System and method for fully integrated microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED)

An integrated microcrystal electron diffraction system comprising:

• an electron source;
• a sample assembly configured to retain a sample;
• a camera assembly;
• and
• a control system including an electronic processor, the control system configured to:
• pre-screen the sample on the sample assembly, where pre-screening the sample includes:
• capturing, by the camera assembly, at least one pre-screen diffraction image of the sample,
• determining, by the control system, a position for the sample for imaging based on the at least one pre-screen diffraction image, wherein determining the position for the sample includes:
• identifying m target crystals of the sample on the sample assembly,
• generating a respective diffraction score for at least one of the m target crystals based on respective diffraction images of the m target crystals, and
• selecting one of the m target crystals for imaging based on the respective diffraction scores, the selected one of the target crystals corresponding to the position for the sample for imaging, and
• controlling, by the control system, the sample assembly to position the sample at the position;
• collect image data of the sample via the camera assembly, wherein collecting the image data includes:
• generating, by the electron source, an electron beam towards the sample at the position,
• rotating the sample assembly, and
• capturing, by the camera assembly, scatterings of the electron beam by the sample as diffraction images while the sample assembly is rotated;
• and
• output microcrystal electron diffraction data based on the image data.