Crystal evaluating device

• US 20040258203A1
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rigaku Corporation, Riken
• Original Assignee: Rigaku Corporation, Riken
• Inventors: Yamano, Akihito, Miyano, Masashi, Hamada, Kensaku
• Application Number:
  US10/462,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20040258203A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/73
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/20 by using diffraction of the radiation by the materials, e.g. for investigating crystal structure; by using scattering of the radiation by the materials, e.g. for investigating non-crystalline materials; by using reflection of the radiation by the materials

Abstract

A crystal evaluating device including a sample stage on which an X-ray permeable sample holder 40 having at least one crystal sample mounted therein can be mounted in a substantially horizontal position, an X-ray irradiating unit 20 for irradiating X-rays to the crystal sample in the sample holder 40 disposed on the sample stage from an upper side or lower side, and an X-ray detector 30 for detecting diffracted X-rays from the crystal sample. The X-ray irradiating unit 20 and the X-ray detector 30 are mounted on a rotational arm 50 which can be rotated around the substantially horizontal axis by a rotational driving mechanism 51.

Claims

1. A crystal evaluating device comprising:

a sample stage on which an X-ray permeable sample holder having at least one crystal sample mounted therein is mounted in a substantially horizontal position, said sample stage forming an X-ray permeable sample mount portion;

X-ray irradiating means for irradiating X-rays to the crystal sample in said sample holder mounted on said sample mount portion from the upper side or lower side;

X-ray detecting means for detecting X-rays diffracted from the crystal sample and transmitted through said sample holder;

a rotational arm on which said X-ray irradiating means and said X-ray detecting means are mounted to confront each other; and

a rotational driving mechanism for rotating said rotational arm around a substantially horizontal axis by any angle.

2. The crystal evaluating device according to claim 1, wherein said sample holder comprise a crystallization plate in which plural recess portions for generating protein crystals are formed.

3. The crystal evaluating device according to claim 1, wherein said sample stage comprises an X-Y table for adjusting the movement of said sample holder in two perpendicular directions on a horizontal plane.

4. The crystal evaluating device according to claim 3, wherein said sample stage further adjusts the movement of said sample holder in an up-and-down direction.

5. The crystal evaluating device according to claim 1, wherein said X-ray detecting means comprises a two-dimensional X-ray detector for detecting diffracted X-rays from the crystal sample on a plane.

6. The crystal evaluating device according to claim 5, further comprising a detecting position adjusting mechanism for making said X-ray detecting means approach to or get away from said sample holder disposed on said sample mount portion.

7. The crystal evaluating device according to claim 6, wherein said detecting position adjusting mechanism further adjusts the movement of said X-ray detector in parallel to said sample holder disposed on said sample mount portion.

8. The crystal evaluating device according to claim 1, wherein said X-ray irradiating means comprises an X-ray source for generating X-rays, and an X-ray optical system for making monochromatic X-rays generated from said X-ray source, and then directing the monochromatic X-rays to the crystal sample on said sample mount portion.

9. The crystal evaluating device according to claim 1, further image forming means for detecting the position of the crystal sample in said sample holder and picking up pictures of the crystal sample.