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µSR

Introduction to µSR

...wherein the basics of the field are explained in simple terms to the newcomer.

This chapter outlines the history of µSR, the basic muon physics that makes it possible, the principal µSR techniques and a few of their main areas of application today.

In order for any experimental method to flourish, there must be a sort of "impedance matching" between the availability of necessary resources (both material and human), the development and deployment of sophisticated techniques and robust interpretive models, the emergence of timely and exciting applications, the growth of an enthusiastic user community and the initiative of expert practicioners. Of course, apart from faith in "progress" generally, there is no obvious reason why one should desire that a given experimental method should flourish -- unless one happens to be one of its practicioners, in which case there is no doubt. Practicioners of muon spin rotation/relaxation/resonance (µSR) are naturally pleased that µSR has become an indispensible experimental tool of condensed matter physics, chemistry and other material science as well as atomic, subatomic and other fundamental physics disciplines.

CMMS

Tom Estle Summer Scholarships

We are preparing a more elegant (and static) Web page for the Tom Estle Summer Scholarships on our main server, but before it is "frozen" we would like everyone who knew Tom to have a chance to correct and/or add to the description of his life, his contributions to science and his adventures at TRIUMF to be included therein. Hence this wiki page. If you have something to add (or subtract, or change) please just do it. This is not a blog. You don't have to ask anyone's permission. Thank you! - Jess Brewer

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THE SCHOLARSHIPS

• travel, room, board & stipend supplied by CMMS/TRIUMF for a 3 month period.
• students (either graduate or undergraduate) to work on broad range of µSR experiments, with a max of 1/3 of their time devoted to own group's work.
• ad hoc committee (consisting of three non-affiliated µSR scientists) to decided yearly among the candidates.

GOAL OF THE SCHOLARSHIPS

The scholarship should benefit the community, and offer its holder a chance to experience a diverse range of µSR. Syd has asked Roger Lichti to contribute the background article about Tom so that people can inform themselves about the person the scholarship is named after. The holder should not expect to get his name on publications (except from that 25% he can devote to his home group's work). This is a type of "support" position, in which the supporter learns about the science of what is being supported. That sort of interpretation leaves the funding source open ... MFA, CMMS Common, µSR Facility (i.e. TRIUMF) and we can further solicit TRIUMF's help in the cost of the scholarship.

THE MAN

(Roger, can you get us started here?)

APPLICATION

Deadline: the last day of the year preceding the proposed tenure of the Scholarship.

Eligibility

Grad students working in µSR only? How about grad students working in "closely related fields"? No undergrads? No HS students? (Recruitment is more effective the earlier it starts.)

Application Form

I will copy in something appropriate (e.g. an NSERC USRA application) and we can edit it until everyone agrees with the content.

Nomination letter from Supervisor?

References? How many from "arm's-length" referees?

Proposal letter from student?

CV from student?

Transcript of student's grades?

CMMS Five Year Plan

This is both an historical record and a work in progress.

Only the latest version should be under construction:

CMMS Five Year Plan - 2006

CMMS Five Year Plan - 2008

Link to Wiki for the current Full TRIUMF 5YP

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Schedule of the TRIUMF 5YP:

• 2007-Dec-01: Writing begins in earnest on technical sections.
• 2008-Feb-01: First full draft of Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 are complete
• 2008-Mar-01: Informal (internal?) review of technical sections is completed Stand-alone website is commissioned
• 2008-Mar-15: Draft of Executive Summary and Summary is prepared.
• 2008-Apr-15: Board and other provide final guidance Stand-along publications are field tested
• 2008-May-01: Report text is nearly finalized and enters composition & layout
• 2008-May-15: ACOT provides additional input
• 2008-Jun-15: Report is frozen.
• 2008-Jul-15: Send full report to Peer Review Committee.
• 2008-Sep-15: International Peer Review Committee provides report.
• 2008-Oct-01: Report is really, really frozen
• 2009-Feb-01: 5YP document presented to NRC, NRC Council

Next Round of MRS Funding

We used this wiki for discussions prior to the last application for Major Resource Support. It is not too early to start planning for the next round. We are currently half way through our 5-year grant. But remember that we must apply in the previous year, and that the process starts with a Letter of Intent with a May 1st deadline. That means that detailed planning must be underway early in 2013, just over a year away! We need to choose a P.I. to manage the application. Note the March 2008 posting below: "...Paul should take on this responsibility one more time" (my emphasis). I did that and now someone younger should take over. (Paul Percival)

I concur. Note that if you end a message with four tildes ("∼∼∼∼") it will stamp it automatically with both your user ID and the time/date. -- Jess 21:42, 20 January 2012 (PST)

Update 18 March 2008

Jason has accepted our invitation. The list of MRS applicants is now Percival (P.I.), Brewer, Chow, Clyburne, Fleming, Ghandi, Kiefl, Kreitzman, Luke, MacFarlane and Sonier.

CMMS Council Meeting March 2008

Sat. March 15 TRIUMF Main Office Building Conference Room 12:30 pm

Present: J.H. Brewer, D.G. Fleming, R.F. Kiefl, S.R. Kreitzman, G.M. Luke, P.W. Percival, and J.E. Sonier; K.H. Chow and K. Ghandi by telephone conference (intermittently); D. Arseneau to assist with computer/telephone conferences. Absent: W.A. MacFarlane

1. Graeme Luke summarized the CMMS presentation to PPAC by himself and Rob Kiefl. Graeme then reported the principal recommendations of PPAC concerning CMMS. Essentially the news is good: CMMS was praised for its productivity and there was clear recognition that CMMS deserves a greater share of TRIUMF’s resources.

2. There was discussion of the pros and cons of changing the MFA P.I. for the upcoming MRS grant application. The conclusion was that Paul should take on this responsibility one more time.

3. Paul displayed lists of past MFA co-applicants and suggested that Dominic Ryan would not want to continue since he has not used TRIUMF for many years. Paul displayed a list of possible NSERC-eligible CMMS users and it was agreed that Jason Clyburne should be invited. He represents an additional university (St. Mary’s, in Atlantic Canada) and he is a Canada Research Chair.

Action: Paul will check with Dominic and contact Jason. Done. See above update.

4. Paul described some new features of the MRS application, including the possibility of listing up to 10 major users who are not NSERC grant-eligible.

Action: Paul will distribute a list of suggestions for discussion and approval.

5. The Letter of Intent (due May 1st) must show how CMMS qualifies for the MRS program (easy to do). Potential referees are not required at this stage, but the funding request is necessary and so must be established in the next few weeks. We will ask for a 5 year grant.

6. Paul reviewed our MFA funding history, showing how we were rated very highly by the scientific panel and recommended for full or almost full funding. The grants set by the MFA oversight committee were much lower. It was agreed that a site visit would be valuable and (if MRS is similar to MFA) there would be a threshold grant size to qualify for a visit and that we could expect to exceed it.

7. It was agreed that we should ask for an increase in personnel: 1 scientist and 1 technician immediately (in addition to the 2 scientists and 3 technicians under the current MFA grant), and an additional scientist when M20 is completed. (The M20 technician would be covered by the CFI Infrastructure Operating Funds.)

Action: Paul and Syd will review salary projections and develop a draft budget.

8. A concern was raised about the need for wider consultation in decisions involving expenditure of CMMS funds (MFA, User fees, TRIUMF contribution). Since management of the facility is a required feature of the MRS application, it is important to demonstrate good practice (hence these Minutes).