Probe Software Forum Newsletters

[John Donovan]

Hi all,
The Probe Software user forum has been very busy this winter, with over 42 new topics and over 300 new posts since Nov 1. The forum totals currently stand at 5411 Posts in 801 Topics by 350 Members... here are some recent highlights.

Brian Joy and Anette von der Handt had a discussion regarding changes in Bragg crystal reflectivity and peak shape over time:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=854.0

Probeman was at the San Francisco AGU (American Geophysical Union) in December to present his new trace element methods, but was disturbed to see some talks in which some trace element "diffusion" profiles appeared to be merely secondary fluorescence artifacts from boundary phases... don't geologists read the Journal of Applied Physics?  Apparently not!   

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=58.msg5435#msg5435

Anette von der Handt posted some useful on-line resources for EPMA, WDS, EDS and SEM:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=856.0
http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=855.0

Probeman posted a nice summary of accuracy and precision of trace element measurements using the MAN background correction method (along with the blank correction method):

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=307.msg5426#msg5426

Ben Buse and John Donovan discuss how to deal with negative intensities when performing quantification of x-ray maps- we don't want to just cut things off at zero!  Do you know why?

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=861.0

John Donovan has improved the WDS (and EDS) simulation modes in Probe for EPMA to more accurately simulate EPMA for teaching and demonstration. Every student in your EPMA class can have PFE (and CalcZAF) on their own laptops so they can follow right along with their mouse pointer.  Your students will already understand how to run the microprobe before they've even sat down with the instrument!

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=837.msg5480#msg5480

Probeman posted a discussion on halogens replacing stoichiometric oxygen in various minerals and how that should be corrected for in PFE:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=42.msg5473#msg5473

Ben Buse posted a nice summary of using PCC (Probe Column Condition) files in PFE for handling characterization of inclusions at multiple beam energies:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=5.msg5504#msg5504

John Donovan posted an update on where we are at with regard to synchronized EDS and WDS x-ray mapping on Cameca and JEOL EPMA instruments for integration with Thermo, Bruker and JEOL EDS systems:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=865.msg5500#msg5500

Karsten Goemann and John Donovan implemented a new feature in PFE that allows the user to select a different default "sample basis" for updating multiple selected samples for both the Elements/Cations and Standard Assignments dialogs:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=42.msg5511#msg5511

Walter asked several questions about utilizing different applications (Casino, pyPenelope, CalcZAF, DTSA-II, etc.) for quantifying EDS intensities from an SEM:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=870.0

Julien Allaz asks about diode vs. triode ion pumps:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=869.0

John Donovan discusses how Probe Software handles errors returned by the instrument, compared to JEOL and Cameca:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=868.msg5533#msg5533

Emma asks about mounting magnetic powders for imaging in an SEM:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=872.msg5544#msg5544

Owen Neill posts an announcement of a standard materials symposium at M&M this summer in St. Louis:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=99.msg5531#msg5531

[John Donovan]

Welcome to your Probe Software Forum Spring 2017 Newsletter!  A couple of stats to begin with: we now have 373 members, 5641 posts in 811 topics. Some of the more notable new topics/posts this spring:

John Donovan presented a new method for correction of x-ray mapping of beam sensitive samples (e.g., alkali glasses), using fast replicate x-ray maps to quantitatively extrapolate ion migration effects using the time dependent intensity correction (also known as a volatile correction), but now on a pixel by pixel basis as seen here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=912.0

Amazingly, although these significant artifacts (see the grid patterns in the alkali element maps) are created (even when mapping at low beam currents and short dwell times), this new TDI scanning correction seems to be able to accurately correct for such ion migration effects quantitatively. Perhaps even more surprising is that the same method appears to quantitatively correct for carbon contamination effects as shown here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=933.0

John Donovan has also significantly improved the simulation mode of Probe for EPMA to better enable the teaching of EPMA in the classroom as discussed here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=837.msg5472#msg5472

The latest versions of Probe for EPMA now allows instructors and students to simulate both EDS and WDS acquisition and quant processing in the classroom without wasting time on the instrument.  Every students gets a free copy of the software which they can also use to re-process actual probe data for their own projects.

Paul Carpenter, Ben Buse and Probeman discuss the history of the Cal Tech "Shaw" dataset here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=890.msg5922#msg5922

Andrew Mott and Probeman discuss problems with carbon coating here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=921.0

After seeing an interesting poster by Ery Hughs and a question by Ed Vicenzi on water by difference at the EMAS meeting, Probeman discusses some subtleties with the water by difference calculation here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=922.0

John Donovan started a new topic on the "History of EPMA" where you all can share your stories from the "early days":

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=924.0

Probeman started a topic on "Applications for EPMA" to help document the many apps available for various EPMA/SEM calculations:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=927.0

Please feel free to add your own knowledge of EPMA applications to the topic!

A new board for discussing the SAMx STRATAGem software has been started:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?board=33.0

Probeman wrote a long post on strategies for accurate trace element characterization. Maybe he's right or maybe he's wrong- feel free to chime in...

