Collaborative Research: IDBR: Instrumented Diamond Window for Synchrotron Beamlines

摘要：了解生物分子的结构和动力学及其相互作用已被证明是理解甚至影响其功能的关键。国家同步加速器设施为这种结构生物学研究提供了强大的工具阵列，包括各种x射线技术，如大分子x射线晶体学，小角度x射线溶液散射，x射线显微镜，x射线吸收光谱学，x射线荧光和x射线足迹。这些技术中的许多都是为了利用下一代同步加速器源而开发的，它们都倾向于使用高通量光束和/或光束，这需要增强稳定性和对光束位置和强度的精确理解。由凯斯西储大学、石溪大学和布鲁克海文国家实验室组成的一个综合合作团队获得了一份合同，该团队将开发基于金刚石的仪器真空窗，该真空窗能够同时测量高通量x射线束的体积通量、位置和形态，以满足这些即将到来的设施的需求。由于该仪器集成在真空窗口中，这些设备有望为当前x射线光束线中几乎无处不在的脆弱、有毒的铍窗口提供强大的替代选择，同时还提供光束监测功能。该项目将直接增强当前和下一代生物科学研究基础设施，其能力适用于许多科学学科。我们的国家同步加速器用户设施是研究和教育的关键资源，每年为几乎每个科学学科的数千名用户提供服务，因此这些设备的潜在用户社区相当深刻。这些设施还作为各级教育的培训基地，提供社区外展、K-12课程、本科实习、研究生论文研究、博士后培训以及向知名科学家介绍新研究工具的研讨会。除了积极参与这些项目外，该项目还直接支持研究生的培训，他们将学习广泛的实验技术，利用合作小组的各种专业知识。从REU项目招收本科生也有望加强该项目。为开发该仪器而建立的多机构合作由来自生物物理学、加速器物理学和材料科学领域的研究人员组成，该项目包括学术界、政府和工业界的参与。这些不同的背景将为通过项目进行的学生培训提供广泛的经验。项目期间开发的仪器设计和软件将通过出版物、参加会议和讲习班以及专门针对同步加速器社区进行教育的研讨会来传播。在这个项目成功完成后，预计将寻求资金，将这些装置转变为适合商业生产的广泛适用的形式。

Abstract: Understanding the structure and dynamics of biological molecules and their interactions has proven to be critical in understanding, and even influencing, their functions. National synchrotron facilities provide a powerful array of tools for such structural biology studies, including a variety of x-ray techniques such as macromolecular x-ray crystallography, small-angle x-ray solution scattering, x-ray microscopy, x-ray absorption spectroscopy, x-ray fluorescence and x-ray footprinting. Many of these technologies, as they are developed to take advantage of next-generation synchrotron sources, are trending toward use of high flux beams and/or beams which require enhanced stability and precise understanding of beam position and intensity. An award is made to an integrated collaborative team from Case Western Reserve University, Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory to develop instrumented diamond-based vacuum windows capable of simultaneously measuring the volumetric flux, position and morphology of a high flux x-ray beam to address the needs of these upcoming facilities. Because the instrument is integrated into a vacuum window, these devices are expected to offer a robust replacement option for the fragile, toxic beryllium windows nearly ubiquitous in current x-ray beamlines, while also providing beam monitoring capabilities. This project will directly enhance the research infrastructure at current and next-generation bioscience beamlines, with capabilities applicable across many scientific disciplines. Our national synchrotron user facilities are critical resources both for research and education, serving many thousands of users from nearly every scientific discipline every year, thus the potential user community for these devices is quite profound. These facilities also serve as training grounds at all levels of education, with programs for community outreach, K-12 programs, undergraduate internships, graduate dissertation research, postdoctoral training, and workshops to introduce established scientists to new research tools. In addition to active participation in these programs, this project directly supports the training of a graduate student who will learn a broad range of experimental techniques, taking advantage of the diverse expertise of the collaborative group. Recruitment of undergraduate students from the REU program is also expected to enhance the program. The multi-institution collaboration established to develop the instrument is comprised of researchers from the fields of biophysics, accelerator physics, and materials science, and the project includes academic, government and industrial participation. This diverse set of backgrounds will provide a breadth of experience for student training through the project. The instrument design and software developed during the project will be disseminated through publication, participation in conferences and workshops as well as seminars specifically directed toward educating the synchrotron community. Upon successful completion of this project, it is expected that funding will be pursued to move these devices into a broadly applicable format appropriate for commercial production.