About MTBF

Located at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois, USA, the Meson Test Beam Facility consits of two versatile beamlines (Mtest and MCenter) in which users can test equipment or detectors. Typically, beam is delivered in one 4 second spill per minute, although 1 second spills, or even millisecond length spills can be supported.
The MTest primary beamline consists of a beam of high energy protons (120 GeV) at moderate intensities (~1-300 kHz). This beam can also be targeted to create secondary, or even tertiary particle beams of energies down to below 1 GeV, consisting of pions, muons, and/or electrons.
The MCenter beamline is very similar to the MTest beamline but is currently undergoing reconstruction.

Beam time is available to qualified users for up to 14 hours a day, from 0400 to 1800 (4am - 6pm).
Click on the "Become A User" link to learn more.

How to become a test beam user

1. Request beamtime by contacting the test beam coordinator. Be sure to include as much of the following as you can:
   • Desired particle type
   • Desired intensity per bunch
   • Desired energy (or energy range)
   • Dates you'll be ready to take beam
   • Length of run (how long you want to take beam)
   • Any and all other details about the experiment known at this time
2. The coordinator will then review this user request through a test beam review committee, which will approve or reject the request. Requests will be rejected if the request can't be met by the facility, due to capability or schedule.
3. Approved requests will be asked to make a more detailed plan resulting in a Memorandum of Understanding between the user and the laboratory. An example of the MOU : Sample test beam MOU (T967).
4. The test beam user will then obtain a test beam experiment number associated with their request.  Each approved test beam experiment must obtain an operational readiness clearance (ORC) before actually taking beam. This ORC is obtained from the Particle Physics Division's Fixed Target ES&H Committee, which has subcommittees to review electrical and gas safety. The makeup of the committee can be found in this link: PPD ES&H Department.
5. ES&H requirements are outlined in the following three documents:
   • ES&H Safety Reviews Required for Experiments.
   • Electrical Safety Review Requirements
   • Flammable Gas Safety Review Requirements
6. Users will have to obtain a Fermilab User ID and pass a radiation safety class before using the test beam
   • If you do not need to access the beamline under controlled access conditions, then General Employee Radiation Training is adequate: (Study Guide) (Schedule for class)
   • If you anticipate making accesses into a secured beamline, then you will need Radiation Worker Training(Study Guide) (Schedule for classes) and Controlled Access training. (Study Guide) (Schedule for classes)
7. Each experimenter must read the FNAL Procedures for Experimenters manual.

For any Emergency call         x3131         Fire / Ambulance / Security

Meson Test Facility Personnel

Other Numbers

Facility Details

All of the following are available to approved users:

• Spacious Control Rooms
• Layout Drawings
• Detectors/Instrumentation
• Motion Tables
• Gas Delivery: MTest is outfitted with a gas patch pannel system, which delivers gas to 6 locations, 2 of which have flammable gas capablities. Mechanical Drawing of Supply Lines (PDF)
• Signal and High Voltage cable patch panels
  
• Fermilab's Equipment Support Department