NECAT Beamline

The Northeastern Collaborative Access Team (NE-CAT) facility at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory is managed by Cornell University and consists of seven member institutions:

  • Columbia University
  • Cornell University
  • Harvard University
  • Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Rockefeller University
  • Yale University.

    • Primary funding for this project comes from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Additional financial support for NE-CAT comes from the member institutions.

    Status of NE-CAT Construction Project

    April 2006

    24-ID Phase 1 Beam Line Commissioning and User Operations :

    During the APS operations 2006-1 run cycle, the Phase 1 beam line was fully utilized by many research groups from the member NE-CAT institutions. These users fully exploited and tested the entire range of capabilities of the beam line. During this entire period the beam line operated very well without any significant outages or problems. The consensus of the users, expressed verbally and through the user summary forms, was that they were able to obtain large quantities of high-quality data and were very pleased with the capabilities of the entire beam line operation as well as the support staff. Based on this extensive user experience commissioning the beam line for crystallographic research, we can confidently define the commissioning of the beam line as a success and will shortly broaden the user base to include general users.

    During the 2006-1 user run, the entire 15 TB of available storage on the HP EVA 5000 disk storage system was used by the users. In order to ensure retention of user data on the storage system for at least a month in the future and anticipating that the Phase 2 fixed-energy beam line will begin operation within a few months, we have purchased additional disk capacity. This will bring the total disk storage capacity to 25 TB.

    24-ID Phase 2 Fixed-Energy Beam Line :

    With shut down of APS operations for scheduled maintenance starting April 24 and continuing through the entire month of May, we have begun installation of the Phase 2 optical components in enclosure 24-ID-B. As the monochromator was being tested prior to installation in the enclosure, a number of problems were uncovered- some design and fabrication problems and some possibly due to damage during shipment. Upon testing the motor functions it was discovered that the nano-motors driving the Bragg axis were non-functional as well as the pico-motor used to trim the Si 311 crystal. Oxford-Danfysik sent a technician out to replace the nano-motors. However, on testing the replacement nano-motors it was discovered that the entire roll cage was misaligned. A temporary measure was taken to realign the roll cage so that installation and commissioning could continue while a permanent solution could be implemented by Oxford-Danfysik. Unfortunately, the lead time for obtaining a replacement pico-motor is many weeks. In order not to delay the installation schedule it was decided to continue the installation of the monochromator and to limit commissioning temporarily to the use of only a single crystal, the Si 220 crystal providing 12.66 KeV x-rays. We are currently negotiating with Oxford-Danfysik to have a redesigned roll cage installed at the same time as replacement of the defective pico-motor, since replacement of the pico-motor will most likely require removal of the roll cage.

    On April 29, the monochromator was moved into the 24-ID-B enclosure, see picture. As soon as the monochromator is surveyed into position and the motor motions are fully tested and calibrated, we will install the horizontal focusing mirror, photon shutter, and wall penetration shielded beam pipe. Our schedule calls for installation of all Phase 2 components into the 24-ID-B enclosure before resumption of APs operations in June. Shortly after resumption of APS operations, mono-energetic x-rays will be introduced into enclosure 24-ID-E to verify the radiation integrity of the enclosure. Having gained APS approval that the enclosure is radiation tight, the vertical focusing mirror and the end station instrumentation will then be quickly installed.

    Phase 3, 24-BM Bending Magnet Beamline:

    On March 30, construction of the Sector 24 bending magnet beam line radiation enclosures and installation of the associated utilities were formally declared complete following a successful APS beneficial occupancy review. The completed enclosures are shown on the left of the photograph. The enclosures are now ready for installation of the beam line components presently located at 8-BM, when the decision is made to make the move- some time after the Phase 2 beam line is declared operational.
     

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