Newsletter sent July 2015
Hello forum members,
This is our July newsletter with the latest Probe Software user forum activities summarized in link format.
But first we are pleased to announce our 10 year company anniversary at Probe Software, Inc. These last 10 years have seen rapid growth in our installed customer base and we hope to continue to provide new and innovative software for modern networked EPMA instruments for the long term.
Next we'd like to remind all current and prospective users of our Portland 2015 M&M tutorials being offered August 3rd, 4th and 5th (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) at 17:45 on the exhibit floor at our booth by Dr. Julien Allaz, Dr. Karsten Goemann and Mr. John Donovan. These tutorial topics can be be found here on our main web page:
http://probesoftware.com/Please be sure to sign up beginning Monday August 3rd beginning at noon in our booth #1383.
Now for recent forum activity highlights:
Hendrix Demers, Raynald Gauvin, Silvia Richter and Philippe Pinard announced the new "openMicroanalysis" google web page for open source microanalysis software. Probe Software is pleased to confirm that we will be open sourcing our CalcZAF physics code later this summer on this web site in the interests of scientific transparency. As John often says, "one cannot do science on a black box"!
http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=99.msg2902#msg2902Sandrin Feig, Owen Neill and Marc Schrier discuss "Standards Which Should Developed For EPMA" which is an effort begun by Anette von der Handt and Owen Neill to "crowd source" production of synthetic crystal standards of general interest to the microanalysis community. We have already procured a large quantity of RbTiOPO4 for general distribution at $100 per *gram* from Marc Schrier at "The Alchemist". A previously unheard of low cost and large quantity for a microanalysis standard! Income from the sale of this material will be utilized towards the development of the next material, possibly a CsZrOPO4 material:
http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=301.msg2918#msg2918The more people that purchase this RbTiOPO4 material, the more resources we will have to produce additional large quantities of low cost standard materials for the microanalysis community. What synthetic standard does your lab need? Please post your laboratory standard material needs in the topic linked to above.
Rico and John Donovan discuss implementing a CL spectrum acquisition capability for point analyses in PFE, similar to the current EDS spectrum acquisition feature:
http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=517.msg2925#msg2925This new CL capability is already being implemented for Ocean Optics spectrometers and other hardware interfaces will be added as requested. Please post to the forum your CL hardware interface requirements.
Brian Joy and Paul Carpenter discuss the intricacies of JEOL flow detector and deadtime response here:
http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=517.msg2925#msg2925A long discussion on the "philosophy" of formula normalization when unanalyzed elements are present, i.e., carbonates with Andrew Locock, Gareth Seward, Julien Allaz and John Donovan is here:
http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=92.msg2950#msg2950Probeman posted a short tutorial on using Area Peak Factors (APFs) in Probe for EPMA. Area Peak Factors are a powerful method for correcting for peak shape effects, especially for light elements. Probe for EPMA implements both the Bastin style (specified) APFs for specific compositions and also John Donovan's newer (binary compound) APF method:
http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=536.msg2946#msg2946The binary compound APF method is based on empirical binary compositional calibrations, where each binary APF is weighted and summed for application to arbitrary compositions. Both of these APF methods are much more time efficient than acquisition of integrated intensity peak scanning methods. Which by the way, is also implemented in PFE using a variable step scan algorithm based on x-ray intensity (automatically smaller step sizes on the peak) which is more efficient than traditional fixed step methods.
Of course many other topics and discussions too numerous to all list here! We're hoping to see you all at Portland M&M in August!
Regards,
The Probe Software Users Forum Team.
http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php
We depend on your feedback and ideas!