles for x-ray laser sample delivery.

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Materials Science
• Optics

Background:

• Reliable sample delivery is critical for X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) biological imaging.
• Gas Dynamic Virtual Nozzles (GDVNs) are used for continuous sample injection, especially in time-resolved studies.
• Fabrication limitations have hindered full understanding and optimization of GDVN functionality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply 2-photon polymerization (a high-resolution 3D printing technique) for fabricating high-fidelity GDVNs.
• To enable rapid prototyping and optimization of GDVN dimensions for improved performance.
• To address limitations in understanding and refining GDVN functionality for XFEL applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 2-photon polymerization to create GDVNs with submicron resolution from CAD designs.
• Tested fabricated nozzles with pure water to assess performance and reproducibility.
• Employed X-ray tomography and index matching to analyze internal nozzle structures and diagnose jetting issues.
• Refined fabrication processes based on diagnostic results.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated high-fidelity GDVNs with submicron resolution using 3D printing.
• Initial tests showed reproducible off-axis jetting, which was diagnosed using X-ray tomography and index matching.
• Fabrication refinements led to straight jetting.
• Printed nozzles achieved high-quality femtosecond diffraction patterns at an XFEL.

Conclusions:

• 2-photon polymerization is a viable method for producing precise and customizable GDVNs.
• This technique overcomes previous fabrication limitations, enabling better understanding and optimization of GDVN performance.
• The improved GDVNs facilitate high-quality data acquisition in XFEL biological imaging.