Bruker D8 Venture

Image of the Bruker Venture D8 X-ray Diffractometer

The Bruker D8 Venture X-ray diffractometer is a state-of-the-art instrument suitable for protein crystal diffraction.

The instrument is fitted with the following features:

  • Photon III detector
  • Automatic '2 click' AGH Kappa goniometer
  • Diamond IµS copper source
  • Oxford Cryo-stream
  • optional use of the ISX plate goniometer

Photon III detector

The UNSW D8 Venture has a Bruker Photon III 28 Mixed mode X-ray detector fitted.

This detector is able to work in both photon counting and integration modes allowing high signal-to-noise ratios and accurate intensities. There is no detector noise, enabling high linearity and excellent quality data.

This detector is much more sensitive than the old CCD 'home source' detectors, and coupled with the intensity of the Diamond X-ray source enables much faster data collection. Typical 'still' frames are in the order of 10 second exposures, with effectively instantaneous read-out.

Automatic AGH Kappa goniometer

Bruker’s new Automated Goniometer Head (AGH) has been designed to allow automatic centering of your magnetic-pin-mounted sample.

The AGH enables 'two click' optical centering of the sample in a semi automatic mode similar to Synchrotron MX beamlines. The goniometer is fitted with fast, high precision piezoelectric motors and the goniometer has a  magnetic mount built in that accepts standard mounting pins. The Bruker software allows full control of the kappa functions of the goniometer, and the AGH works with low temperature (100 K) operation. 

Diamond IµS copper source

The UNSW Bruker diffractometer has a Diamond IµS copper (Copper K-alpha x-ray energy has a wavelength of  1.5406Å and an energy of 8.04 keV) sealed X-ray source. This is a microfocus (~100 µm, round) X-ray source providing about a 20% higher average peak flux density than a new rotating anode generator. The source is fully air-cooled and has a long-lifetime.

The source is made from a hydrid copper-diamond anode, consisting of a thin layer of copper on a synthetic diamond substrate. The copper layer produces the X-rays while the diamond substrate dissipates the heat load produced, providing excellent stability and lifetime. The Diamond source has a 6 degree take-off angle and a maximum voltage of 50 kV.

The Copper Diamond Source is combined with HELIOS optics to give a spot focus of ~100 µm (round), with a 7.5 mrad beam divergence.

 

Funding:

This instrument was acquired with the support of Australian Research Council Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities Grant: ARC LIEF 190100165.