The Far-Infrared beamline is a user facility dedicated to providing resources to able it's community to engage in cutting edge research. Looking into the future it is essential to plan for future developments and initiatives to provide the best possible tools and experience for the research community. To this end a meeting was held on April 28th 2023, with users of the Far-Infrared beamline to consider what developments and initiatives would be the most advantageous to the community over the next 5 years.

Developments that are currently underway on the Far-Infrared Beamline:

The addition of Diffuse Reflectance to the beamline: Over the last 2 years Diffuse reflectance was added to the beamline, using a Pike Diffuse IR accessory on loan from Dr. Hui Wang of the University of Saskatchewan. Working with Dr. Wang Diffuse IR has been tested on the beamline and is now available to users. A new Diffuse IR accessory has been purchased for the beamline and will be installed in the coming weeks. In the future further improvements to this system are planned including obtaining the required equipment to allow this system to be run under vaccum.
2M cell operation at temperature between 100K and 180K: For several years now the far-Infrared beamline has been developing the ability to take the 2M gas cell to temperature between 100K and 180K, currently the beamline is capable of running down between 90K and 110K, with les than a 2 degree oscillation in the temperature and a ~15 Degree temperature gradient between the back and the front of the cell. Double walled window have been developed to eliminate window icing (which is a problem at these temperatures) and a laser system has been developed to monitor the pathlength of the cell, which is need as the changes in temperature that occur when trying to run at these temperatures cause the alignment to vary significantly.
Cryostat operation on with the Horizontal Microscope: A positioning system has been order that will allow for the stable and precise positioning of a cryostat (which we have borrowed from Dr. Tse). A proposal to add a pressure controller and Fluorescence spectrometer to the microscope to allow low temperature high pressure measurements using diamond anvil cells has been submited to the CLS.
Electrochemical equipment: With the help of Dr. Burgess a system facilitate Electrochemical ATR studies on the beamline has been developed. Development on this system is on going, to meet the needs of the community.
Fringe removal software: A software package for the removal of interference fringes from High resolution data has been developed, a beta version of this software is available upon request. Directions for further development of this software is currently being considered.
Other Software: A program for doing Fourier Transforms has been developed and a program for converting batches of OPUS files to .dpt,.
New Computers: The beamline as recently purchased new computers to replace the aging computers on the beamline. It is hoped that these new computers will improve the user experience.

Potential Future Developments:

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss what future developments and initiatives the beamline should undertake over the next five years, to improve our capabilities for our current users and attract new users. Initiative could include

New equipment and techniques:

Workshops, Webinars, newsletters etc. :

Outreach activities:

Ways to facilitate collaboration:

While ideas for new initiatives are important it is also important to have a plan to deliver these new initiatives using the resources available, below are some of the resources that could be tapped:

• Internal beamline resources: some projects and development can be done directly through the Far-IR budget and staff.

• CLS ’small project’ funds: Once or twice a year the CLS calls for proposals for small projects, valued typically between $20-100k.

• MITACS (Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems) is an organization that we can tap for funding as long as an industrial partner is involved. Happily, the CLS can act as the industrial partner! This means that as long as the project develops capability on the beam line, we have a shot. Funding can be used for students and postdocs as well as for infrastructure to create the new capabilities. We’d like to discuss this opportunity and its context with the beam team as part of the 5-year plan.

• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) programs: the Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) program and Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) programs have been successfully tapped by some beam lines at the CLS.

• Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Grants: these grants can be very large and if successful they provide transformative improvements to a beamline.

Rough Notes:

Safety issues improved hazardous exhaust lines for the far-infrared beamline, still needs to be addressed.

UEC is an Avenue to address

These issues are not getting to the board.

Important to address the the issue of the hazardous gas exhaust for the future.

Propose training for user for handling Swagelok for users.

Ideas for new experiments or iniatives:

Timing experiment for radical studies

Molecular Jet

Heated cell.

Reflectivity measurements

Vapor deposition, reflection and ATR

Horizontal Microscope id not a permanent set-up (solid state hydrates)

Move the beamline!

Planning together a scientific case for a scientific case for astrochemical research

Infrared center of Excellence.

Noisest beamline on the ring lobby CLS to do something about it. Transformer about our. Complain about noise to HSE. Accoustic tiles.

Desk space and space in general

FAR-INFRARED BEAMTEAM