Abstract
X-ray free-electron lasers provide novel opportunities to conduct single particle analysis on nanoscale particles. Coherent diffractive imaging experiments were performed at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Laboratory, exposing single inorganic core-shell nanoparticles to femtosecond hard-X-ray pulses. Each facetted nanoparticle consisted of a crystalline gold core and a differently shaped palladium shell. Scattered intensities were observed up to about 7 nm resolution. Analysis of the scattering patterns revealed the size distribution of the samples, which is consistent with that obtained from direct real-space imaging by electron microscopy. Scattering patterns resulting from single particles were selected and compiled into a dataset which can be valuable for algorithm developments in single particle scattering research.
Highlights
Background & SummaryThe determination of structures of non-crystalline single molecules or nanoparticles from coherent diffractive imaging data is an exciting and rapidly developing field at X-ray Free-Electron Lasers (XFELs)[1]
The different symmetries of the outer shell and inner core are clearly reflected in the diffraction patterns
They can serve as a test bed for algorithm development
Summary
The determination of structures of non-crystalline single molecules or nanoparticles from coherent diffractive imaging data is an exciting and rapidly developing field at X-ray Free-Electron Lasers (XFELs)[1]. Synthetic metal nanoparticles have been used previously as model systems for developing imaging technology[3,7,8,9,10,11,12] They have three major advantages: (1) the high-Z atoms have large scattering factors, resulting in stronger signals at higher resolution than same-sized biological particles; (2) metal nanoparticles can be prepared by a crystalline growth approach that frequently generates surface facets that lead to distinct streaks to assist merging; (3) nanoparticles can be manufactured with high symmetry. The data were compiled in the CXIDB format[14] and deposited for public usage This dataset should serve as a valuable asset for the development of algorithms in scattering pattern classifications, sample size analysis, 3D diffraction volume merging, and model reconstructions
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