@article{5dd1fbe6bb894b6c86326f607d2d2d07,
title = "Post-sample aperture for low background diffraction experiments at X-ray free-electron lasers",
abstract = "The success of diffraction experiments from weakly scattering samples strongly depends on achieving an optimal signal-to-noise ratio. This is particularly important in single-particle imaging experiments where diffraction signals are typically very weak and the experiments are often accompanied by significant background scattering. A simple way to tremendously reduce background scattering by placing an aperture downstream of the sample has been developed and its application in a single-particle X-ray imaging experiment at FLASH is demonstrated. Using the concept of a post-sample aperture it was possible to reduce the background scattering levels by two orders of magnitude.Diffraction experiments with weakly scattering samples often suffer from a low signal-to-noise ratio due to unwanted background scatter. Improving the signal-to-noise ratio for single-particle imaging experiments is particularly important as the diffraction signal is very weak. Here, a simple way to minimize the background scattering by placing an aperture downstream of the sample is demonstrated.",
keywords = "X-ray diffraction, aperture, background scattering, coherent diffractive imaging, signal-to-noise ratio, single-particle imaging",
author = "Wiedorn, {Max O.} and Salah Awel and Morgan, {Andrew J.} and Miriam Barthelmess and Richard Bean and Beyerlein, {Kenneth R.} and Chavas, {Leonard M.G.} and Niko Eckerskorn and Holger Fleckenstein and Michael Heymann and Horke, {Daniel A.} and Juraj Kno{\v s}ka and Valerio Mariani and Dominik Oberth{\"u}r and Nils Roth and Oleksandr Yefanov and Anton Barty and Sa{\v s}a Bajt and Jochen K{\"u}pper and Rode, {Andrei V.} and Richard Kirian and Chapman, {Henry N.}",
note = "Funding Information: Funding for this research was provided by: Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (grant No. DFG-EXC1074); European Research Council (grant No. ERC- 614507-Kuepper); Helmholtz-Gemein- Funding Information: This research was carried out at FLASH at DESY, a member of the Helmholtz Association (HGF). In addition to DESY, this work has been supported by the excellence cluster {\textquoteleft}The Hamburg Center for Ultrafast Imaging–Structure, Dynamics and Control of Matter at the Atomic Scale{\textquoteright} of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (CUI, DFG- EXC1074), the European Research Council under the European Union{\textquoteright}s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/ 2007-2013) through the Consolidator Grant COMOTION (ERC-614507- K{\"u}pper), the Helmholtz Association {\textquoteleft}Initiative and Networking Fund{\textquoteright}, the Australian Research Council{\textquoteright}s Discovery Projects funding scheme (DP170100131), the ERC grant {\textquoteleft}Frontiers in Attosecond X-ray Science: Imaging and Spectroscopy{\textquoteright} (AXSIS, ERC-2013-SyG 609920), the Helmholtz Association Virtual Institute {\textquoteleft}Dynamic Pathways in Multidimensional Land scapes{\textquoteright} (VI 419), and the NSF STC Award {\textquoteleft}BioXFEL{\textquoteright} (1231306). Funding Information: schaft (grant No. VI 419); Australian Research Council (grant No. DP170100131); National Science Foundation (grant No. STC-1231306). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Max O. Wiedorn et al. 2017.",
year = "2017",
month = nov,
doi = "10.1107/S1600577517011961",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "24",
pages = "1296--1298",
journal = "Journal of Synchrotron Radiation",
issn = "0909-0495",
publisher = "International Union of Crystallography",
number = "6",
}