I22: SAXS/WAXS beamline at Diamond Light Source -- an overview of 10 years operation

Abstract

Beamline I22 at Diamond Light Source is dedicated to the study of soft matter systems from both biological and materials science. The beamline can operate in the range 3.7 keV to 22 keV for transmission SAXS and 14 keV to 20 keV for microfocus SAXS with beamsizes 240 x 60 {\mu}m$^{2}$ spot [Full width half maximum (FWHM) Horizontal (H) x Vertical (V)] at sample for the main beamline, and approximately 10 x 10 {\mu}m$^{2}$ for the dedicated microfocussing platform. There is a versatile sample platform for accommodating a range of facility, and user developed, sample environments. The high brilliance of the insertion device source on I22 allows structural investigation of materials under extreme environments (for example fluid flow at high pressures and temperatures). I22 provides reliable access to millisecond timescales, essential to understanding kinetic processes such as early folding events in proteins or structural evolution in polymers and colloids.