Irradiation Facilities

The PIF & NIF beams are sold out for the remainder of 2024.  The facilites will then be shut down for maintenance Jan-April 2025.

In 2025, it is anticipated that beam from beam line BL1B (low intensity, high-energy protons and neutrons) will be first available  May and that beam from BL2C (low intensity, low-energy protons and neutrons) and the TNF (high intensity, high-energy neutrons) will be first available in May or June.  The schedule will become better defined in March 2025.

During the TRIUMF operation season, beam is typically available for PIF & NIF users for one week each month on BL2C.  The BL1B and M20 schedules are more restrictive as they need to be interleaved with the TRIUMF Science programme; advance booking is essential.  Use of the TNF is available whenever the main cyclotron is running at high intensity. 

For 2025, the PIF & NIF hourly rate for beam time at both BL2C and M20 is $1075 for Canadian users and $1075 USD for all other users.  The hourly rate for BL1B is $1200 for Canadian users and $1200 USD for all other users.  The hourly rate for TNF is $525 for Canadian users and $525 USD for all other users.  There will be a 10% contingency amount added to all quotes to allow for any overages in beam time or logistics fees.  This amount will not necessarily be charged, it just precludes the need to obtain additional purchase orders when necessary. The minimum booking time is 6 hours for all beamlines.

TRIUMF always endeavours to provide reliable beam to our customers; for specific scheduling questions or to book beam time, please contact us.

The public version of the TRIUMF beam schedule can be accessed at: https://mis.triumf.ca/science/schedules.jsf

BL1B and BL2C are available for PIF & NIF whenever the schedule is marked “PIF”.

TNF is available whenever the cyclotron is in operation and BL1A is running, i.e. BL1B is NOT marked for “PIF”. 

Note that this schedule only presents the blocks where the cyclotron is running and beam is available to the PIF & NIF facilities.  Individual bookings are not listed.  To see if there is any available time within the scheduled periods, please contact the PIF & NIF team directly.

Read the Before You Visit section on the Experimenter Portal for more information.

Shipping address

The shipping address for equipment being sent to TRIUMF for testing at PIF & NIF is:

TRIUMF
6095 Nurseries Road
Vancouver, BC  V6T 2A3
CANADA
Attention:  M. Trinczek, 2024-PIFNIF

International shipping and importing goods to Canada

Here are short descriptions of all your options to import your equipment when you come to test at PIF & NIF:

• Ordinary commercial import  – the simplest process – only for shipments valued below 10,000$CAD

You import your goods into Canada filling a Commercial Invoice, and pay all the taxes, duties and fees associated with the import.  Generally, this is 5% GST tax on the declared commercial value of the goods.  Duties and the 7% PST tax may also apply, but are not generally levied against scientific equipment coming for temporary use at TRIUMF.  If your company has a Canadian branch or a Canadian business number, they can be the importer of record (recommended).  Otherwise, TRIUMF will be the importer of record for your shipment.

If you want TRIUMF to be the importer, indicate so clearly on your commercial invoice and include on it:  “Canadian customs clearance to be done by Thompson, Ahern & Co. Limited, reference: 2024-PIFNIF”.  They will process the customs clearance for you in TRIUMF’s name, and you will be invoiced by TRIUMF for the associated brokerage fees, taxes and duties, if any.

• Tax- and duty-exempt import

You can use one of the following mechanisms to import your goods into Canada for a limited time without paying taxes and duties.  Generally, some additional conditions need to be met when re-exporting and everything that was in the incoming shipment must leave Canada at the same time in a single shipment.  The options are, in order of preference:

• • ATA Carnet

An ATA Carnet is essentially a passport for your commercial goods, allowing free entry into multiple countries for the period specified on the Carnet.  It is important to note that goods that enter Canada with a Carnet must all leave Canada at the same time.  Steps to obtain a carnet depend on the country of the shipping entity.  Carnets are generally obtained through the national Chamber of Commerce of the originating country.  We recommend that you work wiith your carrier/logistics team to prepare a Carnet for your goods.  Make sure that the period of validity gives plenty of time for the radioactive cool down of your irradiated devices.  All items on a Carnet must travel together, so if you want to get your support equipment back before your irradiated parts have cooled down, you will need 2 separate Carnets.

• • SERO (Scientific Expeditions Remission Order)

Equipment to conduct a scientific expedition can be imported duty-free and GST(tax)-free for a limited duration if your company/institution and your test team members meet certain conditions. More information on the SERO process is found at this link. 

• • Temporary admission permit against a bond or a security deposit

Under some specific circumstances and if none of the other options are possible, you may be able to import your goods temporarily into Canada by paying a security deposit which is returned when the goods leave Canada.  Please consult with the TRIUMF Logistics team to make sure you qualify for this option.  It is not generally recommended as it is slower and has many more constraints and requirements than the other options.

TRIUMF’s Logistics group and our customs broker can answer your questions about what option is the best for your specific shipment and circumstances.  You can find their contact information directly on the TRIUMF Logistics webpages.

How to write a commercial invoice

1. On letterhead from your institution, title your letter Commercial Invoice.
2. Write your company’s Canadian import business number (BN) on the letter, if your company has one. Note that a Canadian BN is mandatory for the SERO process or for your company to be the importer of record of any shipment to Canada.
3. Create a list of the goods you plan to ship to TRIUMF showing the quantity of each item, the country of origin for that item, and the dollar value of the goods. Country of origin is the country where the goods were made. For example if you ship a Sony Television purchased in the U.S. from the United States to Canada the country of origin is Japan.
4. Tally up the value of all the goods in your list and write the total dollar value at the bottom of your list. State which currency you are using, for example state the value shown is in Canadian dollars, US dollars, Euros, or which ever currency is most convenient for you.
5. Make a brief statement as to why the goods are being sent to TRIUMF. For example, to be used in an experiment and will subsequently be returned to the originating institution on a particular date.
6. Sign your letter.
7. Send us a copy of your commercial invoice and attach 3 copies to your shipping documents when you ship the goods.

While at TRIUMF, affordable accommodation can be provided by TRIUMF House, conveniently located within walking distance from the laboratory on the UBC Campus.  When booking, mention you are there for PIF & NIF.

Some other accomodation options are also listed here.

In addition, TRIUMF maintains a fleet of rental vehicles available to visitors. To arrange a car rental, please go through your TRIUMF contact.