Users can access beamtime through a number of different mechanisms, including:

• Peer-Reviewed Access
• Purchased Access is available through our Industrial Science program
• Rapid Access
• Beamteam Access

Before you begin, determine if SXRMB meets the requirements of your experiments. Check out the beamline specifications and our end stations. Some things to consider include:

1. Does the beamline cover your energy range of interest?
2. Are you interested in XANES or EXAFS measurements?
3. Does the beamline/end station support the sample environment needed?
4. Can you prepare your sample for the type of measurement (i.e. fluorescence or transmission)?

We invite users and collaborators to discuss their proposal with the Beamline Staff before submission. This is crucial for assessment of the experiment feasibility.

Please visit Applying for Beamtime to learn more about how to apply, and the different types of access.

The General User proposal ( Peer-Reviewed) call occurs twice a year.

The timeline for the general user proposals is as follows:

• Proposal Submission
• Reviewer Assignments
• Submit beamtime request
• Prepare for beamtime

You can also watch Writing Your Best Proposal for Beamtime at the CLS for further guidance.

An active project does not automatically receive beamtime each cycle. A beamtime request is used to request shifts in the upcoming cycle.

Beamtime requests for General User access (Peer-Reviewed Proposals) can be submitted by PI, spokesperson, or delegate in the user portal for active projects during Calls for Proposals.

Please note that you can request shift during shifts indicated as "Normal beamtime" (green). Please refer to the Operations Schedule or login to the User Portal for the most up-to-date scheduling information.

Active projects submitting a beamtime request are not re-evaluated and will retain the initial peer review score received. Allocation of shifts is based on the highest ranked proposals (both new and active). Beamtime requests are valid for two years per proposal.

Please see How to Submit a Beamtime Request for more detailed instructions.

Review the following information while preparing for your beamtime to ensure smooth data collection:

• Update your project & team - CLS User Portal
  • Ensure everyone planning to control the beamline is registered as a CLS user, included on the team, accepts the user agreement & completes required training.
    • Note on accounts: each individual user, once registered, has an individual CLS User Portal account which is also used in the CLS Training Site. The spokesperson (or delegate) is responsible for updating the project & list of team members on the project.

• Check that your training is up to date - CLS Training Site
  • On-Site Visit: complete WHMIS, HSO & RAM modules online in the CLS Training Site. On-Site BSOs are additionally completed with staff at the beginning of beamtime when needed, and expire after two years.
  • If you are a new user, you need to pick up your access badge from the CLS Reception Desk in the Main Lobby (Monday to Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, excluding holidays). You will need to present government-issued photo ID and may need to have your Proposal Number before a user badge can be issued.

• Prepare samples for shipment or delivery
  • Use the links on the right to review the sample requirements & shipping instructions.
  • Any samples/materials/equipment that you plan on bringing must be listed on the project. Samples/materials must be approved before arriving at CLS.

• Review documentation and verify schedule
  • Detailed SXRMB User Guide documentation is accessed from the links on the right.
  • The homepage, beamline specifications, & news items are accessed from the top of the page.

Please connect with beamline staff before your beam time to discuss your plan and confirm its feasibility.

Below is an example of a sample list, including names, measurement type(s), sample storage requirements, etc.:

Beamline staff will be present to help you start your session, give beamline specific orientation training required, and guide you through beamline operations. Printed user guides are available at the beamline and are also accessible through the links to the right.

Don't wait until your beamtime is over to start looking at your data. If there's a problem with your data, you want to find it while you're still at the beamline so you can address it.

We hope you found your time at SXRMB productive and pleasant. If you enjoyed your visit, tell your colleagues, and if there is something we can do to improve your experience next time, let us know. We would appreciate it if you took the time to fill out the feedback survey in the User Portal!

Please take your samples with you after your beamtime. Data files are available immediately for download on our beamline computer - please bring an external hard drive. If your data was collected via mail in, you will be sent your data after your beamtime as either an Athena Project file(s) or the raw .dat files.

To get started on your analysis, you may find these guides helpful:
Athena User Guide
Artemis User Guide

Once you are ready to use the data collected at SXRMB in a publication, visit the section in this guide about Acknowledging the CLS.

Feel free to contact us; we're here to help!