Wish list for PI features

[John Donovan]

Would it be ok, to have an option for PI to perform an autofocus on each map, just before it starts the map acquisition?  Perhaps it should just utilize the center of the map for this optional auto-focus? In other words, (if an auto-focus option is specified), drive to the center of the current automated map, based on a fit to the corner Z positions, perform the auto-focus, then adjust the corner Z positions based on the auto-focus offset, then start the map acquisition using the newly adjusted corner positions.  How does that sound?
john

I don't think this would work - because sometimes when the corners are in focus - the center is not in focus - it could be on a spot of epoxy. I'm not sure how important this is - I need to check on acquired data to see the effect on intensity of it being slightly out of focus

Ah, yes, OK.   

Intensity loss as a function of stage Z has been documented previously by many investigators- including yours truly.  Here's an excerpt from an old study I did many years ago at UC Berkeley:



We should try to minimize the Z focus error to get the most quantitative results.  This would be another advantage to synchronized WDS and EDS stage mapping.  That is, major elements, which are most sensitive to Bragg defocusing effects (because of their high precision), could be performed using EDS which doesn't have these defocus effects, while trace elements could be done using WDS. Since the precision of trace elements is significantly lower, these defocus effects would be less evident.

One other idea I had is that along with an optional auto-focus checkbox, we could designate a particular stage position as the "auto focus position".   Then when the auto-focus is performed, the resulting correction is applied to all 4 corners before the scan is started.
john

[Ben Buse]

One other idea I had is that along with an optional auto-focus checkbox, we could designate a particular stage position as the "auto focus position".   Then when the auto-focus is performed, the resulting correction is applied to all 4 corners before the scan is started.
john

That is a very good idea.

Ben

[John Donovan]

One other idea I had is that along with an optional auto-focus checkbox, we could designate a particular stage position as the "auto focus position".   Then when the auto-focus is performed, the resulting correction is applied to all 4 corners before the scan is started.
john

That is a very good idea.

Ben

Or another option would be to simply add an auto-focus checkbox and another control for the user to specify which of the 4 corner positions is the "auto-focus position".  The adjustment would then be based on that Z position offset.
john

[Ben Buse]

Or another option would be to simply add an auto-focus checkbox and another control for the user to specify which of the 4 corner positions is the "auto-focus position".  The adjustment would then be based on that Z position offset.
john

Yes that would work well - specifying which ever of the 4 corners to use. Allowing user to avoid those corners which step off the material of interest. And not requiring an additional position

Ben

[John Donovan]

Or another option would be to simply add an auto-focus checkbox and another control for the user to specify which of the 4 corner positions is the "auto-focus position".  The adjustment would then be based on that Z position offset.
john

Yes that would work well - specifying which ever of the 4 corners to use. Allowing user to avoid those corners which step off the material of interest. And not requiring an additional position

Ben

I'll see if Brian can add this auto-focus option to PI.  It should be relatively easy to implement for the Cameca and 8230/8530 instruments which have integrated auto-focus systems.
john

[Ben Buse]

Hi,

I have another suggestion - if its easy to do - for the list of samples (where you have multiple maps) - a clear list button

Thanks

Ben

[Mike Matthews]

I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to set up multi-run maps (i.e. more elements than spectrometers) on multiple samples. This would be soooo much easier if it was possible to copy more than one set of spectrometer settings at a time and/or if their order in the list could be re-arranged. Any chance of this being added? Pleeeease

[John Donovan]

I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to set up multi-run maps (i.e. more elements than spectrometers) on multiple samples. This would be soooo much easier if it was possible to copy more than one set of spectrometer settings at a time and/or if their order in the list could be re-arranged. Any chance of this being added? Pleeeease

Hi Mike,
Yes, we do need to improve the sample list options in Probe Image.  One thing we are thinking of is adding a button so the user can copy or duplicate a set of samples which could then be assigned to a different stage position.

Also adding a button to move a set of samples to change their acquisition order is also a good idea.  I will speak to Brian about this.
john

[Anette von der Handt]

Hi John,

my new JEOL software on the 8530F+ now supports maps up to the size of 5120 to 5120 pixel while my maximum map size in PI is capped at 2096 x 2096 pixel. Is this larger map size already on your radar (as you don't have a JEOL) and planned to be implemented in PI?

The mapping specifications for my software are
Number of measurement points:
Stage scan: 8 x 8 to 5120 to 5120
Beam scan: 22 x 16 to 5120 to 3840 (Aspect ratio 4:3) and 16 x 16 to 5120 to 5120 (Aspect ratio 1:1)

X-ray measurement time per pixel:
Stage scan: 2 to 100 000 ms
Beam scan: 0.1 to 100 000 ms

Thanks!

[John Donovan]

my new JEOL software on the 8530F+ now supports maps up to the size of 5120 to 5120 pixel while my maximum map size in PI is capped at 2096 x 2096 pixel. Is this larger map size already on your radar (as you don't have a JEOL) and planned to be implemented in PI?

The mapping specifications for my software are
Number of measurement points:
Stage scan: 8 x 8 to 5120 to 5120
Beam scan: 22 x 16 to 5120 to 3840 (Aspect ratio 4:3) and 16 x 16 to 5120 to 5120 (Aspect ratio 1:1)

X-ray measurement time per pixel:
Stage scan: 2 to 100 000 ms
Beam scan: 0.1 to 100 000 ms

Hi Anette,
We could certainly do that.  In the meantime you can use the conversion app in Probe Image to convert the large maps for subsequent quantification in CalcImage.
john

[Anette von der Handt]

John, absolutely. The conversion app is great. I just really, really prefer to work with PI

[orlandin]

I think it would be pretty cool if PI could utilize the 'bidirectional scan' stage mapping mode that I just learned about in my JEOL UNIX software! It might not make much of a difference for normal mapping, but it would probably make the maps that I run at essentially the carriage return speed even faster! Probably almost twice as fast.

[Anette von der Handt]

I think it would be pretty cool if PI could utilize the 'bidirectional scan' stage mapping mode that I just learned about in my JEOL UNIX software! It might not make much of a difference for normal mapping, but it would probably make the maps that I run at essentially the carriage return speed even faster! Probably almost twice as fast.

This is an older post but I just wanted to mention that I would avoid the bidirectional scan mode in JEOL at all costs if you want nice looking maps. You will get a small offset between the two directions and all grain boundaries and other sharp features will look jagged.

[Anette von der Handt]

Would it be possible to add a "Total run time" counter to the map setup window? That would be very helpful in keeping track of time when setting up many maps.

Thanks!

[Anette von der Handt]

Would it be possible to have the map file conversion tool use the original map comment as the folder name?

I still use the JEOL mapping software occasionally, especially for free shape maps. All the JEOL files already only have their map number "01, 02 etc" (how helpful). The converted files all go into a folder called "ProbeImage". Now if the converted files were in a folder using the map comment name, then I would not have to spend hours renaming folders to have a resemblance of organization. Pretty, pretty please?

It is this keyword in the map condition file: $XM_AP_COMMENT%0