The Grenoble High Magnetic Field Laboratory as a USER FACILITY

The Grenoble High Magnetic Field Laboratory (GHMFL), run jointly by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (C.N.R.S, France) and the Max-Planck Gesellschaft (MPG, Germany) is a leading laboratory pursuing research in the highest static magnetic fields technically feasible. The laboratory maintains strong in-house research activities and partly operates as a user facility for qualified external researchers. It has developed highly sophisticated instrumentation for specific use under high magnetic fields, including transport, magnetization, visible and infrared optical measurements at low temperatures and/or high pressures, EPR and NMR investigations in high magnetic fields. The laboratory delivers around 5000 hours of magnet time per year. Access for users to the high magnetic field facility is supported by the European Union, in the framework of the Human Potential Program: "Transnational Access to Major Research Infrastructures". The authors give an overview of the technical aspects of the facility and of the laboratory activities as a facility over the last years. The general organization of the user community and repartition between countries is also reviewed.