Use of ISO methods and procedures for microprobe work

[wrigke]

All,

My work organization is pressuring all instrument users to develop "quality plans" that encompass a variety of topics such as development of standards (they prefer NIST-traceable), evaluation of software to ensure that it "delivers the correct answer", and finally the use of ISO-developed procedures for analytical work.

With regard to the latter, I have limited experience with ISO procedures, but the few I have seen tend to be conservative, overly bureaucratic, too general and not up-to-date with current technology.

Unfortunately, one cannot view the procedures without buying them, so I was wondering if anyone has any opinion about or experience with any of these ISO standards:

ISO 11938
Revision / Edition: 1ST Chg: Date: 03/01/12
MICROBEAM ANALYSIS - ELECTRON PROBE MICROANALYSIS - METHODS FOR ELEMENTAL-MAPPING ANALYSIS USING WAVELENGTH-DISPERSIVE SPECTROSCOPY

ISO 14594 - Base Document Only
Revision / Edition: 1ST Chg: Date: 08/01/03
MICROBEAM ANALYSIS - ELECTRON PROBE MICROANALYSIS - GUIDELINES FORTHE DETERMINATION OF
EXPERIMENTAL PARAMETERS FOR WAVELENGTH DISPERSIVE SPECTROSCOPY

ISO 14595
Revision / Edition: 03 Chg: Date: 06/01/03
MICROBEAM ANALYSIS - ELECTRON PROBE MICROANALYSIS - GUIDELINES FOR THE SPECIFICATION OF CERTIFIED
REFERENCE MATERIALS (CRMS)

ISO 22489
Revision / Edition: 1ST Chg: Date: 12/15/06
MICROBEAM ANALYSIS - ELECTRON PROBE MICROANALYSIS - QUANTITATIVE POINT ANALYSIS FOR BULK SPECIMEN USING WAVELENGTH DISPERSIVE X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY

Cheers,
Karen

[Gareth D Hatton]

We have the mapping one (ISO 11938 ), I find it of little use unless you want to say that you have read it...

For example the measurement procedure is along the lines of

a) Select the location and size
b) Select the number of pixels to meet the required spatial resolution
c) Select and apply the element and instrument conditions.
d) Collect characteristic peak and background X‑rays and any required electron signals.
e) Apply the chosen correction method to the X‑ray data.
f) Finally, the data can be displayed as pseudo-colour maps