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=928.0

Cesc Salvat shared a new Java application to assist in the creation of geometry files for Penepma Monte Carlo calculations:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=202.msg5961#msg5961

Probeman shows results from different materials regarding the infamous "holes" in the continuum at the Ti Ka peak position on PET crystals:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=29.msg5974#msg5974

Anette von der Handt is designing a new lab for her new EPMA instrument. Here are some items of interest for those that might be in a similar situation:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=879.msg5962#msg5962

Regards,
The Probe Software Users Forum Team.

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php

[John Donovan]

Hi all,
Now that everyone is back from M&M, here's the Probe Software Summer, 2017 newsletter.  But first a few forum stats: we now have 377 members, 5829 posts in 829 topics. Some recent topics of note are listed below.

Ben Buse discusses customizing Surfer scripts here for plotting quantitative x-ray maps:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=305.msg6100#msg6100

Anette von der Handt and Owen Neil discuss the compositions of the PC and LDE multi-layer Bragg "crystals" in this topic:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=375.msg6111#msg6111

Anette von der Handt posts her M&M abstract on TDI scanning. This is a new quantitative mapping method that allows one to correct x-ray maps for both beam sensitivity and also carbon contamination (when measuring carbon):

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=912.msg6127#msg6127

John Donovan modified the JEOL and Cameca simulation modes in Probe for EPMA for teaching EPMA in the classroom to automatically utilize the last standard composition for unknown and wavescan simulation acquisitions. Now you can utilize Probe Software's free distribution license for off-line operation of Probe for EPMA in your classroom to teach both the theory and practice of EPMA (realistic EDS and WDS simulation modes) to your students:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=837.msg6169#msg6169

John Donovan describes a new EDS feature for integrated EDS-WDS acquisition which allows the user specify that the application automatically specifies a live time for the EDS acquisition that is based on the actual acquisition time of the WDS elements for standards, unknowns and wavescans:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=79.msg6197#msg6197

Have a great rest of your summer, and for those that saw the eclipse in the US earlier this week, wasn't that cool?
john

[John Donovan]

Hi all,
The Probe Software user forum has been busy this fall, with over 58 new topics and over 726 new posts since summer. The forum totals currently stand at 6137 Posts in 859 Topics by 403 Members... here are some recent highlights.

Jason in Singapore asks about variable pressure and heating stages in EPMA:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=985.msg6446#msg6446

Probeman asks about the issues with hitting an elemental sulfur sample with the electron beam:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=740.msg6522#msg6522

John Fournelle asks about the density of carbon coatings:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=995.msg6511#msg6511

Probeman posted the worst looking peakshape we've seen in a WDS Bragg crystal:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=18.msg6516#msg6516

If you have something worse he'd like to see it!  Alan Lerner asks for advice on polishing water sensitive samples here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=993.msg6506#msg6506

The "mystery" peak seen on some TAP crystals in the region of F Ka (but only when Ti is present!) seems to be an artifact of some TAP crystals based on further measurements on other instruments:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=992.0

One needs a good precision scan as this "mystery" peak is very weak (which is probably why it was never noticed until recently during MAN background calibrations by Ben Wade and others).  Maybe give it a try on your instrument and let us know what you find on your TAP crystals.

Ben Hanson proposed a novel idea to utilize the off-peak interpolated measurements from the standards used for the MAN background calibration curve, and John Donovan implemented it in Probe for EPMA:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=987.msg6454#msg6454

The idea being that if ones standards contain trace amounts of the element being calibrated for the continuum intensity regression, the use of these interpolated off-peak intensities for the MAN calibration avoids these contamination issues.  One interesting possibility of this new method is performing trace oxygen or carbon analyses without the need to measure off-peak backgrounds on ones unknown samples or quant maps.  Since most samples are oxidized and/or carbon contaminated at some level!

John Donovan reports that the JEOL "anti-Cartesian" flag in Surfer is now automatically implemented and utilized in scripts output from CalcImage for presentation quality x-ray maps for proper orientation of JEOL maps (without the need to invert the maps!):

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=41.msg6488#msg6488

If you have Surfer v. 13 or higher this will occur automatically for the default output scripts. If you have unmodified customized scripts you can download them and update yours with the attached zip file in the above post. If you have modified your custom scripts, you will want to make the changes to your custom scripts yourself as described in the above link.  The other good news is that PFE and CalcImage now automatically detect and update the version and app folder locations for both Grapher and Surfer now:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=707.msg6486#msg6486

Probeman discusses the origin of the words fluorescence, fluorine and fluorite. Yes, they are all related in an interesting way:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=924.msg6480#msg6480

DrSciman asks for help using DTSA for thin film analyses, but hasn't gotten much response.  Can you help him?

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=728.msg6470#msg6470

Jon Wade posted his poster on secondary fluorescence here (in DAC samples):

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=58.msg6465#msg6465

Ben Wade, Nicole and Probeman discuss trace element strategies with a focus on Au in pyrite here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=980.msg6394#msg6394

John Fournelle asks how we can alert users to questionable quant results.  How would you alert your users?

