[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 166 (Friday, August 27, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46898-46899]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22301]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Office of Science Financial Assistance Program Notice 99-24; 
Novel X-Ray Light Sources

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice inviting research grant applications.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) of the Office of 
Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby announces its 
interest in receiving grant applications for the development and 
application of novel, laser-based light sources operating in the X-ray 
spectral region.

DATES: Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief 
preapplication. All preapplications, referencing Program Notice 99-24, 
should be received by DOE by 4:30 P.M., E.D.T., October 1, 1999. A 
response to the preapplications encouraging or discouraging a formal 
application generally will be communicated to the applicant within 30 
days of receipt.
    The deadline for receipt of formal applications is 4:30 P.M., 
E.S.T., January 19, 2000, in order to be accepted for merit review and 
to permit timely consideration for award in Fiscal Year 2000.

ADDRESSES: All preapplications, referencing Program Notice 99-24, 
should be sent to Dr. Eric A. Rohlfing, Division of Chemical Sciences, 
SC-14, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown 
Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290 or transmitted by facsimile to (301) 
903-4110.
    Formal applications referencing Program Notice 99-24 should be 
forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Grants and 
Contracts Division, SC-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, Maryland 
20874-1290, ATTN: Program Notice 99-24. This address must also be used 
when submitting applications by U.S. Postal Service Express, any 
commercial mail delivery service, or when hand carried by the 
applicant. An original and seven copies of the application must be 
submitted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Eric A. Rohlfing, Division of 
Chemical Sciences, SC-14, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy, 
19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, telephone (301) 903-
8165, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    In January 1999, the Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee 
(BESAC) Panel on Novel, Coherent Light Sources made a series of six 
recommendations to BES on the R&D plan for the development of light 
sources that might ultimately lead to the next-generation light-source 
facility. The full report from this panel is available at the following 
web address: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/bes/BESAC/pubs.html
    The BESAC panel identified the specific need for research into the 
development and application of table-top, laser light sources in their 
Recommendation (3):
    ``There is a symbiotic relationship between future accelerator-
based sources and high-powered ultrafast lasers. Future light sources 
will involve a complete marriage of accelerator principles and lasers. 
Lasers are also likely to be the avenue where the shortest pulses are 
attained and many new scientific experiments are developed first. The 
Panel recommends that DOE should support laser light source development 
independently and vigorously. This is best done by support of peer-
reviewed proposals based on science that requires a significant 
component of laser source development. It is also desirable to support 
one or more DOE laboratory centers for laser development that can be 
coordinated with overall light source facility development plans.''
    They also identified the need for improved X-ray detectors and 
optics in order to more fully utilize these novel lasers or existing 
synchrotron facilities in their Recommendation (6):
    ``Support should be provided for the development of X-ray detectors 
and optics, concomitant with better utilization of existing synchrotron 
facilities and lasers to carry out tests of potential new experiments 
that may be enhanced by a coherent hard X-ray source.''
    This invitation for grant applications is a direct response to 
these two recommendations of the BESAC Panel on Novel, Coherent Light 
Sources. In particular, we seek applications for research in the 
following areas:
     Development of new light sources in the X-ray region that 
are based on table-top, ultrafast laser systems or combinations of such 
lasers systems with particle beam accelerators or existing synchrotron 
X-ray sources. Desirable attributes for such sources include ultrashort 
(femtosecond) pulses, high peak spectral brightness, and a high degree 
of spatial and temporal coherence. Applications are not limited to 
those seeking to construct new sources. Fundamental experiment or 
theory on the physics underlying novel generation schemes (such as 
high-harmonic generation) are also sought.
     Fundamental experiment and theory on the interactions of 
ultrafast, intense X-ray pulses with matter, including multiphoton or 
multiwave processes, high-field effects, and material damage studies 
relevant to the development of X-ray optics for next-generation light 
sources.

[[Page 46899]]

     Improved techniques for the detection and characterization 
of ultrafast, intense X-ray pulses.
     Applications using such X-ray sources to fundamental 
science that fits within the interests of the Chemical Sciences and 
Materials Sciences Divisions of BES. Detailed program descriptions for 
these two BES divisions may be found at the BES homepage: http://
www.er.doe.gov/production/bes/bes.html
    As noted in Recommendation (3) of the BESAC Panel given above, 
future light source facilities are likely to encompass both 
accelerator-based and laser-based light sources in a fully symbiotic 
relationship. Thus, we encourage applications in which there is a 
direct linkage to or collaboration with ongoing efforts in the area of 
X-ray free electron lasers (FELs), such as the use of laser-based 
systems as seeds for FEL amplifiers.

Program Funding

    It is anticipated that an estimated $1.0 million will be available 
for grant awards during FY 2000, contingent upon the availability of 
appropriated funds. Multiple year funding of grant awards is expected, 
also contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds, progress 
of the research and continuing program need. Applications received by 
the Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under its 
current competitive application mechanisms may be deemed appropriate 
for consideration under this notice and may be funded under this 
program.

Preapplications

    Preapplications are strongly encouraged but not required prior to 
submission of a full application. Please note that notification of a 
successful preapplication is not an indication that an award will be 
made in response to the full application.
    The preapplication should identify, on the cover sheet, the 
institution, principal investigator name, address, telephone, fax and 
e-mail address, title of the project, and the field of scientific 
research. The preapplication should consist of no more than a three-
page narrative describing the research project objectives and methods 
of accomplishment. These will be reviewed relative to the scope and 
research needs of the Novel X-Ray Light Source initiative. Formal 
notification of either discouragement or encouragement for submission 
of a full application will occur within 30 days of the deadline for 
receipt of the preapplications.
    Full applications will be subjected to scientific merit review 
(peer review) and will be evaluated against the following evaluation 
criteria listed in descending order of importance as codified at 10 CFR 
605.10(d).

1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project,
2. Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach,
3. Competency of Applicant's Personnel and Adequacy of Proposed 
Resources,
4. Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget.

    The evaluation will include program policy factors such as the 
relevance of the proposed research to the terms of the announcement and 
an agency's programmatic needs. Note, external peer reviewers are 
selected with regard to both their scientific expertise and the absence 
of conflict-of-interest issues. Non-federal reviewers may be used and 
submission of an application constitutes agreement that this is 
acceptable to the investigator(s) and the submitting institution.
    Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with researchers in other 
institutions, such as universities, industry, non-profit organizations, 
federal laboratories and Federally Funded Research and Development 
Centers (FFRDCs), including the DOE National Laboratories. A parallel 
announcement with a similar potential total amount of funds will be 
issued to DOE FFRDCs. All projects will be evaluated using the same 
criteria, regardless of the submitting institution.
    Information about the development and submission of applications, 
eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection process, and other 
policies and procedures may be found in 10 CFR Part 605 and in the 
Application Guide for the Office of Science Financial Assistance 
Program. Electronic access to the Guide and required forms is available 
via the World Wide Web at: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/
grants.html. On the grant face page, form DOE F 4650.2, block 15, 
provide the principal investigator's phone number, fax number and e-
mail address. The research description must be 20 pages or less, 
exclusive of figure illustrations, and must contain an abstract or 
summary of the proposed research. Attachments should include curriculum 
vitae, a listing of all current and pending federal support, and 
letters of intent when collaborations are part of the proposed 
research.
    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program 
is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 CFR Part 
605.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on August 18, 1999.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 99-22301 Filed 8-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P