Proposal Calls
2026-B General User Proposal Call
Submissions for the 2026-B General User Proposal Call are open for experiments to run at HFIR and SNS between July - December 2026. The submission deadline is March 4, 2026. Award notifications will be sent by May 12.
- SNS is projected to run August - December, 2026
- HFIR is projected to run September - December, 2026 (fuel cycles 517, 518, 519)
Proposals can be submitted using the Integrated Proposal Tracking System (IPTS). Researchers are highly encouraged to discuss proposed research with an instrument scientist for feedback before submitting.
Instrument Updates
DEMAND/HB-3A - Will only be available for HFIR cycles 518 and 519.
GP-SANS/CG-2 - Would like to highlight the current robotic sample environment capabilities available at GP-SANS. The automated system features two distinct setups to accommodate different experimental needs: one for up to 40 samples ranging from -10 to 110 °C, and a second for measurements from room temperature up to 300 °C. A pre-heating option to hold waiting samples at 100 °C or 300 °C will be available soon.
Additionally, the GP-SANS Mail-In Program remains an efficient way to obtain data for shelf-stable samples. This service uses a Peltier setup (25 to 80 °C) and provides a rapid-access option for researchers who do not require on-site travel. Mail-In proposals can be submitted throughout the year. For detailed specifications and submission instructions, please visit: https://neutrons.ornl.gov/gpsans/mail-in
IMAGINE/CG-4D - IMAGINE will not be available in the 2026-B proposal call due to the IMAGINE-X instrument build.
MARS/CG-1D - There is a new imaging instrument guide available at https://neutrons.ornl.gov/mars/user-guide to help plan a neutron imaging experiment at MARS and/or VENUS.
POWDER/HB-2A - Will be available on a limited basis due to the detector upgrade, which will start commissioning in September.
BASIS/BL-2 - Any specific needs outside of the instruments regular capabilities need to be discussed with the instrument staff. Single crystal experiments will not be accommodated.
CNCS/BL-5 - For dilution refrigerator inserts, proposals must be discussed before submission with a beamline scientist and beamtime awards are subject to helium and personnel resources. For CCR experiments, proposals must be discussed before submission with a beamline scientist.
MaNDi/BL-11B - MaNDi beam time requests include access to the protein deuteration and crystallization facilities w hen necessary. Users should select "BDL-2 Bio-Deuteration Lab" as a second instrument to request support for sample preparation. Proposals remain active for up to four proposal cycles (up to two years) or when the number of beam days allocated have been used, whichever comes first. Ongoing temperature and humidity variability across the beamline hutch limits data collection to non-temperature sensitive crystal systems. Users should contact the instrument team to discuss crystals and crystallization solution composition. Please contact the instrument team for additional information.
NSE/BL-15 - Proposals may request a maximum of seven days (7 days) of beam time. This limit is intended to maximize user access to the instrument, better accommodate and support new user groups, more effectively manage the valuable beam time resource, and increase overall instrument productivity.
VULCAN/BL-7 - VULCAN now offers pilot opportunities for cryogenic tensile testing at temperatures as low as 77 K to support research on mechanical behavior under extreme conditions. Experiments are performed using a servo-hydraulic load frame with a 100 kN load capacity, integrated with a newly developed compact cryogenic environment that utilizes a liquid-nitrogen stream for stable and controlled cooling as fast as 6 K/min. This new capability is expected to significantly benefit research on deformation mechanisms in advanced engineering materials designed for cryogenic applications.
Half polarization measurement is now available at VULCAN using an in-situ 3He spin filter as a neutron polarizer to increase the sensitivity of probing magnetic scattering amplitudes. Measurements of spin-flipping ratio can be performed with the integration of various sample environments, including load frames, cold/hot air guns and cryogenic environment. This new capability enables VULCAN with more magnetic and spin-related studies on advanced engineering materials and quantum materials under external stimuli.
ORCID iD Requirements
The Department of Entergy (DOE) national laboratories, user facilities, and laboratory libraries collect and use ORCID iDs to track research outputs and awards, determine the impact of user facilities, and evaluate the outcomes of outreach efforts. Facility users will be required to connect their ORCID iD in the ORNL Guest Portal to submit proposals and participate in experiments. If you haven’t yet connected your ORCID iD, after you log into the ORNL Guest Portal click on “Create or connect your ORCID iD". Visit the ORCID website to learn more about ORCID iDs and to register for your account.
New User Beamtime (NUBe) Program
The NUBe program aimed at growing the neutron scattering user community and increasing the scientific and institutional diversity of our user base. Time will be allocated for NUBe proposals on each instrument participating in this call. For eligibility in this program, the Principal Investigator must hold a permanent position at their institution (i.e., any rank of faculty member or staff). Undergraduates, graduate students, and post-docs are not eligible, but may participate as collaborators on the proposal. See the the New User Beamtime (NUBe) program webpage for more information.
User Participation Expectations
User engagement is essential to the success and productivity of our User Program. Awarded Principal Investigators are expected to participate in the experiment onsite or remotely by providing real time directions to the team. At least two users from the team should plan to participate in the experiment onsite. In some cases, remote participation may substitute for onsite participation depending on experiment complexity. Please discuss your participation plans with the instrument team in advance.
Mail-In Program for HFIR and SNS Instruments
Mail-In proposals are available as a rapid access mode outside of our bi-annual proposal calls, and can be submitted in IPTS anytime. Mail-In proposals are limited to one day experiments, in which users send samples by mail for instrument staff to collect data on the user's behalf. Mail-in experiments are expected to contribute to a publication, unlike Proof of Principal proposals which are available for testing the feasibility of a potential experiment. Mail-In proposals should be submitted for the cycle in which you anticipate samples being ready to send for analysis. Mail-In proposals can be submitted for the following instruments: ARCS, EQ-SANS, GP-SANS, HYSPEC, NOMAD, POWGEN, SEQUOIA, SNAP, VISION, VULCAN, and WAND². Visit the individual instrument web page for more information about the Mail-In proposal requirements for that instrument, and to download an instrument specific Statement of Research template (if available).
Center for Nanophase Materials Science (CNMS) Resources Available
The Center for Nanophase Materials Science (CNMS) provides access to staff expertise and state-of-the-art equipment for a broad range of nanoscience research, including nanomaterials synthesis and deuteration, nanofabrication, imaging/microscopy/characterization, and theory/modeling/simulation.
Requests for CNMS characterization time and/or chemical deuteration support can be made from the Other Experiment Resources step during proposal submission. In this step, users interested in CNMS support can select from a menu of deuterated monomers and request information from CNMS about other available services. Eight Deuterated Monomers are available to be requested through CNMS. This feature is now available in IPTS.
Questions about the CNMS facilities can be submitted to cnmsuser@ornl.gov. Users may also submit a proposal directly to CNMS.
