Before your Beamtime

3. Before your Beamtime#

This page is a check list of things each user must do before beamtime at BMM. Several tasks on this page are called out in caution boxes that look like this:

Caution

This is a caution box.

Failure to do the tasks in caution boxes will result in delay or cancellation of your experiment.

TL;DR:

read all the caution boxes.

3.1. Register for BNL Site Access#

Upon receipt of notification of your beamtime, verify that all the team members attending your experiment have a valid BNL Guest registration.

An experimenter who is not listed on the original proposal (for example, a student who recently joined the research group), will not receive reminder emails about the need for a BNL appointment. So, be sure everyone coming to the beamline has a valid appointment.

Note

  • New registration requests as well as extension requests for expired registrations should be submitted as soon as possible.

  • Time required for approval of a guest registrations:

    • US citizens: 7 days

    • Citizens of non-sensitive countries: 14 days

    • Citizens of sensitive countries: 45 days

  • Definition of sensitive country

Apply for a BNL Guest appointment: https://www.bnl.gov/ps/userguide/beforearrival.php

Caution

Without an active appointment, you will not be allowed on site and will be turned away at the main gate.

3.2. BNL Domain Account#

When your BNL Guest registration becomes active, you should receive an email with instructions for enabling your BNL domain account. You must do this, including setting your password and signing up for DUO Federal two-factor authentication.

If you need to request an account, go to https://www.bnl.gov/accounts/ and click the button that says “Submit account registration form”.

Enabling your BNL account is non-optional. You must have an active account in order to unlock the computers at the beamline.

Caution

Without an active account, a known password, and DUO Federal two-factor authentication, you will be unable to perform your experiment or to access the data from the experiment.

3.3. Safety Approval Form#

Submit your Safety Approval Form (SAF) at least two weeks before the start date for your experiment. Your SAF should provide a complete and accurate description of the experiment, including all samples, chemicals, solvents, reference materials, and equipment that will be used during the experiment and for sample preparation. In addition, any additional equipment not provided by the beamline has to be identified and described in the SAF. Provide detailed information on sample processing and any safety measures necessary.

Caution

An approved SAF is required on the first day of beamtime. Without enough time for approval, you may lose your beamtime.

To submit a SAF: https://pass.bnl.gov

If your experiment requires chemicals, compressed gases, lab access, or other equipment, please contact Bruce Ravel well ahead of your expriment. Transportation of hazardous materials related to your experiment to the BNL site and back to the home institution is your responsibility.

3.4. Support Laboratories#

Currently, four labs support user activities at BMM. They are:

  • Lab 3L-L06: XAS Sample Prep Lab

  • Lab 3L-L07: Environmental Science Wet Lab

  • Lab 3L-L09: XAS Chemistry Lab

  • Lab 4L-L09: Electrochemistry Lab

See https://www.bnl.gov/nsls2/labs/ for details of what equipment is available in each lab.

If you prepare or treat samples on-site, you must request use of the appropriate NSLS-II User Laboratory when you submit your Safety Approval Form.

You cannot request a laboratory after an SAF has been approved.

Here is some advice on selecting the correct lab:

Unbound nanoparticles

Please note that supported nanoparticles or nanoparticles in solution are not considered “unbound”. If your samples are indeed unbound, please contact BMM beamline scientist Bruce Ravel (bravel@bnl.gov) as soon as possible.

Solid sample preparation (pellet pressing, spreading on tape, etc)

Request Lab 3L-L06.

Liquid samples (organic solvents, acids, bases) and simple chemistry

Request Lab 3L-L09.

Hydrofluoric acid treatment

Request Lab 3L-L09 and notify the Cognizant Space Manager, Syed Khalid (khalid@bnl.gov), as soon as possible.

Environmental and earth science sample preparation and treatment

Request Lab 3L-L07.

Electrochemistry and battery science

Request Lab 4L-L09.

Radiological samples

Radionuclide samples must be prepared and properly contained at the home institution. NSLS-II has no lab available for work on radiological materials. Samples with depleted uranium and uranium at low or environmentally relevant concentrations are considered to be radiological samples at NSLS-II and must be treated as such.

Requests for using gloveboxes should be discussed prior to submitting the SAF, contact Bruce Ravel (bravel@bnl.gov) and/or Syed Khalid (khalid@bnl.gov)

Important

Each lab you select on your safety approval form makes work for the lab stewards. Only request the lab(s) that you actually intend to use.

3.5. Training#

Please complete all required online user training at least one week before the starting date.

To complete your training, follow the training instructions at: https://www.bnl.gov/nsls2/userguide/before-arrival.php#step2

Links to specific course:

Returning users can check training status online.

Caution

Failure to complete training will result in a delay starting your experiment.

3.6. Electrical Equipment#

Any equipment with an electrical cable including low-voltage instruments and sample holderss are considered electrical equipment (laptop computers are excluded) and are subject to an electrical equipment inspection (EEI).

If you plan to bring electrical equipment for your experiment, go to http://bit.ly/m/eei to fill out the EEI request form.

The EEI request form includes questions describing the user supplied equipment, thus is a chore better suited for the user who has knowledge of the equipment coming to the beamline.

Caution

Failure to schedule an EEI will result in a delay to your experiment. Equipment that cannot pass EEI may not be used at NSLS-II.

Note that some already-approved electrical equipment (e.g., potentiostat, heaters, cryostats, temperature controllers, sample spinners, and more) is available at the beamline.

3.7. Research Equipment Pool#

Some experimental tools are available from the NSLS-II Research Equipment Pool. If you wish to use any items from equipment pool, contact Bruce Ravel well ahead of your experiment.

If you wish to use a potentiostat in lab 4L-L09 to pre-condition battery or other electrochemical samples, contact Bruce to have a potentiostat from the equipment pool reserved for you.

3.8. Shipping things to the beamline#

Packages should be shipped to

Bruce Ravel / Beamline 6BM
Building 740
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Upton NY 11973

If shipping radiological materials, do not ship samples directly to the beamline. Follow the instructions for radiological materials transport.

3.9. The Day of your Experiment#

Note

Unless told otherwise, your experiment starts at 8 am.

You should consider having all team members arrive the afternoon prior to the first day of the beamtime to check in at the GUV Center and to complete beamline specific training.

The GUV Center opens at 7 a.m. on weekdays, so it is possible to obtain badges and access cards prior to the 8 a.m. start date of your experiment.

Please consult NSLS-II user guide or contact BMM beamline staff for more information.

NSLS-II Attire

At a minimum, all users are required to wear long pants or skirt/dress that extends to the ankle, short-sleeve or long sleeve shirts, and shoes that enclose the entire foot for entry to NSLS-II non-office areas, which includes the experimental floor and sample preparation laboratories.