Conducting QMSC Experiments

• Peer-Reviewed Access
  • For non-proprietary research intended for publication.
  • Visit the CLS website for instructions on submitting a proposal.

• Industrial Access
  • For proprietary work not intended for publication.
  • Contact beamline staff, and check out the CLS Industry page for examples of work completed.

Requesting Beamtime

There are two modes of access for QMSC beamtime:

• On-Site Visit - Where you travel to the CLS to collect data.
  • Visit the Light Source Guesthouse at Ogle Hall website to arrange accommodations.
• Remote Control - Where you send samples to QMSC, and connect to beamline computers remotely from your home lab to collect data.

How to request beamtime:

• Peer-Reviewed Proposals - Request shifts under your valid project as needed; beamtime requests are valid for two years per proposal.
  • Access your project in the CLS User Portal.
  • Note that beam is generally only provided for experiments during shifts indicated as "Normal" (green).
• Industrial Access - Contact beamline staff.

Preparing for Your Beamtime

Use the following checklist 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 needed, you may 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 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.
• Review documentation and verify schedule
  • Detailed QMSC User Guide documentation is accessed from the links on the right;
  • The homepage, beamline specifications, schedule & news items are accessed from the top of the page.
• Contact us to confirm things are on track
  • About a week before your beamtime, you will normally receive an e-mail reminder from us about your upcoming beamtime. Please respond to this e-mail to provide us with any requested information or alert us of any issues. For example, we may ask what temperature you will be doing measurements at, so that we can cool the cryostat down ahead of time for you.

During Your Beamtime

Beamline staff will be present to help you start your on-site session. Beamline changeovers require about 30 minutes, which is part of your beamtime. Normally, expect to start collecting 30 - 60 minutes into your beamtime.

Use the links on the right to find information about safety procedures, beamline operations, computing & data transfer, and data collection, processing, and analysis software.

After Your Data Collection

We hope you find your time at QMSC both effective 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 appreciate the time you take to complete surveys in the User Portal, or that you may receive after your data collection.

Please take all samples back with you after your beamtime. Data files are available immediately for download through link: Globus. We highly recommend backing up your data and storing a copy safely in your lab, as we are only able to save data for a limited amount of time.

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