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=986.msg6433#msg6433

Thanks to all and have a great winter season and happy holidays.

The Probe Software User Forum

[John Donovan]

Hi all,
The Probe Software user forum has been quite busy these last few months, with over 40 new topics and over 309 new posts since last Nov 1st. The forum totals currently stand at 6340 Posts in 883 Topics by 415 Members... here are some recent highlights from January and February.

Crystalgrower posted an extensive set of literature reviews and comments on growing single crystals for use as analytical EPMA standards (alkalis, halides, cesium and vanadium):

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1010.msg6638#msg6638
http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1011.msg6639#msg6639
http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1012.msg6640#msg6640

Probeman reviews the $99 8 megapixel Ziggi document camera for use with PictureSnap (and PictureSnapApp) for sample navigation:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=999.msg6635#msg6635

Several members continue a discussion on color palettes and color blindness:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=958.msg6653#msg6653

Probeman finally learns of a better method for demagnetizing large steel/iron samples:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=354.msg6656#msg6656

He also has a long post on quantifying trace carbon in steel:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1005.msg6659#msg6659

Ben Buse and Philipe Pinard discuss how to obtain intensities from each geometric body in Monte Carlo software, e.g., Penepma:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=927.msg6660#msg6660

Philipp Poeml and John Donovan shared Poeml's latest "nuclear" emission, absorption edge and MAC data files for use in Probe for EPMA and CalcImage for characterization of nuclear materials as a ZIP attachment (remember to login to see attachments):

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=311.msg6661#msg6661

Just unzip these files and copy them to your ProgramData\Probe Software\Probe for EPMA folder (note this folder is normally hidden by Microsoft- don't ask why!), in order to perform advanced nuclear material characterization.

Mike Matthews and John Donovan discuss loading mosaic images acquired in Stage for sample navigation in PictureSnap:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=324.msg6670#msg6670

Brian Joy, Owen Neill and crystalgrower discuss how we could "crowd source" the development of a high concentration Cs standard for EPMA:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=560.msg6677#msg6677

Brian Joy and crystalgrower discuss synthetic sulfides, arsenides, etc.:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1017.msg6678#msg6678

Probeman discusses color scales and data thresholding for rainbow versus thermal color palettes:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=73.msg6691#msg6691

Mike Matthews and John Donovan discuss the calculation details of the blank correction in Probe for EPMA and CalcImage:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=454.msg6694#msg6694

John Donovan releases a new matrix.mdb file with PFE v. 12.1.5 which contains a large number of actinide binaries for the Penepma based fast Monte Carlo matrix corrections:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=390.msg6698#msg6698

We also introduced a new keyword for the probewin.ini file that allows those with LaB6 guns to still utilize the "filament standby" modes:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=40.msg6704#msg6704

JEOL FEG instruments (8530) already utilize automatic closing the the gun valve when specified by the user.

An update on off-peak background "sharing" is here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=9.msg6709#msg6709

"Shared" off-peak backgrounds allows one to acquire normal two point off-peak backgrounds for multiple elements, and "share" these off-peak backgrounds for elements that use the same spectrometer and Bragg crystal. This allow one to utilize the many advanced features of the "multi-point-bgd" (MPB) method developed by Julien Allaz, Karsten Goemann, Mike Jercinovic and implemented by Probe Software.

Probe Software announces a new software product for sample navigation in SEM and TEM instruments:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1020.msg6712#msg6712

This is basically an enhanced "standalone" version of the PictureSnap feature in Probe for EPMA. This low cost software product can be downloaded for free and run in "demo" mode to test it for yourself.  It can also be used for free in "text input" mode on any instrument, but which requires the user to enter the stage calibration coordinates using their keyboard. For direct interfacing to your FEI SEM/TEM or JEOL SEM instrument hardware, contact Probe Software to purchase the unlock code.  A grad student at UofO reviews this new software here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1020.msg6724#msg6724

Jeff Chen asks about different oxidation states at high temperatures in oxides:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=691.msg6708#msg6708

John Donovan adds an export menu to CalcImage for export of Probe Image PrbImg files to ASCII text for Remi Deville:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=972.msg6728#msg6728

Remi apparently wants to import the map intensities into MatLab for special re-processing. This new code is just a preliminary version, so please everyone feel free to suggest further changes.

Anette von der Handt posts a number of pdfs attachments of EPMA advertisements in the literature from the "olden days" of EPMA:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=924.msg6732#msg6732

Andrew Locock posts some interesting comments on synthesis of cesium synthetics for use as analytical standards:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1012.msg6737#msg6737

And many other topics. Thanks to all and have a wonderful spring season.

Regards,
The Probe Software Users Forum Team.

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php

[John Donovan]

Hi all,
The Probe Software user forum has been very busy these last few months, with 38 new topics and over 370 new posts since  March 1st.  The forum totals currently stand at 6796 Posts in 927 Topics by 445 Members...

