Contact

Dr. Stefan Facsko

Head of Ion Beam Center
s.facskoAthzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 2987

Annette Weißig

HZDR User Office
Research Programmes & International Projects
a.weissigAthzdr.de

Use GATE to submit a proposal for beam time at the IBC, to submit experimental reports, to provide publications resulting from your experiments, and to provide feedback on your experience.

Application for beam time at the Ion Beam Center (IBC)

Since 2015 scientists can apply for beam time at the IBC continously. Following a successful evaluation of a beam time proposal by an external international User Selection Panel, access to the experimental facilities of the ion beam center is provided free of charge. Application for beam time is done via HZDR GATE. The GATE platform was developed by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and was adapted to the needs of the HZDR user facilities. In case of problems please use the handbook and/or use the technical support request integrated in the HZDR GATE platform. If you have further questions, the IBC user office will help you.

To apply for beam time, please proceed as follows:

1. Register at HZDR GATE

2. Choose a project type

3. Prepare the Scientific Case and the Experimental Plan

4. Submit your proposal

5. Submit the experimental report for the pilot or standard project


1. Register at HZDR GATE

Register as an user at HZDR GATE. You will receive a welcome email asking to finalize registration. Registration has to be finished within 24 h after email receipt. After your account was activated you can begin with your proposal application.


2. Choose a project type

Beam time at the IBC can be requested to different extents depending on your needs. Three different project types – pilot, standard, and ion beam services / industry – are offered, which differ regarding the scientific case and the subsequent evaluation. The choosen project type has to be selected during proposal submission at HZDR GATE.

The project types pilot and standard require the preparation and submission of an experimental report within 3 months of finishing the experiments. A timely submission of this report is mandatory for any further allocation of beam time. In case of long-term projects (exceeding one year) an annual report has to be prepared, which summarizes the project results achieved so far and specifies the details of the next beam time period.    

Pilot project

  • This project type is dedicated to test new ideas or to clarify technical / technological issues. The project is restricted to a maximum beam time of two shifts (16 hours). The test character of the requested beam time has to be obvious in the scientific case.
  • Pilot projects are only evaluated internally at the IBC, which usually results in faster beam time access (compared to standard projects).
  • The scientific case needs to provide the following content: 

1. Title
2. Incentive & Motivation for the test beam time
3. Description of new equipment and/or new approach for proposed tests  
4. Description of the next steps after test beam time

 

Standard project

  • This project type allows for application of one or several beam times within a total project duration of typical one year.
  • In case of funded projects or PhD work beam time can be applied for experimental campaigns exceeding one year. For this, the scientific case has to explicitly define the annual budget of beam time.

  • Standard projects are evaluated by an external user selection panel. Usually, first beam times are allocated not later than three months after proposal submission.
  • The scientific case needs to provide the following content: 

1. Title
2. Motivation and scientific background
3. Previous results on this topic (mainly related to the proposer's work)
4. Description of the proposed experiment including most relevant technical data
5. Description of the next steps after work at the IBC is done
6. References

 

Ion Beam Services / Industry

  • This project type allows beam time requests for applications with costs on the basis of contracts with the HZDR.
  • There is no proposal evaluation and no request to deliver a report.
  • Following content should appear in the respective scientific case, which is treated confidentially:

1. Title
2. General background and specific aims of the proposed ion beam services
3. Technical specification of beam time including specific requirements necessary to perform the ion beam services
4. If the proposer isn't the receiver of the services, specification of the involved customers must be provided 
5. References or links to information relevant to the project


3. Prepare the Scientific Case and the Experimental Plan

For each beam time application you have to submit a scientific case and an experimental plan (one PDF-file each, max. 1 MB). Please use the provided templates.

Scientific Case

The scientific case (max. 1 MB PDF-file) describes the technical aspects and scientific questions you are planning to investigate during the requested beam time at the IBC. Please submit clear and straightforward information about your experiment on max. 2 pages to provide the evaluators with the necessary information to ensure a speedy evaluation process. 

Experimental Plan

Additionally, an experimental plan (max. 1 MB PDF-file) describing details of the planned experiments has to be submitted. 


4. Submit your proposal

Once you've got all the documents ready login to HZDR GATE and start your application via "My proposals" → "Submit a new proposal." Complete the forms and upload your documents. You will have to provide a proposer, a co-proposer if available, technial requirements as well as previous results. A successful application submission is confirmed immediately online and via email. You can use HZDR GATE to check the current status of your application at any time. You can interrupt or pause the application process anytime. This will create a proposal draft, which you can complete later on. If you need scientific support for the proposal submission, please do not hesistate to contact the responsible employee.


5. Submit the experimental report for the pilot or standard project (NOT for the Ion Beam Services / Industry)

The experimental report has to be submitted to HZDR GATE within 3 months of completion of the pilot or standard project. This is not valid for ion beam services projects.