Apparatus and method for determining molecular structure
US9279778B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 30, 2015 |
| Grant date | Mar 8, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 30, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J49/0431
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Certain disclosed embodiments concern a method and an apparatus for determining molecular structure. One embodiment comprises producing sample ions from a sample, cooling molecules of the sample ions by either embedding sample ions in superfluid droplets, such as superfluidic helium droplets, or subjecting sample ions in a cooled ion trap, to a selected temperature approaching absolute zero. Plural cooled sample ions confined in a diffraction zone are oriented using a laser, and a diffraction image is produced from oriented sample ions using an electron beam. Molecular structure is determined using collected images from different orientations obtained under different polarization directions of the orientation laser. Embodiments of an apparatus for determining molecular structure also are disclosed. The apparatus operation, data accumulation and processing are controlled by software. The software can directly calculate electron density maps without using heavy atom derivatives or multi-wavelength anomalous dispersion phasing methods.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.