Crystallography
Crystallography
Macromolecular
Soft Condensed 
Imaging and
Biological
Magnetic
Structures and
Crystallography 
Spectroscopy Rapid Access Beamtime
Aims
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Safety
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Technical
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Scheduling
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Criteria
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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). It 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.
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 has been conceived as 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 also must 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. Data will be collected at room temperature using the multi-analysing crystal (MAC) system and robotic sample changer. 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 will be used instead to reduce exposure to X-rays and to ensure you get the best possible data from your sample.
2. The energy of the x-ray beam will be 15 keV ( ~ 0.826 Å).
3. The angular range of the data will be 2= 3 -150º, binned at 0.001º step and collected for a standard scan time of 1/2 hour. A silicon scan is shown below for reference.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. If a sample cannot be correctly mounted on the brass holder the user may be requested to send a replacement.
8. If possible, it is preferrable for users to send two prepared samples.
9. Samples should be delivered to Diamond by post or courier. All prepared samples must be packaged appropriately and sent in advance to:
Dr. Claire Murray
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.
All samples must arrive at DLS at least 7 days prior to the date of scheduled beamtime.
10. Unless special arrangements have previously been agreed with beamline staff, samples will be disposed of 2 weeks after data collection.
For queries on loading samples please contact: Dr Claire Murray
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 available 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 and slots are allocated on a first come basis.
3. 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 sent must be preloaded into capillaries and accompanied by a copy of the Experimental risk assessment (ERA).
6. An applicant* is entitled to submit a single proposal in three consecutive calendar months.
7. The maximum no. of samples per application is usually 5.
8. Research groups which already have beamtime in the current Allocation Period are not entitled to apply.
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