Proposal Guidelines XAS Beamline Page | 1
Applying for beamtime at the AS XAS beamline 12-ID
Guidelines prepared by the XAS Proposal Advisory Committee / XAS beamline scientist team; Nov. 2014
Summary: Beamtime at the XAS beamline is highly competitive.
Beamtime applications will be scored and ranked according to scientific merit, track record, need for synchrotron radiation, and technical feasibility and clarity. Please ensure that you read this entire document. Please also make sure that you address each point in the checklist below. Failure to follow these guidelines, and specifically the checklist below, is likely to render your proposal uncompetitive.
Fill in this checklist BEFORE submitting your proposal
Failure to answer YES to all four questions is likely to render your proposal uncompetitive.
Does the experimental plan include a table of samples and experimental conditions as outlined in attached guidelines? / YES / NOIf you have not used the AS XAS beamline over the past three years, have you contacted the beamline scientist team to discuss the feasibility of your experiment? / YES / NO
If you are proposing an experiment for Hutch C (non-standard), have you contacted the beamline scientist team to discuss the feasibility of your experiment? / YES / NO
If you are applying for more than 6 shifts (2 days), are at least 3 people listed as attending? / YES / NO
1. Proposed Experiment
For the most current information on beamline capabilities, please consult the webpage:
http://www.synchrotron.org.au/index.php/aussyncbeamlines/beamline-update
When writing the experimental section of your proposal, consider these important points:
· It is not expected that the experimental section is used as a continuation of the scientific purpose section – please only provide information that is relevant to the measurements.
· Comment on possible radiation induced damage to the sample. This is particularly important as the XAS beamline delivers very high flux density (e.g. orders of magnitude greater than the old ANBF). If radiation damage is expected, please clarify how you intend to deal with this (e.g. cryogenic cooling, fast XANES to determine maximum sampling times, limited k-range, etc).
· Make a consideration as to whether your experiment is suited to Hutch B or C (http://www.synchrotron.org.au/index.php/aussyncbeamlines/x-ray-absorption-spectroscopy/techniques-available). Make sure you contact the beamline scientist team to discuss feasibility in Hutch C. Please also note that in Hutch C experiment below the Fe K-edge (< 7 keV) is not possible.
· If you have complementary data from other techniques that will aid in assessing the viability of your proposed experiment, describe such results.
· Provide detailed but concise information of samples, experimental requirements and time required. Please present this information in table format. Feel free to cut-and-paste template below. If you find it most convenient to attach such table to your proposal as a figure (JPG, etc) feel free to do so. Note that the suggested column headings can be modified to suit your kind of experiment, however for most these headings will make sense and will convey the relevant experimental information.
· The first few hours of beamtime are routinely required for beamline conditioning and user training even when the beamline is running smoothly. Estimate a 4 hr overhead for said activities (8 hr if new user).
· Users are advised to have samples holders made up at their home institution prior to experiment as the XAS beamline stock only a limited number of spare sample holders. The relevant dimensions are shown below. Screwholes are 4 unthreaded M3s. Typically, sample holders are made out of 1 mm Al or 2 mm PMMA. The sample/hole size is variable; please consult for further details if required.
Sample / Edge / F/T / Concentration / K max / Temperatures / Scans / Time/Scan(hr) / Total
(hr)
GaAs
powder / Ga K / T / mx = 1, mt = 2 † / 12 / 20, 50, 100, 200 K / e.g. 1 / 0.5 / 2
CdSe nanoparticles / Cd K / F / 10^16 at/cm2 / 15 / RT / 2 / 1 / 2
Tissue samples (x12) / Br K / F / 0.1 to 0.5 mM / 14 / 10K / 4 each / 1 / 48
14 model compounds / Cr K / F / To be diluted for fluoro measurements / XANES only / 10K / 2 each / 0.5 / 14
Treated blood cells / Cr K / F / < 100 µM / XANES only / 10K / 8-10 / 1 / 8-10
sediment / Fe K / F / 200 mg/kg (estimated) / 12 - 15 / ambient / 4 / 1 / 4
Wheat shoot Ag nanoparticles / Ag K / F / 5 ppm / 12 / RT / 10 / 0.75 / 7.5
ferrocene / Fe K / F / 10 mM / 6 – 10 keV (XERT) / 15, 150, 290K / 2 / 3 / 18
20 samples of fly ash / Cr K / F / 0.1 wt% / XANES only / 295K / 2 / 0.5 / 20
Beamline conditioning and training (hr) / 4
Total time requested (hr / shifts) / 72 hr / 9 shifts
(† http://www.synchrotron.org.au/index.php/aussyncbeamlines/x-ray-absorption-spectroscopy/publications-and-resources )
2. Outcome of previous Australian Synchrotron experiments (past 3 years)
Describe your synchrotron experience, preferably in table form, from the past three years, e.g.:
Proposal ID, round / PI name, institution / # of shifts / OutcomesM9999, 2012/2 / Dr. Seuss, Oxford / 9 shifts / e.g. publication X, or data analysis continuing, or no usable data obtained (give reason), or insufficient data for publication, or presentation at conference X, etc, etc
If you are new to synchrotron radiation experiments, provide evidence of your experience in your field, list your key publications and describe how synchrotron radiation will advance your science. Note that if you are a student you cannot be the Principal Investigator.
3. The need to use Synchrotron Radiation
Justify why XAS measurements are required for your samples and why the information you seek cannot be obtained with other techniques. The need for access to synchrotron radiation to perform XAS measurements is considered a given so focus on why you need to perform an XAS experiment.
4. Experimental Needs, Special Requirements and Hazards
Be as specific and as concise as possible, particularly if you intend to use your own equipment. User-supplied equipment must comply with the safety requirements of the facility before arrival on site. Please be aware that the standard XAS experimental arrangement in Hutch B (first experimental hutch) cannot be modified. As such, user-supplied equipment can only be accommodated for in Hutch C (the second experimental hutch). The beamline scientist team must be consulted before submitting your application if you seek to use your own equipment or perform a ‘non-standard’ experiment.
Contact the beamline scientist team on