Here are some forum highlights since March:
D. asked if anyone has tried a micro-XRF detector system in an EPMA and got several responses:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1049.0

Ben Buse recently suggested adding phi-rho-z curve plot output in CalcZAF, and with help from Brian Joy and Paul Carpenter, that was done. It was more work than expected, but should be useful for teaching and quickly modeling emission volumes without requiring extended Monte Carlo calculations:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1070.msg7144#msg7144

Ben Buse and JonF discuss some interesting Monte Carlo x-ray emission distributions and discover why they look the way they do:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1080.0

Anette von der Handt shows us her EPMA instrument monitor "flight deck" on her new JEOL 8530 at the University of Minnesota:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=173.msg6956#msg6956

Julien Allaz shows us own version of his EPMA "flight deck" on his new JEOL 8530 (just as he leaves for a new position at ETH Zurich):

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=173.msg7062#msg7062

And Karsten Goemann does the same for his JEOL 8530 at the University of Tasmania:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=173.msg7062#msg7062

Changkun also posts some photos of his EPMA monitor "flight deck" arrangement at his Korean Polar Research Institute lab in South Korea (remember to login to see attachments) for his JEOL 8530:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=173.msg7068#msg7068

Probeman took a quick look at sulfur peak positions and shapes in pyrite, anhydrite and sodium thiosulfate to see how the peaks compared to each other.  Surprisingly, even though sodium thiosulfate should have two different valences for sulfur, the Ka peak in sodium thiosulfate did not seem any broader than the single valence peaks:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=245.msg6834#msg6834

Probeman also asked about the "epsilon" value for SEM optics with regard to Alicona Mex calculations for 3D modeling of surfaces from SEM images:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1055.0

Theo_nt started a discussion on low totals in titano-magnetites:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1061.0

Probeman took another look at non traditional lines (La, Ln, Ll) for quantification of first row transition elements and gets somewhat better results with better background positions:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=989.msg7073#msg7073

Probeman presents his case, that non-zero concentration trace elements standards can result in less accuracy, than using zero concentration "blank" trace element standards. The idea being that if an element is below detection limit (say from say mass spectrometry methods), then that is a very accurate measurement of a zero concentration. Do you agree? Reasonable people can disagree...

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=928.msg7134#msg7134
Probeman reviews the IP EVO Ziggi document camera for capturing images of ones samples for use in PFE's PictureSnap feature or the standalone PictureSnapApp application. It's an 8 megapixel camera for US$99 that does an amazing job:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=999.msg6635#msg6635

Jeff Chen asks about sample preparation of water soluble materials:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=993.msg7009#msg7009

Tom started a discussion on sample preparation on non-conductive powders:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1064.0

Probeman continues a discussion on the apparent density of  evaporated carbon coatings, with some intriguing data:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=995.msg7117#msg7117

Brian Joy, working with CrystalGrower, is attempting the synthesis of strontium cesium phosphates. It should be very interesting to see what sort of materials they produce:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1083.0

Several people chimed in regarding Jason in Singapore's question on best x-ray microanalysis textbooks to have one their bookshelf (and yes, some people still read books made of paper!):

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1047.0

John Donovan and SEM Geologist have an extended discussion on the philosophy of EPMA software GUI design and some features in Probe for EPMA, as implemented for Cameca and JEOL instruments:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1054.0

John Donovan posts a short tutorial on how to export data from Probe for EPMA for creating customized labels on BSE, SE, etc images in Golden Software's Surfer application:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1066.0

John Donovan also discusses a new feature in Probe for EPMA to automatically load formula basis parameters from the standard database in Probe for EPMA, based on suggestions from Paul Carpenter:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=40.msg7004#msg7004

Based on a suggestion by Ben Vos, John Donovan discusses how one can now display the image FOVs for previously acquired analog signal images in Probe for EPMA in the PictureSnap window:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=14.msg7076#msg7076

Ben Buse shares some R scripts he developed for averaging image intensities in non orthogonal directions (we suspect this code is for correction of Bragg defocusing of secondary fluorescence effects from boundaries, with a paper already submitted for publication):

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=799.msg7121#msg7121

Benjamin Wade shares some preliminary efforts to perform "chemical age mapping" of monazites using MAN backgrounds here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1029.msg6799#msg6799

John Donovan provides a short tutorial on performing phase clustering analysis and statistics in CalcImage using quantitative x-ray  maps (that is maps that are background, matrix and interference corrected):

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1071.msg7081#msg7081

John Donovan also discusses improvements to the Remote server applications for developing your own custom EPMA applications (in Excel, Matlab, LabView, etc) using Probe Software's instrument communication drivers for JEOL and Cameca EPMA instruments:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1062.msg7023#msg7023

Ben Buse and Jrminter recently had several interesting discussions on using scripts in DTSA II on different platforms:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?board=32.0

Probeman is still trying to discover a technical/commercial solution for removing oxidation layers on samples inside EPMA instruments, but has an interesting conversation with a plasma etching engineer:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1073.msg7178#msg7178

Ben Buse asks about the source of the MAC values in the nuclear.zip file provided here by Philippe Poeml for use in Probe for EPMA (remember to login to see attachments) for improving the accuracy of actinide analyses:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=311.msg6661#msg6661

John Donovan shows off the new "Image Locator" feature in the PictureSnapApp applications.  For those who don't know, PictureSnapApp is a standalone application for EPMA and SEM instruments (really any instrument with an X/Y stage), that allows one to quickly and easily navigate and document samples including point and FOV annotations and now, previously acquired images, directly on a photo or scan image of ones sample(s):

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1020.msg7208#msg7208

That's all for now (hey, that was a lot!). Have a great summer wherever you are.

