Remote Access Revolution: Chemical Crystallographers Enter a New Era at Diamond Light Source Beamline I19

Abstract

Since the inception of the use of synchrotron radiation in the structural characterisation of crystalline materials by single-crystal diffraction in the late 20th century, the field has undergone an explosion of technological developments. These cover all aspects of the experiments performed, from the construction of the storage rings and insertion devices, to the end user functionalities in the experimental hutches. Developments in automation have most frequently been driven by the macromolecular crystallography community. The drive towards greater access to ever-brighter X-ray sources has benefited the entire field. Herein, we detail the revolution that is now occurring within the chemical crystallography community, utilising many of the tools developed by their more biologically oriented colleagues, along with specialised functionalities that are tailored to the small-molecule world. We discuss the benefits of utilising the advanced features of Diamond Light Source beamline I19 in the newly developed remote access mode and the step-change in productivity that can be established as a result.