LTP Access

Submission

LTPs can be submitted once per year, through the call for proposals opening in September with beamtime starting in spring the following year.
Please note that an extra call for proposals will open in the “Fall26 call”, opening in February 2026.

For information about which beamlines will participate in an upcoming call for proposal, please visit the Call for Proposals page.

Duration

LTPs will be granted to run over a 2-year period, with a possible extension by 1 additional year. This extension may be granted, at the discretion of the facility, following a request and evaluation 1.5 years into the project.

After this maximum of 3 years, the project can only be continued via Standard Access or submitting a new LTP.

If the LTP generates new hardware for MAX IV, it may be possible to grant a short, privileged access period to said equipment to allow the group time for publication. This must be requested, through submitting a Standard Access proposal in the corresponding call for proposal to requested beamtime, before the end of the LTP with a time plan for achieving publications.

Requirements

Users must discuss the ideas and possibility of an LTP and relevant resources with MAX IV beamline staff prior to submission. Proposals that are not submitted in collaboration with the beamline staff will be rejected.

LTPs should support the MAX IV strategic mission of performing world-class science, grow user communities and may enable new user communities. A LTP shall include substantial development of new experimental methods, methodologies, hardware, software, protocols etc. that will be made available to general users after the LTP period.

LTPs must bring sufficient resources to MAX IV to achieve the LTPs goals. The resources could be human, financial, or assets (hardware, software). Stationing of personnel at the beamline (e.g., a postdoc) for part of the proposal period is highly

LTPs must be collaborative projects between external user groups and MAX IV staff.

Restrictions

While having an active LTP, the PI/team may not submit other proposals requesting access to the same beamline/technique for the same scientific project or topic as the LTP.

MAX IV allows a maximum of two LTPs per beamline; however, initially, there should not be more than one. In total, the LTPs at a beamline should never exceed 10 % of the total available beamtime.

This means that if beamtime availability is significantly reduced due to, among other things, mechanical failure of components or detectors, the allocation to LTPs can be reduced proportionally.

Evaluation

A technical feasibility review will be performed, before submitting the proposal, during initial discussions with the beamline staff.

The scientific excellence of the LTP will be reviewed by the relevant MAX IV Programme Advisory Committee (PAC). They will also advice on the timeliness of the proposal, the benefit for MAX IV and its user community as well as the viability of time estimates and whether expected results are realistic. As for all beamtime, the final approval of LTPs is taken by MAX IV Senior Management.

A safety review will be performed by the Experimental Safety Team before each beamtime at MAX IV.

All approved LTP are also presented to the MAX IV Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC).

Templates

DUO Template: Work in Progress, please check back at a later date.

Project description Template: Work in Progress, please check back at a later date.

Instructions

The LTP process is currently formed out of two parts:

1. Digital User Office (DUO)
   When submitting an LTP proposal in the DUO system, please pick the Standard Access proposal type and fill in the form, but upload the dedicated LTP proposal template.
   When requested to enter the amount of shifts needed, fill in the amount needed only for the corresponding cycle (6 months).
2. Project description
   A more detailed proposal of maximum four pages, as per instruction in template. The project description must contain strategic scope and goals of the project, a time plan (Gantt chart), people involved, resources to be brought to MAX IV, and resources required from MAX IV.
   In the project description, please clarify how much time will be needed for the entire project.The project description is to be submitted to both the Beamline Lead and the User Office, by email, and adhere to the template provided.

Please note: Due to current restrictions in the DUO system, users will be asked to re-submit their LTP in the following call for proposals.

These re-submission will not be a basis for a new review, but will be shared with all relevant parties for information and transparency.

Reporting

MAX IV may terminate a LTPs access if progress is evaluated as non satisfactory or if progress cannot be reviewed due to failure to submit requested reports. Failure to submit reports may also affect the chance of acceptance of future proposals by the applicants concerned.

Half-year report

The PI will be required to submit half-year reports, through the Experimental Reports function in DUO.

Final Report

The final report is expected after two years. Alternatively, a preliminary report, including a request for extension, should be submitted after approximately one and a half years (deadline will be call closure) where, if the extension is granted, the final report is expected after a total of three years. The final report should analyze the success of all goals of the LTP (deliverables, scientific results, etc.) whereas the preliminary report/extension request should contain an analysis of why extra time is needed as well as a new time plan for the extra year.

The final report, or preliminary report, should be sent in through email to both the Beamline Lead and the User Office.