Coherent Imaging Division

The Coherent Imaging Division develops innovative methods for imaging with the use of X-ray Free Electron Laser (FEL) and synchrotron sources, with an emphasis on bioparticles and macromolecules. The determination of the structure of such objects is particularly sensitive to radiation damage, which we aim to overcome by using ultrafast X-ray pulses that outrun this damage. Instrumentation such as detectors, optics, and particle delivery systems, are being developed to suit the needs of X-ray imaging experiments. Algorithms and software tools have been developed to process large volumes of data that are collected during such experiments. Our methods offer new opportunities for examining biological particles whose molecular function is unknown, providing valuable insights into disease and drug design.


The research addresses the following areas:

• Coherent Diffractive Imaging of Single Particles


• Serial Femtosecond Crystallography


• Understanding the Physics of Intense X-ray Interactions


• New Phasing Techniques


• Sample Delivery Methods

Experimental set-up for atomic resolution images based on single pulse diffraction patterns using the radiation of free-electron laser (FEL) sources such as FLASH in Hamburg (Germany) or LCLS in Stanford (USA).