Indra — Introduction

This is the manual for USAXS instrument data collection and reduction (Indra package) for the USAXS/SAXS/WAXS instrument, currently located at beamline 12ID-E (C) at the Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory. For more details see https://usaxs.xray.aps.anl.gov

Note

These macros represent a collaborative work in progress and not all features may be complete at any given time. While every effort is made to verify results, no guarantees can be made as to their reliability. Please verify results independently, and report any bugs to ilavsky@aps.anl.gov. Support for users is provided on a best-effort basis.

What is the USAXS/SAXS/WAXS instrument?

The Indra package is a suite of Igor Pro (WaveMetrics, version 9.05 and higher) macros for data reduction of small-angle scattering data collected on the APS USAXS instrument (currently beamline 12ID, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne, IL).

Details on the USAXS instrument are available in the following publications:

  1. Ilavsky, I., P. Jemian, A. J. Allen and G. G. Long (2004). Versatile USAXS (Bonse-Hart) facility for advanced materials research. Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation. 705: 510–513.

  2. Ilavsky, J., P. R. Jemian, A. J. Allen, F. Zhang, L. E. Levine and G. G. Long (2009). Ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering at the Advanced Photon Source. Journal of Applied Crystallography 42(3): 469–479.

  3. Zhang, F., A. J. Allen, L. E. Levine, J. Ilavsky and G. G. Long (2011). Ultra-Small-Angle X-ray Scattering—X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy: A New Measurement Technique for In-Situ Studies of Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium Dynamics. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A 43(5): 1445–1453.

  4. Zhang, F., A. J. Allen, L. E. Levine, J. Ilavsky, G. G. Long and A. R. Sandy (2011). Development of ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering–X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. Journal of Applied Crystallography 44(1): 200–212.

  5. Ilavsky, J., A. J. Allen, L. E. Levine, F. Zhang, P. R. Jemian and G. G. Long (2012). High-energy ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering instrument at the Advanced Photon Source. Journal of Applied Crystallography 45(6): 1318–1320.

  6. Ilavsky, J., F. Zhang, A. J. Allen, L. E. Levine, P. R. Jemian and G. G. Long (2013). Ultra-Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Instrument at the Advanced Photon Source: History, Recent Development, and Current Status. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A 44A(1): 68–76.

  7. Ilavsky, J., Zhang, F., Andrews, R. N., Kuzmenko, I., Jemian, P. R., Levine, L. E., Allen, A. J. (2018). Development of combined microstructure and structure characterization facility for in situ and operando studies at the Advanced Photon Source. Journal of Applied Crystallography 51, 867–882. https://doi.org/10.1107/S160057671800643X

  8. Zhang, F. and Ilavsky, J. (2024). Bridging length scales in hard materials with ultra-small angle X-ray scattering — a critical review. IUCrJ 11. https://doi.org/10.1107/S2052252524006298

The USAXS/SAXS/WAXS instrument provides world-unique measurement capabilities. For full details see https://usaxs.xray.aps.anl.gov

Standard configuration (Si 220 crystals) — flyscanning or step scanning

  • Energy range: 10–28 keV

  • Q range: 0.0001 to 6 Å−1 (maximum depends on energy)

  • Collection time: 1–3 minutes

  • Intensity range: up to 12 decades (desmeared)

  • Q resolution: ~0.00008 Å−1 in the USAXS range (up to ~0.1 Å−1)

  • SAXS Q range: ~0.03 to 1.3 Å−1

  • WAXS d-spacing range: ~6 Å to 0.8 Å (energy dependent)

High resolution configuration (Si 440 crystals) — step scanning only

  • Energy: 20 or 24 keV

  • Q range: 0.00003 to 6 Å−1 (maximum depends on energy)

  • Collection time: 4–6 minutes

  • Intensity range: up to 12 decades (desmeared)

  • Q resolution: ~0.00003 Å−1 in the USAXS range (up to ~0.1 Å−1)

  • SAXS Q range: ~0.03 to 1.3 Å−1

  • WAXS d-spacing range: ~6 Å to 0.8 Å (energy dependent)

Data naming conventions

When using the USAXS instrument data reduction packages Matilda (automatic), Indra, and Nika (manual), reduced data are available in Igor Pro using the following naming conventions:

  • USAXS — for USAXS data. Both slit-smeared and desmeared versions are typically available; the desmeared version is used for most analyses.

  • QRS — for SAXS and WAXS data.

When using Irena to analyze, plot, or export data, select the appropriate USAXS or QRS choice at the top of each panel.

Instrument history

This instrument was built at the Advanced Photon Source in 1998 at Beamline 33ID (UNICAT). It was subsequently relocated to beamline 32ID (~2005), 15ID — ChemMatCARS (~2010), 9ID (~2015), 20ID (2021, temporarily), and its current location at 12ID since the APS-U upgrade in 2024. Additional details are available at DOI: 10.1007/s11661-012-1431-y.