The CryoBench microspectrophotometer is an apparatus which allows the user to take absorption and/or fluorescence measurements directly in a protein crystal.

Indeed, a goniometer head is installed at the center of three objectives. Through the lenses, light sources like Deuterium, Halogen or Lasers can focus at the loop containing the crystal sample.

Two of the objectives are situated for a transmission signal while the third one is at 90° allowing epifluorescence experiments. One of those objectives sends the collected signals to the computer through an optic fiber where a CCD detector treats it.

The sample is always frozen by vaporous nitrogen cast by an Oxford Cryostream. It is also possible to keep it at room temperature thanks to an apparatus called "Humidifier"... a dry nitrogen gas flux transfers a defined wet flow rate to the crystal thanks to a bubbling bottle. This strategy is very useful for example to follow reaction mechanisms at room temperature or to add chemicals into the crystal during the experiment.

Some special devices are installed like a cryoshutter to block the cold nitrogen stream in order to realize an annealing process on the crystal, a heated goniometer head to fight against ice formation or a fiber holder which allows to focus precisely an infrared beam on the sample through an optic fiber.

The following photograph represents the installation of the miscellaneous devices of the microspectrophotometer.