How to book IM experiment - Detailed instructions

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a number of operational constraints that have to be applied to ESRF users and staff alike. The need for social distancing, as well as potential travel restrictions for users due to regulations adopted by the various national authorities and/or users’ institutions, have led to a preference for mail-in (also known as “remote”) experiments over the coming months. In a mail-in experiment, samples are made available to the concerned ESRF beamline staff and the experiment is carried out via remote communication between the users and the local contact.

The workflow for mail-in experiments is significantly different from what you are used to for onsite experiments. To help you prepare, organise and run your experiment, we have created an information page Detailed instructions (see above) which covers the new aspects of the workflow.

 

IM experiment: all industrial Mail In experiments that are not macromolecular crystallography (IX and FX) experiments.

1. Agree on experiment date with Beamline Responsible

You should contact the scientist in charge of the beamline (Beamline Responsible) to agree on the date(s) and hours of beam time. The Beamline Responsible will inform the BDO.

2. Quotation

If you wish to purchase hours for one particular experiment, you will be sent a quotation for a specific number of hours which, if you accept, should be signed and returned as soon as possible.

If, however, you plan to carry out several experiments, you will receive an "open" quotation that will cover all your experiments. You will be invoiced quarterly according to what you have used. The quotation is valid for 12 months as from the date of your first experiment. There is no obligation related to this quotation, you may use as few or as many hours of beam time as you wish - however it will reduce considerably your (and our) paperwork.

We cannot proceed with the administrative procedures, thereby blocking your experiment, until you return this quotation.

3. Admin Steps for your experiment

 

Creation of experiment number

 

If it is the first time that you use the ESRF, the BDO will create your experiment number (IM-**), which once attributed, is valid until further notice.

Invitation

The BDO will then send you, as Main Contact ("Main Proposer"), an Invitation with an "Experiment Protocol" by email which contains information on how to submit the A Form.

A Form

There are instructions concerning the A Form that you will need to submit as Main Contact. The A Form is linked to a series of administrative and safety procedures that are necessary and mandatory for all experiments. Sample Sheets must be submitted with the A Form.

Sample Sheets

You will need to create and save Sample Sheets for each experiment session, then attach them to the A Form. It will not be possible to submit the A Form if you have not attached the Sample Sheets.

!  NEW !    Sending your samples - ICAT     MANDATORY FOR ALL SHIPMENTS

All samples, chemical products and equipment related to user experiments must be sent to the ESRF using our ICAT Sample Tracking software, and then via a registered courier company such as FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc.

More information on ICAT here

Electronic Declaration

This is an electronic declaration that you need to validate and submit for each experiment.

On-line Mail In Safety Training

Once completed, this mandatory safety training is valid for one year.

4. Payment

If you have purchased hours of beam time to cover one particular experiment, once it has been completed, you will be sent an invoice.
If you have signed an "open" quotation, you will be invoiced at the end of the current trimester, according to what you have used.