Beamline Attributes

Equipment
  • Sample changer (for cryo-data collection only)
  • HCLab humidifier (please contact staff in advance)
  • HVE (please contact staff in advance)
    		•
    Maximum resolution0.66 Å @ 24.0 keV
    0.80 Å @ 19.5 keV
    1.3 Å @ 12.7 keV
    2.7 Å @ 6.0 keV
    Typical exposure time10 ms / frame
    Sample sizeSingle crystals ranging in size from 5 to 100 μm or larger

    New features at BioMAX

    • Fast (one second) energy scans.
    • New interface to change the beam focus, including logic to select the most appropriate focus/aperture combination.
    • Crystal annealing function available from beamline actions.
    • Improved display for image thumbnails in EXI.
    • Choice between Albula and Adxv to autoload and display diffraction images. Note: The new icons to open Albula and Adxv in autoload mode are not visible by default. You will need to open a terminal (for example, by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting the open terminal option) and going through the login setup (hint: click return after each question).

    Getting beamtime at BioMAX

    The first step to gain access to BioMAX is to submit a proposal for beamtime. Normal, BAG and Training and Education proposals can be submitted during the call for proposals period. Fast Access proposals are accepted at any time. For proprietary proposals for industry, please contact the Industrial Relations Office.

    Preparing for beamtime

    The MX groups holds periodical user training workshops. New users are encouraged to apply for one of these training sessions in advance of their first beamtime. The workshops are announced some weeks in advance.

    • Once the user office has notified you about approval of your proposal, BioMAX staff will contact you about suitable times to schedule your beamtime. You will also need to sign an Agreement for Access to MAX IV Laboratory. Please read more about the applicable policies here.
    • Once you get beamtime, please use the DUO interface to apply for an access card (unless the experiment is remote) and perform the safety quiz. You also use DUO to define an experiment session and declare the shifts it will comprise, the number of participants in the experiments and the samples used. Samples need to be declared two weeks in advance, except non-hazardous samples, which can be declared up to three days before the experiment.
    • Prepare the samples. The sample exchanger at MAX IV supports SPINE mounts of standard length (cap + pin + loop = 22 mm) mounted in Universal Pucks (UniPucks) only. It is critical that the samples are the correct length, as longer samples can cause the sample changer to collide with the diffractometer. There are UniPucks available at the beamline in case you do not have any. Please contact staff if you need to borrow the UniPucks. The sample transfer can be done onsite.
    • If you do not bring cryocooled samples need to do extensive sample preparation on-site (beyond cryo-cooling or quick soaks) you will need to arrange in advance training to use the Biological lab.
    • After a session has been defined, use EXI (EXtended IsPyB) to arrange sample shipment. This step is compulsory for automated sample mounting with the sample exchanger, even if you are planning to transport the dewar yourself. If you ship the samples, please enclose the labels generated by EXI, together with the waybill for the return shipment and, if relevant, the customs declaration.

    Carrying out the experiment

    Note: The starting time for morning experiments is 09:00 (CET) and, for afternoon experiments, 17:30. This differs from the scheduled time in DUO to allow for beamline setup.

    MXCuBE3 is the standard software to collect data at BioMAX. As soon as the data are collected, the software launches several different pipelines to process the data. The results can be accessed any time via EXI. We also provide computing facilities for manual reprocessing of the data. Please remember to acknowledge in your publications any tools used at BioMAX to collect and process the data.

    All academic users can use all the software installed on MAX IV computers to process data. However, we may not have appropriate licences for industrial users. If in doubt, please consult with staff.

    Data transfer

    Currently, users belonging to an institution with a valid license can use Globus for data transfer. We also provide an sftp server for remote data transfer. We do not support the use of external disks as there is often not enough time to copy all the data during the beamtime.

    After the experiment

    Please use the DUO interface to provide feedback about your experiment and report any publications arising from it. Submission of an experimental report is very important for renewal of proposals. Do not forget to acknowledge MAX IV and other instruments and software used during the experiment.