Introduction to I12 – JEEP

Beamline I12-JEEP (Joint Engineering, Environmental, and Processing) is a high energy X-ray beamline for imaging, diffraction and scattering, which operates at energies of 53-150 keV.

I12 was designed and built to be suitable for experiments, which utilize:

• high-energy X-rays (53-150 keV)
• time-resolved in situ measurements
• monochromatic or polychromatic (“white beam”) X-rays
• imaging and diffraction techniques, including their combination during one experiment
• beam size from 0.05 mm × 0.05 mm up to 100 mm × 30 mm (H × V), both monochromatic and polychromatic
• complex sample environments provided by users

Experimental techniques available on I12:

• Static and time-resolved radiography and tomography
• Static and time-resolved powder diffraction using monochromatic radiation
• Time-resolved powder diffraction using energy-dispersive radiation
• Diffuse scattering on crystalline (single-crystal diffuse scattering) or amorphous materials (pair-distribution function analysis "PDF”)

Note: All techniques use high-energy X-rays able to penetrate large samples or sample environments. Therefore sample preparation is simple and processes can often be studied under real-world conditions. For very high resolution in real space (< 2 µm)  or in reciprocal space, lower X-ray energy techniques on other beamlines are more suitable.

I12 can accommodate complex sample environments (chemical, mechanical, and electrical processing equipment, engineering machinery, and various experimental apparatuses). Small and medium-sized sample environments can be accomodated in EH1 while larger ones are suitable for EH2.

The beamline has two in-line experimental hutches:

Experimental Hutch One (EH1) is inside the Diamond Experimental Hall. It provides a high-intensity X-ray beam at a distance of around 50m from the X-ray source. EH1 is configured for experiments with small- and medium-sized samples and sample environments. A core feature is a sample table that can be configured to suit different sizes of experimental equipment and can be used for all available experimental techniques.

Experimental Hutch Two (EH2) is in an external building outside the Experimental Hall, which is in line with EH1. It provides a space for large or complex experiments in physics, material science, geology, engineering, and materials processing. Equipment setup and preparation for an experiment in EH2 can be carried out without interrupting ongoing experiments in EH1, allowing longer setup times for user-provided equipment.

Recent Upgrades at Beamline I12-JEEP

Equipment:

• Linkam MFS600 - mechanical sample characterization with temperature and environmental control modules 
• Linkam TS1500 -  high-temperature furnace for in situ diffraction measurements
• Powder Cabinet in the laboratory for handling powders
• INSTRON 100 kN uniaxial mechanical test rig for in situ diffraction and imaging experiments and for ex situ sample preparation before measurement

Technique:

Phase-contrast and phase-retrieval X-ray tomography in EH1

Reference: 

A. Liptak, R. Atwood, T. Zillhardt, S. Michalik, G. Burca, Characterisation of phase-contrast and phase-retrieval X-ray tomography techniques at the I12-JEEP beamline, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physcis Research Section A. 2025, 1073, 170262, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2025.170262.

Beamline Reference:

M. Drakopoulos, T. Connolley, et al., I12: the Joint Engineering, Environment and Processing (JEEP) beamline at Diamond Light Source, Journal of Synchrotron Radiation. 2015, 22, 828-838, https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600577515003513.