Regards,
The Probe Software Users Forum Team.

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php

[John Donovan]

Hi all,
The Probe Software user forum has been quite busy over the summer, with 36 new topics and over 367 new posts since early June.  Not bad for vacation time! The forum totals currently stand at 7153 Posts in 954 Topics by 455 Members...

First we'd like to announce that in August, the forum code (and the Probe Software web site pages) went to https for secure downloads and logins.  We wouldn't say it went seamlessly but it all seems to work now. The only issue we've noticed is that some forum pages may need the "refresh" button clicked on your browser to see some of the older in-line pics displayed. But this minor issue may have been fixed in the latest tweak by our web host.

Here are some forum highlights since June:

John Minter and Jon Wade discuss precision limited Monte Carlo calculations in Penepma:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=202.msg7492#msg7492

Ben Buse posted a "brain teaser" regarding the plotting of BSE coefficients versus Z, calculated from various Monte Carlo programs, and John Donovan, Jon Fellowes and Jon Wade all chimed in with some observations.  The solution to the "brain teaser" is revealed, so read the whole topic if you are interested.  It involves an interesting discussion of physics models and the calculation of average atomic number for compounds.

probeman posted a suggestion for some fun summer reading here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=133.msg7507#msg7507

Quite an entertaining (and cautiously optimistic) read if he says so himself!

D. and jminter and probeman discuss instrument part failures here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1118.0

John Donovan posts that users of CalcZAF and/or Probe for EPMA will need to manually download the latest Probe Software software updates one time only, because of the new secure login protocols:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=233.msg7513#msg7513

Once this manual download update is performed, one can again utilize the Help menu for future software updates.

David Adams asks about P-10 gas flow regulation here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1109.0

Especially with regards to higher elevations and Karsten Goemann joins the discussion with others. Brian Joy shows a nice plot of WDS intensity versus barometric pressure.

D. asks about analysis of boron in silicates:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=248.msg7526#msg7526

Ben Buse posts an interesting WDS spectrometer and KLM plot:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=503.msg7536#msg7536

Owen Neill posts a Cameca version also.

Gareth Seward posts a nice example of using PictureSnapApp to navigate your samples on multiple instruments with high accuracy:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1088.msg7546#msg7546

PictureSnapApp allows one to easily calibrate and re-calibrate a sample "basemap" using any image source such as a  slide scanner, flat bed scanner, etc., even when the sample is mounted completely differently on another instrument. And one can document areas of interest by accurately embedding SE or BSE images into the "basemap" image for fast and easy sample documentation. Download PictureSnapApp here:

https://probesoftware.com/PictureSnapApp.html

Brian Joy successfully synthesized a Cs compound (CsNbOB2O5):

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1098.msg7559#msg7559

This appears to be a very promising (stable) standard for Cs analysis and we hope he can just produce enough for all of us!  If you are interested in supporting Brian in his standard synthesis efforts please contact him.

Hwayoung Kim compares importing a 10 element PrbImg file set acquired by Probe Image for quantification of x-ray maps in CalcImage, with importing JEOL acquired x-ray maps using the JEOL map conversion app in Probe Image:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=838.msg7564#msg7564

The good news is whether you acquire maps directly in Probe Image or import them from the JEOL (or Cameca) OEM software, one can easily quantify x-ray maps in CalcImage using its automatic deadtime, background, standard drift, beam drift, matrix and interference corrections for WDS x-ray maps!

Probeman reports and jminter discuss a possible FEI DCOM issue after a Windows 7 operating system update:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1121.0

If you have an FEI instrument and utilize the DCOM interface for your EDS software communication to the instrument, have you seen this problem recently? Please let us know on the forum. Thanks!

That's all for now. Have a wonderful fall season wherever you are.

[John Donovan]

Hi all,
The Probe Software user forum has been very busy this fall, with over 35 new topics and over 270 new posts plus 41 new members since Oct 1. The forum totals currently stand at 7494 Posts in 983 Topics by 471 Members... here are some recent highlights.

