Info: This is manual for USAXS instrument data collection and reduction (Indra package) for USAXS/SAXS/WAXS instrument currently (as of 2026/01) located on 12ID-E (C) at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) of Argonne National Laboratory. For more details see https://usaxs.xray.aps.anl.gov/

Manual 1.6.0 for Indra version 2.05 for Igor 9.05 and above

May 13, 2026

Jan Ilavsky

Disclaimer:

These macros represent a collaborative work in progress and it is very likely that not all features are finished at any given time. Therefore, some features may not work fully or at all. Please note, while I try my best to verify the results, no guarantees can be made as to the reliability of these results. Please, verify results in some other way. Please report any bugs to me, I will do my best to fix them ASAP. I provide limited support for users of these macros. Limited means that my time available for this support is limited. If you need help, e-mail Igor file to me with data so I can work on your data.

ilavsky@aps.anl.gov

What is USAXS/SAXS/WAXS instrument?

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

Details on USAXS instrument are in 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. T. Warwick, J. Arthur, H. A. Padmore and J. Stohr. Melville, Amer. Inst. Physics. 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-Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science 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 characrization 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 capabilities - or more 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 [1/A] (max depends on energy used)

  • Collection time … 1 - 3 minutes

  • Intensity range … up to 12 decades (depends on sample), desmeared

  • Q resolution …….. ~ 0.00008 [1/A] in the USAXS range (up to ~0.1 [1/A])

  • SAXS ………………. Q range ~ 0.03 to 1.3 [1/A]

  • WAXS ………………. d spacing range ~ 6A to 0.8 A, depending on energy

High resolution configuration (Si 440 crystals) step scanning only

  • Energy ……………….. 20 or 24 keV

  • Q range ………………. 0.00003 to 6 [1/A] (max depends on energy used)

  • Collection time ……. 4 - 6 minutes

  • Intensity range …… up to 12 decades (depends on sample), desmeared

  • Q resolution ……….. ~ 0.00003 [1/A] in the USAXS range (up to ~0.1 [1/A])

  • SAXS …………………… Q range ~ 0.03 to 1.3 [1/A]

  • WAXS ………………….. d spacing range ~ 6A to 0.8 A, depending on energy

When using USAXS instrument data reduction packages “Matilda” (automatic data reduction) and “Indra” and “Nika” (manual data reduction) your data are available in Igor for use with data analysis tools (like “Irena”) with following naming systems:

  • “USAXS” for USAXS data. Note, that you will normally have available multple versions of the data, the most inportant are slit smeared and desmeared versions which are used for data analysis.

  • “QRS” for SAXS and WAXS.

When you use “Irena” to analyze, plot, or even only export data, you need to select “USAXS” or “QRS” choice in the top of each panel.

History of the instrument:

This instrument was built at Advanced Photn Source in 1998 at Beamline 33ID (UNICAT). It was moved to beamline 32ID in around 2005, around 2010 moved to 15ID (ChemMatCARS), around 2015 moved to 9ID, and in 2021 moved for short time to 20ID. It has been located at 12ID since APS-U upgrade in 2024. Details are available in : DOI: 10.1007/s11661-012-1431-y.