Ultra-small-angle X-ray diffraction and scattering experiments using medium-length beamlines at SPring-8

Ultra-small-angle X-ray diffraction experiments were made at the two so-called medium-length beamlines at SPring-8. One is a bending magnet beamline (BL20B2) and the other an undulator beamline (BL20XU). Both have two experimental stations separated by 140–150 m. Specimens were placed in the first hutch and the diffraction or scattering patterns were recorded in the second hutch with an X-ray image intensifier or an imaging plate. At an X-ray energy of 12–21 keV, a small-angle resolution of 2 µm was achieved. The exposure time required to record sarcomere diffraction from frog skeletal muscle was 10 min at BL20B2 and 2 s at BL20XU. These results demonstrate the capability of these beamlines in ultra-small angle diffraction/scattering experiments.