Small Angle Scattering (SAXS) Measurement Service at BL19B2

We are pleased to announce that we have updated the “Call for Measurement Service” webpage.

Contents

1. Service Overview

The staff of JASRI will perform measurements using the SPring-8 beamline, BL19B2, on behalf of users. Therefore, users can choose whether to come to SPring-8 and be present during the measurements or to simply send or hand-deliver their samples to the SPring-8.

The measurement service is intended to provide convenience for companies and research institutions that find it difficult to sustain specialized staff and to accommodate the need for quick access.

Application for the service is considered a proprietary proposal and is subject to proprietary beamtime fee and user fees applicable to proprietary Time-Designated Proposals. (See 4. Fees.)

We keep confidential any confidential information received or acquired during the course of the service; and you have no obligation to disclose your application details or research results. In addition, you/your organization is the sole and exclusive owner of the entire right, title and interest in and to the research results obtained through the use of the service and any resulting patent or other form of intellectual property.

We accept applications on an as-needed basis. For inquiries about the dates available for the service or for information about the processes and procedures, contact JASRI staff (see 8.1 Industrial Application and Partnership Division). The turnaround time depends on whether you come to SPring-8 or not, and the type and amount of samples.

2. Beamline

BL19B2 X-ray Diffraction and Scattering II Beamline (small angle scattering (SAXS))

3. Samples

3.1　Preparation / Shipment

As a rule, only solid samples fixed on a 35 mm slide mount can be measured. If you wish to measure other forms of sample, consult JASRI staff (see 8.1 Industrial Application and Partnership Division); their applicability will be individually judged. Measurement targets exclude biological samples (e.g., animals, plants, and microorganisms) and “Level 4” chemicals defined by JASRI, or substances that require the approval of the government or prefecture for handling as listed below.

【”Level 4″ chemicals defined by JASRI】
– Specific substances regulated by the “Law on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the Regulation of Specific Chemicals”
– Narcotic and psychotropic drugs regulated by the “Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law”
– Stimulant drugs and ingredients of stimulant drugs regulated by “Stimulant Drug Control Law”
– Hemp and hemp products regulated by the “Cannabis Control Law”
– Opium, poppy or poppy straw regulated by the “Opium Law”
– Scheduled drugs by the “Pharmaceutical Affairs Law”
– Specified poisonous substances regulated by the “Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Law”
– Substances for which manufacturing is prohibited under the “Industrial Safety and Health Law”

3.2 Sample Preparation

Users should prepare their samples (e.g., fix the sample onto the slide mount). If you are unsure about sample conditions (e.g., sample thickness) and preparation method, be sure to consult JASRI staff (see 8.1 Industrial Application and Partnership Division). If you wish to send your samples in advance, send them to JASRI staff (see 8.3 Sample Shipping Address).

3.3 Measurement Conditions

The camera length is 3 m (for normal small-angle X-ray scattering, SAXS) or 42 m (for ultrasmall-angle X-ray scattering, USAXS). The X-ray energy is in the range of 18–30 keV and is determined upon prior consultation. The concurrent use of both SAXS and USAXS during one beamtime is not permitted. If you wish to use both, you should perform measurements at two different beamtimes. The measurements are carried out at room temperature in air atmosphere.

4. Fees

Users are required to pay the following fees:

4.1 Beamtime Fee

Based on the measurement method and the number of samples/data sets, beamtime is allocated in increments of two hours. Please discuss beamtime calculations with the JASRI staff beforehand (see 8.1 Industrial Application and Partnership Division) and agree on the number of required beamtime, for which proprietary beamtime fee for time-designated use is charged.

Beamtime Fee: 180,000 yen/2 hours incl. tax

4.2 User Fees

Users are required to pay the fees to cover the costs of beamline maintenance/operation and consumables actually used (user fees). The user fees are composed of a fixed fee charged for wear and tear on the facility and a variable fee charged for liquid He.

Fixed Fee: 2,680 yen/2 hours incl. tax
Variable Fee: calculated based on the amount actually used for measurements

5. Application Method

5.1 Submission of Application Form

To apply for the service, please submit an “Application for Measurement Service (Form MH-A)” to the Industrial Application and Partnership Division at daikou19@spring8.or.jp as an email attachment. In the subject line of the email, type: Small Angle Scattering Measurement Request.

