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Application for Beamtime

Home › User Information › Application for Beamtime

New Users

Argonne/APS Process:
For detailed information and forms, please visit the APS New User page.

• Submit an APS User Registration Form for each user. Non-U.S. citizens must have security clearance before access to the laboratory can be granted. Because this process takes several weeks, we encourage users to register with the APS as soon as possible.
• Review the Proposal Process and Apply for Beamtime
• Establish a User Agreement. The institution sponsoring the user's work at the APS must have a signed user agreement in place before any hands-on work may be conducted. A list of institutions with signed agreements is available for consultation in the page listed above.
• Open a material & supplies account (proprietary research or non-proprietary research) with Argonne National Laboratory if you wish to purchase supplies in the APS stockroom.
• Complete all required training remotely or immediately upon arrival.

How to use the APS remote training system:

1. Enter your user badge number. You will be shown a page with core courses listed.
2. To take any course, click on the link for the course.
3. You can print a PDF version of the course as a study guide, take the course and test, or take a challenge exam. If you elect either of the latter two options, you will need to re-enter your badge number and to enter the web password (same as for proposal submission via APS GUP).
4. Successful completion of the course will be automatically recorded in Argonne's Training Management System within an hour.

Questions? Contact the APS User Office at 630-252-9090 or apsuser@aps.anl.gov.

BioCARS Process:
Once beamtime has been allocated, BioCARS will schedule reseach groups and contact group leaders to continue the process.

• Submit group information to the BioCARS User Information Database. An access key together with a URL will then be sent to the email address provided by the user
• Review the BioCARS Proposal Information page and click on BioCARS User Database Login. To log in, use the group name and password you selected during the group registration process and the access key sent to you.
• Complete the following steps (listed on the left side of the screen):
  • Steps 1-4 (People, Samples, Chemicals, Equipment). This information will be used for future visits to BioCARS and can be updated at any time.
  • Your proposal information (step 5) will be entered by BioCARS staff.  
• Once your beamtime at BioCARS has been scheduled and before your visit:
  • Complete step 6 (Trips) for your upcoming visit. This information is used to generate the APS ESAF. An ESAF has to be approved by both BioCARS and APS safety personnel. Please fill out the trip form at least 3-5 days before your visit.

Returning Users

Argonne/APS Process:

• Apply for beamtime.
• Make sure all your required training is current by contacting the APS User Office (630-252-9090, apsuser@aps.anl.gov) or Katie Tietz (tietz@cars.uchicago.edu; 630-252-0450). Complete any expired training remotely, or contact the APS User Office or Katie to schedule on-site training.

BioCARS Process:
Once beamtime has been allocated and BioCARS has scheduled time for the research:

• Log into the BioCARS User Information Database and update your group information in steps 1-4 (People, Samples, Chemicals, Equipment)
• Complete step 6 (Trip information)
• When your work is published complete step 7 (Publications)