X-RAY APPLICATIONS WITH GLASS-CAPILLARY OPTICS

Glass capillaries have unique properties for guiding X-rays in experim ents with micrometer precision. Design considerations of such optics a re presented for X-ray applications involving macromolecular crystallo graphy, tomography and high-pressure experiments at the Cornell High E nergy Synchrotron Source. The authors propose that crystallography wit h protein crystals is feasible on a 50 mu m or smaller scale using cap illary optics along with a cold gas stream and precision rotation stag es. For computed tomography experiments, capillary optics can produce X-ray beams on a submicrometer scale. The distribution of X-rays passi ng through the sample can then be blown up in size with a secondary ca pillary optic to match the similar to 10 mu m pixel size of CCD detect ors. For high-pressure experiments in diamond-anvil cells, mono- and p olycapillary optics may provide 1-50 mu m diameter beams for diffracti on or X-ray absorption fine-structure applications.