New Remote server functions for gun parameters

[John Donovan]

In v. 12.2.3 we've added new methods to get and set the gun parameters, specifically, keV, filament emission and filament current.  You can download the latest Remote Server from the Probe Software | Software Updates page:

http://probesoftware.com/Update.html

Use these gun parameter functions at your own risk!

The get gun parameters function will not be problematic since it just read the values, and the set keV is protected by firmware from my prior experience. But I would not assume the same for the set filament emission and set filament current parameters- though I'm pretty sure they are protected by firmware (for example the FEG gun is not affected by these calls at all), but please exercise caution in your coding on tungsten and LaB6 guns!

The new get/set gun parameter methods are documented in the Remote Server documentation that comes with the Remote Server software and here:

Public Sub RemoteGetGunParameters(Kilovolts As Single, KilovoltStatus as String, FilamentEmission as Single, FilamentCurrent As Single)
This call will get the gun parameters. The KilovoltStatus only applies to JEOL instruments.

Usage:
Dim Kilovolts As Single
Dim KilovoltStatus As String
Dim FilamentEmission As Single, FilamentCurrent As Single

Remote.RemoteGetGunParameters Kilovolts!, KilovoltsStatus$, FilamentEmission!, FilamentCurrent!

Public Sub RemoteSetGunParameters(Method As Integer, Kilovolts As Single, FilamentEmission as Single, FilamentCurrent As Single)
This call will set the gun parameters:
Method% = 1   set kilovolts (in keV)
Method% = 2   set filament emission
Method% = 3   set filament current

Usage:
Dim Method As Integer
Dim Kilovolts As Single
Dim KilovoltStatus As String As Long
Dim FilamentEmission As Single, FilamentCurrent As Single

Method% = 1
Kilovolts! = 15
FilamentEmission! = 0.
FilamentCurrent! = 0.

Remote.RemoteSetGunParameters Kilovolts!, KilovoltsStatus$, FilamentEmission!, FilamentCurrent!

Note that in both JEOL and Cameca instruments the filament current is in arbitrary units.

[Ben Vos]

Hi John,

Recently we installed new LaB6 filament on SX100.
I can control filament emission and keV with this method you provide.  Nice thing 
With the excel app in annex I can control Emission current.  remark that Ie also can control Ib with fixed C1C2 value.  I did some image recordings and beam stability test for different settings of Ie.  As you can notice the beam is very stable in non regulated mode.  In regulated mode it is even more stable. The image does not shift for different settings of Ie what may be an advantage when analysing small features.

beam regulation mode changes to not regulated when I change Ie

The sequence that I like to do in macro is therefore : 
set Ie  ; put regulation mode on. (SX100 puts it off when Ie is changed)
Unfortunatly I can't find the method to put regulator on using remote server.  Can you help me? 

The correlation table for Ie and Ib should be recorded that way.
   
I checked that this correlation table can be also used for several days. 
I suppose that this curve will change during lifetime of filament LaB6

Perhaps it's interesting that other users can record this table too.  It's very easy to do and if we can compare results perhaps we can learn more on behavior of LaB6 during lifetime.

Greetings,

Benedict Vos