Patent ID: 7438472

Claim:
A method for implementing crystal alignment in an x-ray beamline for macromolecular crystallography using an overview camera and a pair of high resolution cameras, said method comprising the steps of: providing a pin mounting a cryoloop containing the crystals to be aligned with the x-ray beamline; providing a goniometer equipped with a three-axis kappa goniostat and X, Y, Z translation stages and mounting said pin on said goniometer; using the overview camera; capturing images of said cryoloop containing the crystals while moving said pin using said goniometer; performing image processing of said captured images and locating the cryoloop relative to the pair of high resolution cameras; using the pair of high resolution cameras, capturing high resolution images of said cryoloop containing the crystals while moving said pin using said goniometer; and performing image processing of said captured high resolution images and aligning said cryoloop and crystals with the x-ray beamline.