5.2 Preliminary Arrangements

Upon receipt of the application, JASRI staff will contact and discuss service details with you. (You can choose whether to come to SPring-8 for discussions or not.) After the discussions, the staff will send you the “Service Confirmation Form (Form MH-B)” for you to refer to when you submit a proposal online (See 5.3 Online Proposal Submission).

5.3 Online Proposal Submission

Upon receipt of the “Service Confirmation Form (Form MH-B)”, your application needs to be submitted as a research proposal from the User Information website (UI site) online, not by post, courier, fax, email or by hand-deliver.

User Information Website > Login > Proposal Submission > New > Proprietary Research + Measurement Service Proposal

First, log in to the system with your user card ID number and password. If you have not obtained your user card ID number, please complete user registration first to create your user account.

Submission Deadline: 10:00 a.m., 10 business days before the scheduled date of measurements

Upon successful online proposal submission, you will receive a confirmation email with the proposal application number attached to it. Please provide the application number and all other information on the “SPring-8 Measurement Service Agreement“, have the person responsible for the payment of fees date and sign the Agreement, and then send it (PDF Form) by email to the Users Office (See 8.2 SPring-8 Users Office).

5.4 Document Submission

After the safety of the samples is verified, the Users Office will request you to submit the following documents:

a. Application Form for SPring-8 Facilities
– If you wish to attend the measurement sessions
Contact and consult with the JASRI staff in advance and submit the “Application Form for SPring-8 Facilities” online from the UI site (Documents > Online Submission) at least 10 days before visiting SPring-8. On the form, please provide the expected receive/return dates of user card and dosimeter and the expected Guest House check-in/check-out dates.
– If you are not going to attend the measurement sessions
Check the box for “Off the list”, and provide the scheduled date/time of measurements specified on Form MH-B.

b. Radiation Worker registration Form (Form5-1)
If you wish to attend the measurement sessions, please submit this Form 5-1 at least 10 days prior to your visit. For further details, please contact the JASRI staff.

c. List of Samples,Reagents, etc.
After submitting the “Application Form for SPring-8 Facilities”, please also submit the “List of Samples, Reagents, etc.” online from the UI site. Note that the link to this form is not displayed until after the “Application Form for SPring-8 Facilities” has been submitted.

6. Review Criteria

Only safety of experiment are reviewed. Technical feasibility, sociality and ethicality of experiment are not reviewed (already recognized through the consultation process with JASRI staffs). Scientific and technological value and the degree of expectation to produce results are not reviewed.

<Important Notice>
If your samples are poisonous or hazardous materials regulated and not permitted to send by the law, it may be possible that you must carry your samples into/out the SPring-8 by yourself.

7. Post-Implementation Processes

The measurement data and the measurement report will be sent to you. Measurement data will be provided to the user as 2D image data in the TIFF format stored in an electronic medium with a measurement report. Users should convert the 2D image data into numerical data of scattering profiles by themselves. After checking the data and report, please submit the “Notification of Completion of Beamtime” online from the UI site. Please note that the analysis of the measurement data is not part of our service. If you are unsure about the conversion and analytical methods, consult JASRI staff (see 8.1 Industrial Application and Partnership Division).

Your samples will be returned to you after the measurement sessions. For users who did not attend the sessions, the JASRI staff will send back the samples at users’ cost.

Following the measurement report, data and samples, the invoice will be sent to you. Please make sure that your organization makes payment of the fees (See 4. Fees) within 60 days of the invoice date.

The results obtained through the service (measurement data) belong to your organization.

Please give us feedback on the measurement service. Your views are very important to us and we welcome your comments and suggestions that will help us improve the service we provide and make it more attractive to our users.

8. Contact

8.1 Industrial Application and Partnership Division (Application/Inquiries about Service and Samples)
For inquiries about the service and sample preparation, please contact:
Industrial Application and Partnership Division
Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI)
1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun
Hyogo 679-5198 JAPAN
Tel: +81-(0)791-58-0924
email: daikou19@spring8.or.jp

8.2 SPring-8 Users Office (Inquiries about Online Procedures)
For inquiries about the user registration, online proposal/document and agreement submission, please contact:
SPring-8 Users Office, User Administration Division
Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI)
1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun
Hyogo 679-5198 JAPAN
Tel: +81-(0) 791-58-0961
email: sp8jasri@spring8.or.jp

8.3 Sample Shipping Address
Measurement Service, Industrial Application and Partnership Division
Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI)
1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun
Hyogo 679-5198 JAPAN
Tel: +81-(0)791-58-0924