Beamtime Requests

• The use of one neutron instrument, apart from BL03, BL20 and BL23, is available for one proposal.
• Only one Long-Term Proposal can run simultaneously at a single instrument. Please refer to 7. Instruments available for Long-Term Proposal” for detailed information.
• The beamtime that can be requested in one year is up to 9 days.
• Beamtime allocation to Long-Term Proposals is limited to approximately 5% of the total number of MLF operation days for users each year (standard yearly operation includes 8 cycles [176 days]). The total number of MLF operation days can change largely depending on the budget and operational plan for each year. Please note that we have to lower the above limit for request beamtime in the case when MLF operation period is much more limited than usual.
• There are cases where MLF supports beamtime of the Long-Term Proposals based on their progress.

Liaison

• A Liaison is a group member of the instrument used for the Long-Term Proposal (member of JAEA, KEK and CROSS) who will participate in the proposal as a collaborator from the proposal application stage to the end of the proposal. Please be sure to obtain his/her consent before filling in the name of the Liaison on the application form.

Restriction on submitting other proposals

• A principal applicant and his/her research group can submit only one Long-Term Proposal for the same instrument. They also cannot apply for another Long-Term Proposal for the same instrument before the Experiment Report of the Long-Term Proposal that was approved for the instrument earlier is submitted.
• A principal applicant and his/her research group can submit several Long-Term Proposals for different instruments, with a limit of one proposal per instrument.
• An applicant/research group with a Long-Term Proposal under review can apply for General-use Proposals (Short-Term) for the same experiment; however, if the Long-Term Proposal is approved, the General-use Proposal (Short Term) application should be withdrawn. An applicant/research group of an approved Long-Term Proposal cannot submit General-use Proposals (Short-Term) for a similar experiment.

Publication of the results

• A Long-Term Proposal is categorized as nonproprietary research. As a condition of performing nonproprietary research, the J-PARC MLF requires users to submit their Experiment Report and publish the results of their research in the form of papers, etc.
• The submission of the Experiment Report and registration of the publication can be done on the J-PARC Result Management System.

Neutron Instruments

[Neutron Inelastic Spectrometers]

• BL01 4SEASONS: 4D-Space Access Neutron Spectrometer (Public)
• BL02 DNA: Biomolecular Dynamics Spectrometer (Public)
• BL06 VIN ROSE: Village of Neutron Resonance Spin Echo Spectrometers (KEK)
• BL12 HRC: High-Resolution Chopper Spectrometer (KEK)
• BL14 AMATERAS: Cold-Neutron Disk-Chopper Spectrometer (JAEA)

[Neutron diffractometer]

• BL08 SuperHRPD: Super High Resolution Powder Diffractometer (KEK)
• BL09 SPICA: Special Environment Powder Diffractometer (KEK)
• BL11 PLANET: High-Pressure Neutron Diffractometer (Public)
• BL18 SENJU: Extreme Environment Single Crystal Neutron Diffractometer (Public)
• BL19 TAKUMI: Engineering Materials Diffractometer (JAEA)
• BL21 NOVA: High Intensity Total Diffractometer (KEK)

[SANS and Neutron Reflectometry]

• BL15 TAIKAN: Small and Wide Angle Neutron Scattering Instrument (Public)
• BL16 SOFIA: Soft Interface Analyzer (KEK)
• BL17 SHARAKU: Polarized Neutron Reflectometer (Public)

[Neutron Imaging]

• BL22 RADEN: Energy Resolved Neutron Imaging System (Public)

[Neutron-Nuclear Reaction, Prompt Gamma-Ray Analysis]

• BL04 ANNRI: Accurate Neutron-Nucleus Reaction Measurement Instrument (JAEA)

【Neutron Fundamental Physics, Neutron Device Development】

• BL05 NOP: Neutron Optics and Fundamental Physics (KEK)
• BL10 NOBORU: NeutrOn Beam-line for Observation and Research Use (JAEA)

Please contact the instrument scientist for the specifications of the instruments.

Application

• Applicants are requested to fully consult with the Liaison from the stage of preparing the application.

Proposal Review

• In principle, the review is a document review, but the Review Committee may hold hearings as necessary.
• The assessment of proposals will take into account whether Experiment Reports for previous beamtime allocations had been submitted and whether publications had been properly registered.

Complementary Use

Applicants will be asked if their proposed research includes, or is likely to include in the future, the complementary use of other major research facilities such as, but not limited to, synchrotron radiation facilities (SPring-8, SACLA, KEK-PF, etc.), the K computer, or other quantum beam facilities. If either of the above applies to your proposal, please indicate by marking the relevant tick-box and please indicate the name of the facility and the Beamline number/the name of the instrument. This information will be used to analyze the trend oｆ proposal application at MLF and will not affect the results of the proposal review or beamtime allocation.

Safety review, utilization and storage of the equipment users wish to bring in

• Safety aspects of the experimental procedure, test sample(s) and the equipment users wish to bring in are reviewed at the time of the final application and at each renewal of the application as the yearly continuation procedure.
• If users wish to bring in equipment, they are requested to consult the MLF on the utilization and storage of it in advance. Permanent installment of the equipment might be permitted if such a user allows the use of the equipment to other users of MLF.
• When the equipment the users wish to bring in is large, there may be a case where an agreement needs to be concluded between the affiliated institute of the user/owner of the equipment and the J-PARC Center. When users are willing to develop new equipment, the MLF strongly recommends that they consult with the MLF at the design stage.

Yearly procedure

The principal investigator is requested to report the current status of the research and as necessary, submit a research plan for the following years. Continuation of the proposal will be reviewed based on these documents, and if it is judged there is a problem with the continuation of the research (e.g., the research team cannot be maintained, results not expected originally were obtained), the continuation may be refused.

Presenting outcomes

• The principal investigator is requested to submit the Experiment Report of one or two A4-size sheets each year.
• The principal investigator is requested to present the outcome of the research at the Quantum Beam Science Festa (in a poster presentation) after conducting research for one year.
• For proposals the research has completed, the principal investigator is requested to present the research at the MLF Symposium held inside the Quantum Beam Science Festa, and if notable outcomes are obtained, write an article reporting the research for the MLF Annual Report.