Proposals at XFM

Preparing Your Experiment Proposal

• The Proposal Submission Advice on the ANSTO website has important proposal deadline dates and general information.

For questions regarding planning an experiment not covered by the information on our website, please contact us. However, please use this website and the XFM beamline paper as first points of reference.

All proposals will be evaluated by external reviewers and members of the Proposal Advisory Committee (PAC) as well as by the beamline team for technical feasibility.

When writing your proposal it is important to consider the suitability of the XFM beamline for your experiment. XFM is a microprobe, so there must be a need for spatial resolution in your proposal. The XFM sample guide page is recommended reading for the preparation of your proposal and will help in planning your experiment.

Tips on Completing the Proposal Sections for XFM

• Scientific relevance and merit – Ensure that reviewers can easily determine the scientific value of the synchrotron experiment you are seeking to undertake and how it will contribute to the relevant field of research or application.

• National benefit and applications of the proposed research –It is extremely important to demonstrate why this research is important to Australia and what are potential long term outcomes for the nation. Does your research align with an Australian Government Science and Research Priority? The application of this work needs to be described and how it will contribute to advancing Australia’s scientific knowledge. One sentence is not enough for this section. Also, include where you plan to publish your synchrotron data.   If you are an international researcher, provide why the research is important to your country, also the opportunity to collaborate is considered a national benefit to Australia so please include this.

• Experience of participants, and outcome of previous Australian Synchrotron experiments – For all researchers, include their title, institution, research interests, their number of publications, conferences attended, and describe their expertise in the laboratory and at synchrotron facilities. Include what each participant will contribute to the experiment. Be aware that a track record of conducting experiments at the Australian Synchrotron without subsequent publication or explanation will not be well regarded. This is particularly true if time has been awarded twice or more.

• The need to use Synchrotron Radiation for this research - This is one of the most important sections of your proposal. Applicants need to show proof of concept of why the experiment cannot be carried out in the laboratory.  Data from other techniques can also be included if it will assist in assessing the feasibility of the experiment. 

Completing the Section 'Proposed Experiment'

Details of a typical experiment need to be described. Sufficient detail needs to be included for the proposal to be accurately assessed. When submitting proposals, users should take care to address the following experimental and technical aspects:

• Be absolutely clear stating what you want to do.

  • If you want to do XANES imaging, specifiy the element and absorption edge (e.g., Fe K-edge), and the desired number of energies, scan area and dwell time. You must justify in your proposal why XANES imaging is necessary. What do you expect to observe, and why is it important? If you simply state you want to do XANES, the proposal will not score well.

• How many samples are to be analysed? – Clearly indicate the number and identity of the samples that are the subject of the synchrotron proposal.

• Time requested – At XFM, time is allocated in units of 3-shift increments (there are three 8-hour shifts per day), with a minimum of three shifts requested per experiment. The amount of beamtime requested for the experiment must be justified by taking into account such details as the following: set-up time, number of samples, pixel size (resolution) and dwell time.  It is strongly advised to convey this information using a table.  Time for setting up usually includes beamline alignment, scanning standards, beamline user safety inductions, extra beamline preparations if for instance more than one setup if required such as use of the cryostream. In general for a straightforward 2D mapping experiment with the Maia detector, 2.5 hours of setup is required, which includes user safety inductions at the beamline.

  • See our scan time calculators here: Scan time calculators XFM

• Please explain how you intend to analyse the data you collect – It is important to describe in detail how you will analyse the data and what information do you hope to gain from the experiment. Discuss what you will be determining, as it is not sufficient to just list the software packages you will use.

• Describe in detail any hazards selected above and any safety procedures used to control the associated risks – Outline all safety procedures for all steps of the experiment, as it needs to be made clear that the researchers are aware of the hazards associated with their experiment and have thought about how to mitigate the risks.

The best advice is, if in doubt, to consult beamline staff well before the proposal deadline when writing your proposal.