XtaLAB Synergy-DW

Overview

The XtaLAB Synergy-DW is a dual-wavelength rotating anode X-ray diffractometer with a hybrid pixel array detector and kappa goniometer. It contains a PhotonJet-R X-ray source based on the MicroMax-007 HF microfocus rotating anode X-ray generator with a dual-material target available in combinations: Mo/Cu, Cu/Cr, Cu/Co, Cu/Ag, and Ag/Mo; only Mo and Cu optics are available with VHF style optics. The instrument is coupled with an auto-switching dual-wavelength optic that switches between wavelengths in 5 minutes. Detector options include the HyPix-6000HE or optionally the HyPix-Arc 100° or HyPix-Arc 150°, and the HyPix detectors are described as having essentially no readout noise, no dark noise and high dynamic range. The goniometer is a fast kappa geometry allowing data collection scan speeds of up to 10°/sec and the system now offers the UG3 goniometer for faster, more efficient data collections. Beam divergence can be altered with an optional software-controlled motorized variable beam slit between 1 to 10 mrad. Filament changes on the PhotonJet-R are designed to be easy with no need to realign the source, and scheduled maintenance typically involves one annual Rigaku engineer visit taking 1-2 days; an anode exchange program is offered. Core unit dimensions are 1300 (W) x 1875 (H) x 850 (D) (mm), mass is 600 kg (core unit), and power requirements are 1×, 200-230 V, 20 A. The system is controlled by an external PC running MS Windows OS and available accessories and options include Oxford Cryostream 1000, Oxford Cobra, XtaLAB Flow robotic system (XtaLAB Synergy Flow), XtalCheck-S, High Pressure Kit, Intelligent Goniometer Head variants, Intelligent Optics Module (iOM), and HyPix-Arc detectors. The product description states the XtaLAB Synergy-DW is suitable for core facilities where protein crystallography and small molecule crystallography are both practiced. Increased flux from the rotating anode source combined with the extreme low noise of the HyPix detectors is described as improving the ability to investigate small or weakly diffracting crystals by allowing longer counting without detector-noise-related loss in data quality. Selecting the optional motorized variable beam slit is described as a way to enhance resolution for large unit cells, twins or incommensurate lattices by limiting beam divergence to improve peak sharpness. CrysAlisPro is provided for automated crystal screening, strategy calculation, concurrent data reduction and can operate in protein or small molecule dedicated workflows, while AutoChem offers fast, fully automatic small molecule structure solution during data collection and the "What is this?" feature can determine what a sample is in a few seconds before collecting a full dataset. Built-in online diagnostics and the design choice that only one X-ray source is used despite two available wavelengths are described as measures to minimize downtime.