The Chemical Crystallography Group

Area Detectors

Recent years have seen a rapid development of area detectors for use in chemical crystallography with both standard laboratory and synchrotron X-ray sources. Systems based on TV technology, image plates, and CCD chips are now being routinely used in many crystallography laboratories in the U.K. and around the world. The opportunities for faster and more precise data collection presented by such devices are considerable, but the associated problems are not negligible and there is scope for much more development and improvement in the detectors themselves and in their use. Two half-day sessions on area detectors at the 1997 BCA Spring Meeting are particularly timely. 

The Monday afternoon session is not in parallel with any other. It will include a main plenary lecture reviewing the topic as a whole, a series of presentations under a common title by users of various types of area detector system, and a time of discussion led by a panel. The CCG AGM will be held at the end of this session. 

The Tuesday morning session will consist of a number of more specialised applications of area detectors in chemical crystallography. The session will end with the now traditional Oral Poster session, in which poster authors will be asked to give an extremely short advertisement for their posters. 

Monday afternoon 

1.30 p.m. The CCG Plenary Lecture delivered by Professor John Helliwell (University of Manchester) 
"Area Detectors in chemical and biological Crystallography." 

2.30-6.00 p.m. with a break for tea 
Short lectures under the title: 
Area detectors in chemical crystallography: experiences,opportunities and challenges 
Speakers 

  • Dr. N.W. Alcock, (University of Warwick), "Systematic Data Errors and their Correction" 
  • Dr J.E. Davies, (University of Cambridge) "Coping with the flood of results" 
  • Mark Elsegood, Newcastle, "Solving more difficult structures using CCD technology"
  • Matt Legge (University of Bristol) "Comparison of single-crystal structure determinations with area and single point detector diffractometers" 
  • Dr. H. Powell, (University of Cambridge) "Badly diffracting crystals and large molecules" 

    • Followed by a panel-led general discussion 

    6.00 p.m. CCG AGM 

    Tuesday morning 

    10.00-12.00 with a break for coffee 
    Lecturers and topics: 

    Mike Hursthouse, Cardiff - "Use of the whole diffraction pattern" 
    Chris Frampton, Roche Products: "Exploratory electron density studies" 
    Bill Clegg, Newcastle and Daresbury: "Synchrotron chemical crystallography" 

    12.00 Oral Poster Session chaired by Dr. R.O Gould 

    Tuesday afternoon 2-5pm 

    Big Screen demonstration of CRYSTALS/CAMERON/SIR  

    Wednesday and Thursday morning 

    DIRDIF96 workshop 

    Any queries regarding the CCG sessions should be directed to the session organiser Prof W.Clegg. 
    Email: [email protected], 
    Tel: +44 (0)191 222 6641 or +44 (0)191 222 6649 
    Fax: +44 (0)191 222 6929