return to main macromolecular crystallography:
crystallography home
x-ray scattering information
x-ray wavelength/energy conversion
mad rule of thumb





X-Ray Information For Atoms









X-Ray Wavelength to Energy Conversion

Angstroms to Electron Volts

Electron Volts to Angstroms


Rule-of-Thumb for Successful MAD



A reasonable rule of thumb to see if a MAD experiment is feasible is if the average isomorphous and anomalous scattering differences are 2.5 - 3.


Dano = 1 / sqrt(2) sqrt (Na/Np) 2f"/fp
Diso = 1 / sqrt(2) sqrt (Na/Np) Df'/fp


Na = Number of anomalous scatterers
Np = Number of protein atoms
F" = f" of anomalous scatterer
Df' = f' difference between low/high energy remote wavelengths
fp = average scattering factor of protein atoms (6.7)



Anomalous Signal for Large Atoms in 1.54 A (CuKa) Order



              The f'' signals at the following wavelengths:

                       Cu Ka         SSRL 7-1

                        1.54            1.08

Protactinium   Pa     14.046           7.716
Uranium        U      14.020           8.809
Gadolinium     Gd     13.242           8.646
Thorium        Th     13.167           7.495
Samarium       Sm     13.158           7.612
Actinium       Ac     12.385           6.939
Radium         Ra     12.002           6.773
Promethium     Pm     11.936           6.753
Europium       Eu     11.585           7.673
Francium       Fr     11.490           6.527
Neodymium      Nd     11.347           6.469
Radon          Rn     11.007           6.257
Praseodymium   Pr     10.563           6.008
Astatine       At     10.399           5.859
Cerium         Ce     10.080           5.686
Dysprosium     Dy      9.923           8.885
Lanthanum      La      9.767           5.443
Polonium       Po      9.701           5.496
Bismuth        Bi      9.298           5.317
Terbium        Tb      9.202           8.391
Barium         Ba      9.025           5.022
Lead           Pb      8.934           5.083
Thallium       Tl      8.445           4.814
Cesium         Cs      8.239           4.566
Mercury        Hg      8.062           4.608
Xenon          Xe      7.717           4.258
Gold           Au      7.717           4.358
Platinum       Pt      7.236           4.046
Iodine         I       6.933           3.810
Iridium        Ir      6.806           9.908
Tellurium      Te      6.762           3.701
Osmium         Os      6.428           9.908
Rhenium        Re      6.082           8.684
Tungsten       W       5.769           8.249
Antimony       Sb      5.664           3.100
Tin            Sn      5.519           3.001
Tantalum       Ta      5.475          11.148
Hafnium        Hf      5.278          12.626
Lutetium       Lu      5.026          11.932
Indium         In      4.956           2.701
Cadmium        Cd      4.727           2.571
Ytterbium      Yb      4.716          11.402
Thulium        Tm      4.435          10.742
Silver         Ag      4.264           2.307
Erbium         Er      4.099          10.022
Holmium        Ho      4.008           9.965
Palladium      Pd      3.984           2.143
Rhodium        Rh      3.638           1.971
Cobalt         Co      3.562           2.028
Ruthenium      Ru      3.263           1.760
Iron           Fe      3.208           1.801
Technicium     Tc      2.990           1.616
Manganese      Mn      2.832           1.569
Molybdenum     Mo      2.749           1.481
Niobium        Nb      2.505           1.346
Chromium       Cr      2.439           1.332
Zirconium      Zr      2.279           1.229
Vandium        V       2.193           1.185
Yttrium        Y       2.108           1.099
Titanium       Ti      1.868           0.997
Strontium      Sr      1.845           0.994
Scandium       Sc      1.610           0.852
Rubidium       Rb      1.599           0.858
Krypton        Kr      1.427           0.766


Anomalous Signal for Large Atoms at 1.08 A (SSRL 7-1) Order


              The f'' signals at the following wavelengths:

                       Cu Ka         SSRL 7-1

                        1.54            1.08

Hafnium       Hf       5.278          12.626
Lutetium      Lu       5.026          11.932
Ytterbium     Yb       4.716          11.402
Tantalum      Ta       5.475          11.148
Thulium       Tm       4.435          10.742
Erbium        Er       4.099          10.022
Holmium       Ho       4.008           9.965
Iridium       Ir       6.806           9.908
Osmium        Os       6.428           9.908
Dysprosium    Dy       9.923           8.885
Uranium       U       14.020           8.809
Rhenium       Re       6.082           8.684
Gadolinium    Gd      13.242           8.646
Terbium       Tb       9.202           8.391
Tungsten      W        5.769           8.249
Protactinium  Pa      14.046           7.716
Europium      Eu      11.585           7.673
Samarium      Sm      13.158           7.612
Thorium       Th      13.167           7.495
Actinium      Ac      12.385           6.939
Radium        Ra      12.002           6.773
Promethium    Pm      11.936           6.753
Francium      Fr      11.490           6.527
Neodymium     Nd      11.347           6.469
Radon         Rn      11.007           6.257
Praseodymium  Pr      10.563           6.008
Astatine      At      10.399           5.859
Cerium        Ce      10.080           5.686
Polonium      Po       9.701           5.496
Lanthanum     La       9.767           5.443
Bismuth       Bi       9.298           5.317
Lead          Pb       8.934           5.083
Barium        Ba       9.025           5.022
Thallium      Tl       8.445           4.814
Mercury       Hg       8.062           4.608
Cesium        Cs       8.239           4.566
Gold          Au       7.717           4.358
Xenon         Xe       7.717           4.258
Platinum      Pt       7.236           4.046
Iodine        I        6.933           3.810
Germanium     Ge       0.919           3.717
Tellurium     Te       6.762           3.701
Gallium       Ga       0.802           3.315
Antimony      Sb       5.664           3.100
Tin           Sn       5.519           3.001
Zinc          Zn       0.703           2.990
Indium        In       4.956           2.701
Copper        Cu       0.608           2.648
Cadmium       Cd       4.727           2.571
Nickel        Ni       0.524           2.337
Silver        Ag       4.264           2.307
Palladium     Pd       3.984           2.143
Cobalt        Co       3.562           2.028
Rhodium       Rh       3.638           1.971
Iron          Fe       3.208           1.801
Ruthenium     Ru       3.263           1.760
Technicium    Tc       2.990           1.616
Manganese     Mn       2.832           1.569
Molybdenum    Mo       2.749           1.481
Niobium       Nb       2.505           1.346
Chromium      Cr       2.439           1.332
Zirconium     Zr       2.279           1.229
Vandium       V        2.193           1.185
Yttrium       Y        2.108           1.099