Rapid Access

The objective of Rapid Access mode is to provide an administrative mechanism for the URGENT collection of powder diffraction data on samples of high scientific interest and whose measurement requires access to a short duration of beamtime (e.g. a few hours or less).

Rapid access is not intended as a source of beamtime for the routine measurement of large numbers of samples, or for lengthy projects more appropriate to the normal beamtime application procedures.

All rapid access data collections are batched and performed robotically, managed by beamline staff, and are limited to ambient measurements, or non-contact heating or cooling by hot air blower or cryostream (but not both)

Researchers wishing to run samples must submit an electronic Rapid Access Proposal, details of which are available on the DLS website or from the User Office.

Rapid Access is a remote access mode; proposals will be submitted and reviewed online, samples will be sent by post or courier to Diamond and any resulting data will be accessed online.

Only low-risk materials may be submitted via this route.

The following materials are not acceptable:

• Radioactive materials
• Highly reactive samples (e.g. explosive, …)
• Biohazardous materials
• Liquid samples

Full hazard declarations must be included with the proposal and must also accompany the samples sent to DLS.

Any delivered samples that deviate, or appear to deviate from their stated or declared hazard rating will be treated as potentially hazardous waste and destroyed accordingly without progressing to data collection.

Applicants who are considered to have deliberately attempted to circumvent these restrictions will not be allowed to resubmit further samples/applications.

A standard data collection protocol will be used:

1. Powder specimens must be loaded and sealed into 0.5 or 0.7 mm (diameter) glass capillary with a sample length of 40-60 mm.

• The length is important so that it can easily be mounted on to the brass tip ready for the measurement.
• The use of borosilicate glass capillaries is preferred. Care should be taken when choosing and sealing a capillary to provide a straight ended specimen such that it can be mounted on the brass holder.
• If possible, it is preferrable for users to send two prepared samples.
• Samples should be delivered to Diamond by post or courier. All prepared samples must be packaged appropriately.
• If a sample cannot be correctly mounted on the brass holder the user may be requested to send a replacement.
• All samples must arrive at DLS at least 7 days prior to the date of scheduled beamtime.
• Unless prior arrangements have been agreed, samples will be disposed of 2 weeks after data collection.

2. Data will be collected at room temperature using the Position Sensitive Detector (PSD) and robotic sample changer.

• Note: There are some types of materials which suffer from radiation damage (e.g. some pharmaceuticals and hydrogen storage materials). In cases such as these, PSD scans can be requested instead to reduce exposure to X-rays and to ensure you get the best possible data from your sample. 

3. The energy of the x-ray beam will be 15 keV ( ~ 0.826 Å).

4. The angular range of the data will be 2theta = 2 -92º, binned at 0.004º step and collected for a standard scan time of 10 s. A silicon scan is shown below for reference.

5. The final data file will be a 3 column data file (2Intensity, Error).

• Any further data handling and analysis is the responsibility of the user.

Address to send samples

Dr Lucy Saunders

Beamline I11 -Rapid Access Facility

Diamond Light Source

Harwell Science & Innovation Campus

Didcot

Oxfordshire OX11 0DE

United Kingdom

Full safety information must be enclosed with all samples.

Applicants with proposals or requirements that lie outside of these guidelines are encouraged to contact I11 beamline staff to discuss other possible access routes.

1. Samples will be run in the next available slot during the run, which is usually within one month of reciept of samples at Diamond. 

2. No guarantee can be offered by either DLS or I11 that samples will be run as scheduled, due to the possibility of unforeseen machine or beamline problems.

3. No liability will be accepted by DLS or I11 for any damage to or loss of sample during mounting/dismounting on the instrument prior to the start or end of the Rapid Access run.

1. Rapid Access mode is for academic use only. Industrial users should contact the Industrial Liaison Office.

2. All proposals will be electronically refereed as soon as an application is received

3. If approved, slots are allocated on a first come basis at a time convenient to the beamline user schedule.

4. All conditions for acceptance by users of beamtime are the same as for other access routes

4. Only low risk materials (as assessed by DLS safety group) are allowed.

5. All samples must be preloaded into capillaries and accompanied by a copy of the Experimental risk assessment (ERA) and all/any hazard informatoin.

6. An applicant* is entitled to submit a single proposal in three consecutive calendar months.

7. The maximum number of samples per application is usually 5, though more will be considered on a case by case basis and according to sufficient time being available in the beamline user schedule. Similarly any requests for non-ambient conditions (hot air blower or cryostream, but not both) will be considered case by case, but will employ a small number of samples only.

8. Research groups which already have beamtime in the current Allocation Period are not normally expected to apply, though a small number of follow up measurements may be considered.

9. Samples will normally be disposed of after data collection (2 weeks). Samples can only be returned by prior special arrangement and will be the responsibility of the Applicant

* Eligibility as per DLS policy – see user office guidelines