MARMUX COMPLETE CRYSTALLOGRAPHY SYSTEM

MarmuX - MarµX - Mar mu-X Crystallography System

A complete home laboratory for X-ray crystallography. This affordable system includes a state-of-the-art high-flux microfocus generator, detector, goniometer, and cryogenic system.

Overview

The MarmuX is a total turn-key system for in-house X-ray crystallography of single crystals. It consists of:

A Xenocs GeniX micro-focus X-ray generator (external link) operating at 50 Watts, producing a spot size of 50 by 50 microns
Xenocs high-flux multi-layer optics producing a spot size at the sample of approximately 200 by 200 microns
A MarDTB DeskTop Beamline goniostat
A Mar345 Image Plate Detector System with 345mm diameter or SX-165 CCD Detector System
An Oxford Cryosystems Cryostream low temperature unit
A functional and stable table with plenty of space for all electronics and attachments
A table top radiation enclosure

Views of the MarmuX system


MarmuX system	Source tower


Interface of optics to DTB	Generator controller

Performance

Our colleagues at Marresearch GmbH have carried out experiments showing that the MarmuX system can produce data comparable to traditional high-power rotating anode systems. In a test using lysozyme crystals it was possible to collect data of good enough quality for sulfur-SAD-phasing using only 90 degrees of data. The experiments are described in detailed in the application note mar.AN260107 from Jan 26, 2007.

In a second application note mar.AN070207 from Feb 07, 2007, a direct comparison between the MarmuX system and a rotating anode generator using the same experimental conditions (same crystals, exposure times, detector, etc.) revealed that small crystals produce superior data with the MarmuX system while the results for larger crystals are virtually identical.

The two application notes above, from 2007, were based on experiments using the GeniX High Flux (HF) generator system, incorporating the Xenocs FOX 2D multilayer optics. Newly available in 2008 is the Genix Very High Flux (VHF) generator system, using the latest FOX 3D multilayer optics. A third application note mar.AN20Jun08XS demonstrates the further improvement in flux, beam shape, and data quality using this newer GeniX VHF system.

Specifications

X-ray source:	GeniX micro-beam 50 kV/1 mA
Optics:	Xenocs multi-layer optics
Beam size at sample	210 x 210 microns
Beam divergence	< 5 mrad
Anode coupling	built-in water/air refrigerated chiller
Mirror protection	diaphragm vacuum pump with interlock to shutter
Detector:	Mar345 image plate*
Plate diameter	345 mm
Pixel size	100 or 150 micron (software selectable)
Cycle times	36-108 sec (depending on diameter and pixelsize)
Dynamic range	17 bits (1-131000)
Sensitivity	1 ADU per 8 KeV X-ray photon
Intrinsic noise	1-2 X-ray photons equivalent
Goniometer:	MarDTB 2-axis multi-purpose goniometer with automatic X-ray beam alignment and continuous monitoring of the primary beam intensity
Optional accessories for MarDTB	- built-in motorized goniometer head - *easymount^TM automatic mounting system - marcsc*^TM (cryogenic sample changer)
Cryo-cooler:	Oxford Cryostream 700
Liquid nitrogen auto-refill system	Capacitance based level control
Experimental table:	1700 x 1000 x 800 mm (w:d:h), stainless steel magnetic table top and aluminum table frame
Options:	Radiation enclosure with sliding doors and shutter interlock system

*Also available with SX-165 CCD Detector

Downloads

Please find more information by downloading from the links below (PDF format).

Marmux product brochure	Download product brochure
Sulfur-SAD-phasing of hen egg lysozyme with Cu-radiation obtained in-house with a GeniX micro-beam generator	Download application note
Comparison of a conventional rotating anode generator with a Xenocs GeniX micro-beam generator	Download application note
Comparison of newest FOX 3D optics (included in the GeniX Very High Flux generator) with FOX 2D optics (included in the GeniX High Flux generator)	Download application note