The X-Ray Crystallography Facility (XRCF) in the Beckman Institute (BI) at Caltech obtains X-ray diffraction data from crystalline materials and determines the structures of small molecules from single-crystal diffraction data. Our primary objective is to provide complete crystal structure analysis of small molecules, ranging from simple organic compounds to complex organometallic molecules, for the Caltech community and surrounding institutions. The facility provides the appropriate equipment and computing facilities for obtaining the diffraction data and determining structures.

The XRCF is equipped with three Bruker single crystal diffractometers. A Bruker AXS KAPPA APEXII four-circle diffractometer using Mo radiation from a sealed-tube X-ray generator or a Bruker AXS D8 VENTURE four-circle diffractometer using either Mo or Cu radiation from ImuS micro-sources. Both are equipped with Oxford Cryosystems crystal cooling system. Data are routinely collected at 100K unless otherwise dictated by the experiment. A third Bruker three-circle diffractometer with a SMART 1000 CCD detector is available for room temperature data collection. Several computers are available with the complete suite of Bruker AXS software for data processing, structure solution, least-squares refinement, and report production. Crystallographic database searching is provided on-line through the Caltech Library and is remotely accessible to users from other computers.

In addition to the three diffractometers, the facility is equipped with a PerkinElmer 2400 Series II CHN Elemental Analyzer for bulk sample analysis of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen content in organic and organometallic compounds.