Marisa Acosta adds some suggestions and tips for customizing Surfer output for plotting data points on your images and quantitative x-ray maps:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1066.msg7845#msg7845

Brian Joy has plotted up his PHA bias values versus atmospheric pressure in an effort to better understand P-10 backflow regulation:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1109.msg7844#msg7844

He also posts about his progress in synthesizing a new cesium standard for microanalysis:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1092.msg7836#msg7836

Here are some very pretty quantitative x-ray maps by Karsten Goemann using the JEOL "freeshape" acquisition and quantified by CalcImage and Probe for EPMA:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=73.msg7840#msg7840

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=73.msg7847#msg7847

Gareth Seward wrote up a very nice tutorial on utilizing the new polygon and pixel filtering feature in CalcImage:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1151.0

It is quite complete with lots of nice examples. The general topic of CalcImage's new pixel extraction and filtering feature is described here by John Donovan:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1144.0

The new line profile plotting feature for extracting quantitative information is shown here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1144.msg7914#msg7914

Probeman discusses his concern's regarding the use of a few point analyses to "calibrate" raw x-ray maps (as opposed to using the high accuracy background, matrix and interference correction procedures that we already utilize for point analyses):

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=73.msg7849#msg7849

Probeman says: Pixels should be treated no differently than points!   

John Donovan discusses a new feature requested by Ben Buse to specify Nth point acquisitions for standard vs. unknown samples here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=71.msg7875#msg7875

Gareth Seward requested and Probe Software implemented a new method in CalcImage to save all currently displayed x-ray maps as BMP images (along with their stage calibrations):

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1151.msg7886#msg7886

The new Surfer "slicing" scripts now properly handle polygon x-ray maps for quantitative extraction as requested by Karsten Goemann:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=305.msg7879#msg7879

Ben Buse suggested and Probe Software implemented output of sigma errors for the TDI (time dependent intensity) output to file:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=11.msg7877#msg7877

Because Microsoft has been "locking down" permissions for ActiveX (COM) processes in each new operating system release (e.g., Win7 and Win 10), John Donovan has documented in detail how to set the permissions to allow the Remote COM Server to register itself when first installed or updated:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=129.msg7917#msg7917

In case you are interested, the Remote Automation server allows users to write own custom scripts in Excel or Matlab to operate their EPMA instrument.

Paul Carpenter suggested adding a dead time calibration acquisition feature to StartWin which is shown here to facilitate the dead time calibration of the WDS detectors and electronics:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1160.msg7919#msg7919

Ben Buse posted a new new and improved Periodic table for emission lines (JEOL WDS):

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=503.msg7936#msg7936

John Donovan discusses using the element by difference or formula by difference options in CalcImage for performing trace element quantitative mapping:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1162.msg7933#msg7933

Mike Matthews has a question on secondary electron spatial distributions:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1161.msg7922#msg7922

Ben Buse is apparently a "absolute hero" according to Glenn Poirier and Jon Fellowes, for his script coding which allows ASCII output of images from CalcImage to be easily loaded into ImageJ for further processing:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=799.msg7929#msg7929

And finally Julien Allaz posted about the EPMA topical conference June 24-27 next year in Minnesota:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=99.msg7900#msg7900

You don't want to miss it!  Probe Software will definitely be there.

Have a safe and fun holiday season wherever you are!

[John Donovan]

Hi all,

The Probe Software user forum has been quite busy this winter, with 33 new topics and over 297 new posts plus 43 new members since Jan 1, 2019. The forum totals currently stand at 7785 Posts in 1010 Topics by 487 Members... here are some recent highlights.

MatSci asks how one should one evaluate the application of spectral interference corrections using standard samples.  John Donovan and Anette von der Handt respond with some helpful comments.

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1185.0

Probeman working with a student (macosta) evaluates secondary fluorescence effects from small grains of TiO2 at various distances from small quartz grains in SiO2 vs. epoxy matrices, using 3 material simulations using Penepma. One can use the Penepma GUI in the Standard application to batch run the simulations, but the .in files must be manually edited to add a third material. Details are provided. The results are surprising:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=58.msg8193#msg8193

Philipp Poeml and Probeman discuss WDS spectrometer/crystal alignment on Cameca instruments here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=18.msg8145#msg8145

Steve Seddio discusses EDS detection limits and how peak stripping affects the calculated background intensities:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1186.msg8155#msg8155

Probeman discusses a recent paper on trace element analysis in quartz by Cui et al. from M&M 2019. He is joined by Ben Wade and the paper's 2nd author Shui-Yuan Yang:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=516.msg8175#msg8175

Dawn Ruth created a new topic "Buying a new probe" asking for advice and suggestions for things to consider in purchasing a new EPMA instrument. Probeman, jrminter, Ben Wade, Keith Collins (Probe321) and aburnham, join the discussion:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1179.0

Ben Wade asks about propagating errors when calculating geological age from U-Th-Pb EPMA measurements:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=71.msg8207#msg8207

John Donovan reminds students that inexpensive Grapher and Surfer licenses are available for students from Golden Software:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=707.msg8220#msg8220

News Flash: electrons are round:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=133.msg8221#msg8221

A topic was created for discussion of LaB6 and high beam energies, lastly with Karsten Goemann chiming in on his experience:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1188.0

