Planning Your Experiment
The NIST Center for Neutron Research provides neutron research facilities
for researchers from industry, university, and government agencies. These
facilities are operated with many different modes of access. 30 major
instruments are available either via a scientific proposal review program,
collaborative research with a NCNR research scientist, or on a commercial
basis for confidential R&D. There is no access charge for research whose
results are freely available to the general public, however proprietary
research can be performed under full cost recovery. A monetary assistance
program is available to encourage first-time users to do measurements at our
facility.
- Planning the experiment
- Choosing an instrument:
- Decide on any ancillary equipment such as temperature devices,
magnetic equipment (See Sample Environment
- Consider sample information (such as neutron attenuation,
activation,
Materials Safety Data Sheet information
- Discussion with an instrument scientist
is highly encouraged, especially if there are sample considerations
(such as hazardous, toxic, or radioactive samples) or specialized equipment needs.
- Requesting beam time
- Security and Safety Access Requirements
- What to do before your arrival to the NCNR:
- Complete the Visitor Sign-In Process. This will lead you through the steps indicated below.
- Request radiation safety training. You may download
the training materials and
practice the test before coming to NCNR.
- Obtain a brief letter of identification from your home
institution, often referred to as the
"trustworthy" letter. A supervisor or colleague who can
attest to your trustworthiness should sign this letter
- If you are a non-citizen, please bring proof of stay in the United
States (example: IAP66, I94, I20, green card, etc). A tourist VISA
is not acceptable. In addition a valid passport is required. If you plan to stay more than 10 days
(non-citizen) or 30 days (US citizen) a calendar year, a security
assurance will need to be completed after you arrive
- If you are a returning user on the access list, you can request
personal dosimetry
- What to do once you arrive at the NCNR:
- Undergo Health Physics Radiation Safety Training
- Complete a "Facility User Safety Awareness Checklist"
- Complete a Signed Facility User Agreement
- You will be assigned personal dosimetry
- Travel to NIST
- Monetary Assistance U. Maryland Outreach
Program (for first-time users)
- Monetary assistance to support graduate students
-
Transportation and lodging information
- After your experiment
- Accessing data from the NCNR visitor network and
outside the NIST firewall
- Submitting an experimental report
- Publishing results (NIST acknowledgements, submitting summary or publication reference
to the NCNR for the annual report)
- Getting your samples shipped back to you
- Resources for executing your experiment
Last modified 03-August-2007