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Improving High Viscosity Extrusion of Microcrystals for Time-resolved Serial Femtosecond Crystallography at X-ray Lasers
Published on: February 28, 2019
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Real-time analysis of liquid jet sample delivery stability for an X-ray free-electron laser using machine vision
Jaydeep Patel1, Adam Round2, Raphael de Wijn2
1School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences La Trobe University Melbourne Victoria Australia.
Journal of Applied Crystallography
|December 4, 2024
Summary
Automated optical image analysis enables real-time tracking of liquid jets for X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) experiments. This method enhances sample delivery efficiency by monitoring jet stability and position.
Area of Science:
- X-ray science and instrumentation
- Machine vision and image analysis
- Fluid dynamics and sample delivery
Background:
- Liquid jets are crucial for sample delivery in X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) experiments.
- Real-time monitoring of jet stability and position is essential for optimizing experimental efficiency.
- Current methods for jet evaluation can be time-consuming and may not provide sufficient real-time feedback.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and implement an automated system for evaluating optical microscopy images of liquid jets.
- To enable real-time tracking of jet position and determine liquid jet hit rates.
- To quantitatively characterize liquid jet stability and enhance sample delivery efficiency at XFELs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized machine vision for image preprocessing, feature extraction, segmentation, and jet detection.
- Implemented tracking algorithms to extract physical characteristics like jet angle from optical images.
- Integrated the real-time analysis algorithm into the Karabo control system at the European XFEL.
Main Results:
- The automated system successfully performs real-time tracking of liquid jet position and angle.
- Liquid jet hit rates were accurately determined, providing a measure of experimental efficiency.
- The algorithm demonstrated effective quantitative characterization of liquid jet stability during XFEL experiments.
Conclusions:
- Automated optical image analysis provides a robust method for real-time monitoring of liquid jets.
- The developed system enhances sample delivery efficiency and data acquisition in XFEL experiments.
- This approach offers a valuable tool for optimizing experimental conditions and ensuring reliable sample delivery.
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