From Allocation Period 2021-II XMaS will run a Spectroscopy BAG (Block Allocation Group) for users requiring EXAFS spectra. The BAG provides additional capacity to the UK materials community and works in partnership with BAGS on B18 at DIAMOND. Proposals are not accepted for in-situ or operando experiments and for these experiments users are encouraged to apply for regular beamtime. We welcome industrial users who wish to perform "proof of principle" experiments but proprietary access should be requested through the ESRF directly.

The spectroscopy BAG is co-ordinated through the University of Kent, and applications should be made using a standard template which can be found here.

At this early stage, XMaS will only be able to provide raw unfiltered data but new staff resources will soon be available to develop analysis pathways and so provide more refined and normalised data sets to users. Support will also become more be available for new users in data analysis and interpretation from 2022 onwards.

We particularly welcome new and inexperienced users to explore the potential of XMaS and the material insights to be gleaned from EXAFS through the BAG route.

Access is provided to both the focussed and unfocussed beams with the following capabilities:

Focussed Beam:

Flux: ~10¹² photons/sec

Energy Range: 2.1 to 40 keV

Energy Resolution: ΔE/E ~0.15

Beam size: 80 x 80 μm

Unfocussed Beam:

Flux: ~10⁹ photons/sec/mm²

Energy Range: 2.3 to 40 keV

Energy Resolution: ΔE/E ~0.15

Beam size: from 1 mm x 1 mm to 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm (from Spring 2023 minimum size 5 x 5 μm with KB mirrors).