Requirements for X-ray structure analysis with modern synchrotron light sources

X-ray diffraction methods, including macromolecular crystallography, small- angle scattering from partly or noncrystalline systems, fiber and surface d iffraction, are in the forefront of interest of a broad synchrotron user co mmunity from biomedical and technological fields. The main impact comes fro m the unsurpassed X-ray flux and brilliance of modern third-generation sour ces, facilitating on the one hand, a dramatic enhancement in sample through put, and on the other hand, the transformation of X-ray diffraction analysi s from a static to a cinematographic technique. In the present article some of the requirements for further development are being discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.