For remote access at Mid-IR, the user designs the experiment, mails samples, controls the instrument and analyzes the data. The beamline staff assist with connecting to the instrument computer and mounting/changing samples.
It is the user's responsibility to ensure the samples are appropriate for the desired measurements and are labelled appropriately. Measurement parameters should be determined before beam time with the assistance of the beamline staff.
About Remote Access at Mid-IR
Experiment Planning
Decide the sample holder requirements for your sample: on a window; in a liquid cell, etc (more examples on Samples page) and outline how your sample should be mounted in instructions for beamline staff.
Use the sample Wizard to outline the regions of interest and plan your beam time. Have your samples organized in order of priority. Communicate with beamline staff about how your beam time will be organized and how often you will require samples to be changed.
Shipping samples
Please see details in Shipping section on how to mail your samples to Mid-IR.
Samples can be shipped refrigerated or frozen if necessary and it is possible to store them in the fridge or the freezer when they arrive. If the measurement timing of sample is time sensitive, please make sure beamline staff know!
Communication during your beam time
Beamline staff will work with you during your beam time to set up the experiment, change samples and help out should you run into any problems. There are many options for communication. Please make a plan with beamline staff before your beam time for communication method.
- Microsoft Teams (preferred)
- phone call/text
- other, specify.
Connecting to the instrument computer
Information about remote control experiments at Mid-IR
Connection to the instrument computer is done using the software NoMachine. Before beam time please download and install NoMachine
To setup your connection:
- On your PC, navigate to: https://www.nomachine.com/download-enterprise
- Download the "NoMachine Enterprise Client" appropriate to your OS
- Install the Client
- Start the Client
- Select New at the top, or 'Click here to create a new connection'
- Go through the wizard:
- Protocol: NX, Continue
- Host: sra.lightsource.ca, Port: 4000, Uncheck the UDP box, Continue
- Password, Continue
- Don’t use a proxy (unless you are on a proxied network), Continue
- Default Name, Done
- Accept the presented certificate fingerprint.
- Double-Click the new connection to launch it.
- Username/Password: The “nm-“ user and password.
**At the beginning of your beam time you will be provided with a password.
Controlling the instrument
Remote controlling the instrument is similar, but different than being on-site with the instrument. At the beginning of your beam time you will be given an orientation of instrument operations. It is recommend you have a good internet connection and an external monitor (if connecting with a notebook computer).
Data transfer and analysis
At the end of your beam time, you will be contacted that your experimental run is complete and will be given a timeline on when to expect your data. Data can be transferred in a number of ways fast or slow. The user can send a link to an uploading virtual drive such as OneDrive or send USB drives or Hard drives and the data can be mailed to the user.
For the general user program, data analysis is the responsibility of the user, but beamline staff are here to help! If you don't know where to start, please read the data analysis user guide, watch tutorials and test out sample workflows. And of course, don't hesitate to contact us with your questions.
Data analysis computer
If you are collecting hyperspectral images, it is likely your personal computer will not be able to handle the quantity of data. Please talk to beamline staff about using NoMachine to connect to the data analysis computer.