For Those Interested in Constructing a Contract Beamline

Installation of contract beamline

Contract beamline proposals are accepted anytime. Submitted proposals are reviewed and selected by the Contract Beamline Review Committee of JASRI based on the procedures below.

Step 1. Letter of Intent

A letter of intent is used to assess scientific and technical aspect of the contract beamline proposal and necessity for the exclusive use of the beamline. A letter of intent should be no more than six A4 pages in length. Please note that you need to prepare another letter of intent for another beamline with a different light source/optical system. JASRI then reviews submitted letters of intent at the Contract Beamline Review Committee and notifies the proposers of the review results. Once a letter of intent is approved, the approval is valid for three years.

Sample Format

Step 2. Notification of Installation Site

After a letter of intent has been approved, JASRI secures the installation site for the contract beamline after obtaining approval from RIKEN and notifies its proposer of the installation site. The proposer is required to prepare a contract beamline installation plan taking into account the installation site.

Step 3. Contract Beamline Installation Plan

A contract beamline installation plan is used to assess the project details including the budget plan, operation plan, maintenance plan, safety control plan, and technical feasibility. Please include detailed technical data in approximately 20 A4 pages of the installation plan based on the results of technical consultation with RIKEN and JASRI (hereinafter referred to as the “Facility”) and submit it to JASRI within three years of approval of the letter of intent after the budget has been approved. JASRI then reviews the installation plan at the Contract Beamline Review Committee and notifies the proposer of the review results.

Sample Format

Step 4. Contract Beamline Agreement

When the contract beamline proposal is approved after having followed above steps, a Contract Beamline Agreement must be signed between the proposer and the Facility within two years of the approval. The contract beamline installation period is 10 years as a general rule.

Step 5. Documents Required for Installation

Based on the Contract Beamline Agreement, the proposer is required to follow the procedures outlined below:

• a) Application for Commencement of Installation
  Please submit an application for commencement of installation to the Facility. The Facility approves the application after receiving permission from Nuclear Regulation Authority regarding the radiation facility modification.
  b) Contract Beamline Installation Progress Report
  Please submit quarterly installation progress reports to the Facility.
  c) Contract Beamline Completion Report
  d) Documents Required for Safety Control

Step 6. Completion of Installation

After completion of contract beamline installation, the newly installed beamline must undergo a pre-operation inspection by the Safety Office of the Facility and a pre-use inspection by law before commissioning.

Step 7. Start of Operation

Before performing experiments, please submit a letter to the Facility to notify the commencement of contract beamline use. For instructions on how to submit use plans, please click here.

Step 8. Interim Review

At the halfway point of the installation period, an interim review is conducted to assess the instrumentation, operation, and research results and decides if the beamline has been operated as initially planned. The review consists of two parts: screening of the report submitted by the proposer and presentation session. The results will be one of the following: a) “Continuation” to permit the beamline use for the remaining installation period, b) “Improvement” to request the improvement of the beamline, and c) “Removal” to recommend the removal of the beamline.

Step 9. Requests to Be Made One Year before Expiration of Installation Period

One year before the expiration of the installation period, please request approval for the extension of the installation period, renewal of the agreement, or removal of the beamline.

a) Removal of Contract Beamline
If you wish to remove the contract beamline, you are required to prepare a removing plan and undergo a technical review of the removing plan. After the removal of the contract beamline is completed, you are required to submit a report on the removal of the contract beamline and a report on the proposal results of the contract beamline, and undergo a post review. The same applies in the case of withdrawal due to transfer of the beamline.

b) Extension of Installation Period
If you wish to extend the current project, you will be required to undergo an evaluation of your usage status, as well as a review of the reason for requesting the extension and your plan for the extended period. The extension period is limited to 5 years, and at the end of the extension period, the applicant will be required to choose between removal of the beamline or ” renewal of contract beamline agreement” (within 10 years) (in principle, another extension will not be granted).

c) Renewal of Contract Beamline Agreement
If you wish to undertake a new contract beamline proposal for the next phase using the existing beamline, please request the renewal of the agreement, and submit a report of current operation / proposal results and a new operation proposal plan, which will be subject to review. If the new proposal is approved, the agreement will be renewed. Generally, the additional installation period is up to 10 years.

Modification of Contract Beamline

If you wish to make a modification on the optics hutch / the experimental hutch or a major change which may affect the usability of the Storage Ring after the completion of the installation, please submit a Contract Beamline Modification Plan in advance. The submission of the modification plan is not necessary in the case of minor changes; but close consultation with the Facility is required before making a modification. Please note that you may be requested by the Safety Office to submit additional documents required for safety control. For details, please contact the Safety Office of the Facility.

Instructions during Installation

[Required Registration]

• User Registration/Radiation Worker Registration
  nstallation members must complete user registration and radiation worker registration in that order. Please note that members without registration are not allowed access to the SPring-8 facilities.
• Application for Beamline Interlock Key/Work in Machine Tunnel
  An interlock key box is mounted on the main control panel placed at each beamline. Please register one staff member for each beamline, who borrows the key to open the key box. The registered key keeper and those who work in the optics hutch are required to receive instructions from the equipment manager in advance. To work in the machine tunnel inside the experimental hall, each member must apply for approval for work in the machine tunnel and obtain approval from the Safety Office.い。

[Required Documents]

• List of Installation Group Members
  Each Contract Beamline Office is required to submit a list of installation members detailing the name, affiliation, user ID number of all members to the Users Office, so that all the members can receive their user card, visitor’s pass, and cafeteria card at the time of visit. In case of any change in the list, please submit the revised list.
• Radiation Worker Application Form (for SPring-8/SACLA Users and Regular Stay Constractors)
  Please submit this form to complete radiation worker registration.
• Application Form for SPring-8 Facilities
  When installation members plan to visit SPring-8, please submit this form as needed to the Users Office at least 10 days in advance of the visit.

Contact person

Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI)
1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan