The X-ray source provides the beam of X-rays used in the diffraction. There are different X-ray sources available, including copper and molybdenum, which are suitable for different types of analyses.

The lights (visible top left) indicate if the X-ray beam is active and/or if the shutter is open. The instruments are interlocked to ensure that the X-ray beam is shuttered if the instrument doors are opened.

The Goniometer is where the crystal is mounted. The crystal itself is placed on a magnetic loop which is then attached to the Goniometer head. Once he Goniometer arm is aligned within the X-ray beam, the arm is able to rotate the crystal within the beam to obtain diffraction patterns.

The crystal mounting camera is used to align the Goniometer arm to centre the crystal within the X-ray beam.

The CCD detector measures the location and intensities of the X-rays which are diffracted by the sample. A CCD is a a Charge-Coupled Device, which are often used in digital cameras to convert photons into electrical signals. The CCD is able to move to different locations around the crystal in order to collect data from different positions.

The cryostat provide a stream of cooled nitrogen gas over the head of the Goniometer where the crystal is mounted. This results in the crystal being cooled, which reduces molecular vibrations in the crystal and provides a protective nitrogen atmosphere, which reduces ice build-up and enables data collection from crystals which are not air stable.