John Donovan points out a useful feature built in to all graph plots in Probe for EPMA and CalcImage, with a specific example of the quantitative histogram (Quantigram) output for quant x-ray maps:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1144.msg8234#msg8234

Owen Neill posts that the QMA 2019 EPMA Minneapolis, Minnesota meeting "early bird" registration has been extended to April 15th (this should an excellent conference if EPMA is your thing):

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=99.msg8235#msg8235

Dan MacDonald asks if anyone has a solution for remote control of the JEOL (or Cameca) stage using a remote joystick:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1190.msg8238#msg8238

AnneF asks for help mounting double polished quartz wafers so they remain perpendicular to the beam. She hasn't had any responses, so please chime in with your experience:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1191.msg8240#msg8240

Probeman posts a discussion about using the "blank" correction feature in Probe for EPMA to improve the accuracy of *major* elements! What could he possibly be thinking?

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1192.0

A final bit of user forum advice: if you see any broken links for in-line images in older posts, please try clicking the Refresh button on your browser. If the broken image link still does not display properly, please send us a link to the offending post and we'll fix it. Thanks!

That's all for now. Hope to see you all at the QMA 2019 this June.

[John Donovan]

This is the first of our "new features" newsletters, which was sent to everyone a week ago. If you missed it here it is:

Hi all,

This is a first newsletter specifically highlighting significant improvements to the CalcZAF and Probe for EPMA software. We've been asked by several customers and forum users that an occasional newsletter of this type would be helpful in getting a summary of these changes. The point often mentioned is that there are many improvements to the software, but they sometimes get "buried" in the normal forum activity.

For a complete listing of all changes to the software, please see the version.txt file that is provided with each update of the software.  It is also posted to the forum here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=40.0

Going back to the beginning of this year, we note a change to the way un-analyzed elements are displayed as KLM markers in wavescan plots from the Plot! window. The software now automatically checks for any specified elements assigned to the wavescan sample, and displays the KLM markers for both the analyzed and specified elements. A general topic for discussing this feature is here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1168.0

We also added an option to plot either the average and standard deviation or the average and standard error when performing pixel extractions on quantitative x-ray maps in CalcImage as suggested by Ben Buse and described here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1144.msg8000#msg8000

and here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=41.msg8435#msg8435

We also moved the variation (correlation) plotting feature from the Evaluate app to the Probe for EPMA app, where we think it will be utilized more often. Variation plots will plot every element against every other element (in intensity or concentration units) to help find elemental correlations in the data. Described here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1170.msg8007#msg8007

We also added this variation (correlation) plotting to quantified pixels in CalcImage for selected areas. This will handle any data units that the currently displayed map utilizes as shown here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1172.msg8014#msg8014

We also modified the Nth point "on-peak time fraction" parameter in Acquisition Options in probe for EPMA to allow a zero value in order to skip the on-peak measurement completely on the Nth point, as suggested by Julien Allaz. Some of you know that the Nth point acquisition is used to specify a background measurement every N points. The subsequent points will utilize the background measurement from the first point. The idea of a zero count time for the on-peak measurement is to "sacrifice" the first point for measuring the background. So we perform the background measurement on a separate location from the actual (subsequent) on-peak acquisitions.  This is very useful when performing analyses of very beam sensitive samples (or normal samples at very high beam currents). This feature will also force line status of this first data point to "B" for disabled.

Julien also suggested adding the Microprobe Age calculations (from U, Th and Pb) to the user specified output dialog and that is described here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=93.msg8035#msg8035

Apparently "we rock"! 

We also recently modified the Report button in the Analyze! window to better handle elements quantified by EDS in Probe for EPMA:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=8.msg8398#msg8398

This is for those of you with our Thermo or Bruker EDS-WDS integration package. It will also work for those of you beta testing the JEOL EDS integration with Probe for EPMA. Please contact us for more information on our EDS-WDS quant integration with full standards or post questions to the forum on this topic. As we continue to see in presentations by many scientists, except for some light elements, trace elements and some situations with pathological spectral interferences, EDS using full standards is often as good as WDS for accuracy. Of course only if the EDS detector dead times are kept at reasonable levels!

Philip Wiegel (and John Fournelle some time ago) asked us to add an option for incrementing the stage during unknown acquisitions and we did this as shown here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=42.msg8434#msg8434

We also modified the USERMAC (user defined mass absorption coefficients) file structure to support additional x-ray lines as requested by Jakub Haifler and described here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1175.msg8441#msg8441

We made a large number of changes to the MAN fit dialog based on observations by Ben Wade and Jakub Haifler working with high Z materials containing elements with significantly different A/Z ratios.

