Electron diffraction imaging system for determining molecular structure and conformation

US10784078B2 · kind B2 · utility

Inventors

• Roger D. Durst · Middleton, US
• Christoph Ollinger · Karlsruhe, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 31, 2018
• Grant date: Sep 22, 2020
• Expiry date: Oct 31, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2223/612
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An electron diffraction imaging system for imaging the three-dimensional structure of a single target molecule of a sample uses an electron source that emits a beam of electrons toward the sample, and a two-dimensional detector that detects electrons diffracted by the sample and generates an output indicative of their spatial distribution. A sample support is transparent to electrons in a region in which the sample is located, and is rotatable and translatable in at least two perpendicular directions. The electron beam has an operating energy between 5 keV and 30 keV, and beam optics block highly divergent electrons to limit the beam diameter to no more than three times the size of the sample molecule and provide a lateral coherence length of at least 15 nm. An adjustment system adjusts the sample support position in response to the detector output to center the target molecule in the beam.