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=4.msg8371#msg8371

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1221.msg8466#msg8466

The upshot of all this is that we should be using a Z fraction based average atomic number calculation for our MAN (continuum) fits. John Donovan posted his M&M talk on the physics behind this here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1221.msg8568#msg8568

We also modified Probe for EPMA to use a new driver for CL acquisition in Probe for EPMA when using Ocean Optics spectrometers. The new driver is compatible with Windows 10. This is discussed here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=40.msg8531#msg8531

We also just last week added new code that calculates ferrous/ferric ratios in minerals and adds the calculated excess oxygen from ferric iron, based on the charge balance method of Droop (1987), into the matrix corrections.  This code was a collaboration by Probe Software, Andrew Locock, Anette von der Handt, John Fournelle and Emma Bullock.  We have to admit we were surprised by the magnitude of the effect on the matrix correction physics from this excess oxygen from ferric iron:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=92.msg8593#msg8593

For those without Probe for EPMA, you can run this ferrous/ferric calculation and the matrix correction for excess oxygen also in our free CalcZAF app as described here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=691.msg8592#msg8592

The code is available on Github:

https://github.com/openmicroanalysis/calczaf

Finally, as suggested by Anette von der Handt, we added a "string search" text field for auto-selection of samples based on a user specified string in the Analyze! and Automate! windows. And also a checkbox to only display samples with data (or not all disabled data)  in Analyze!, Plot! and Plot Std/Unkns windows.

Thanks to all our customers, users and collaborators. We pride ourselves on creating software, for the EPMA community, that is designed by the EPMA community. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding EPMA acquisition, analysis or automation.  We happy to help you in your research and characterization needs.

Regards,
The Probe Software Users Forum Team.

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php

[John Donovan]

Sorry all, I never posted the "Spring 2019" newsletter to the forum, so here it is. I'm working on the summer newsletter now.

Hi everyone,

Sorry to be late with the spring newsletter, as we usually try to get it out just as the summer starts, but with all the activity for the QMA 2019 meeting, things got a little backed up.  But first let us again thank the QMA organizers, especially Anette von der Handt who did a terrific job with Owen Neill and Noah, along with the program chairs and co-chairs.

Another thing we'd like to note is how nice it was to have many young scientists came up to us and remark what a wonderful community we have here. They all mentioned how accepting and welcoming all the MAS members were to those young people getting started in the field. Our own thoughts are that this sort of collegial behavior is created by those in leadership positions in the society. I personally felt the same welcoming culture when I started in this field 30 years ago. Nice to know it is still there.

The Probe Software user forum has been super busy this spring, with over 40 new topics and over 350 new posts since March 1st. The forum totals currently stand at almost 8000 Posts in 1037 Topics by 505 Members... here are some recent highlights.

Probeman asks if anyone has made a serious attempt to characterize the amount of trace Al in K-411 NIST mineral glass:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=108.msg8344#msg8344

He also summarized the final chapter of his finally successful PeakSight 6.2 upgrade:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1171.msg8354#msg8354

Mike Matthews asked how the two point exponential background fit is calculated in Probe for EPMA and CalcImage:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1210.msg8364#msg8364

Andrew Mott and John Donovan finally figured out the problem with correction of beam drift for quantitative beam and stage maps, with a special note on JEOL stage maps as the pixels are acquired in a different order than Cameca stage maps:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1207.msg8368#msg8368

Jakub Haifler, John Donovan and Benjamin Wade are having an ongoing discussion on how to improve the fit of the MAN backgrounds curves. There may be a benefit to utilizing other methods for correcting for continuum absorption, and it also appears that Z fraction Z-bar calculations may provide some additional benefit regarding fitting of continuum intensities:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=4.msg8371#msg8371

John Donovan posted on the use of calibration curves for quantitative x-ray mapping and why that's probably not a good idea:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1212.msg8382#msg8382

John Donovan posts about a new paper with Philippe Pinard and Hendrix Demers on using alpha factors with Monte Carlo generated k-ratios for evaluation of "un-tuned" matrix corrections:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=152.msg8276#msg8276

Jon Wade asks about ideas for exporting un-normalized (SE/BSE) images from PeakSight:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1216.msg8399#msg8399

Probeman posts about a new idea for utilizing the microprobe as a sort of sulfur peak shift "multi-collector" for improving accuracy of trace sulfur measurements in basaltic glasses when the sulfur peak position is not known in advance:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=127.msg8404#msg8404

Karsten Goemann and others discuss the use of 30 sq. mm SDD detectors on EPMA instruments and how to handle high beam currents:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1213.msg8405#msg8405

Philippe Poeml asks how to export totally raw intensity data from Probe for EPMA when no standards have been acquired:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=71.msg8414#msg8414

More EPMA related positions open:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=3.msg8416#msg8416

Philipe Weigel asked if we could add a stage increment feature for acquisition of beam sensitive unknowns where oxidation of iron is a concern when performing "flank method" calibrations for Fe2+/Fe3+ measurements. I should also add for those who weren't at QMA 2019, Ben Buse gave a very interesting talk on using the TDI method in Probe for EPMA to correct for Fe oxidation using high beam currents over extended periods of time:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=42.msg8434#msg8434

For those who couldn't make the QMA 2019 meeting last month, here are the user presentations given at the Probe Software user meeting on Monday by Julien Allaz, Karsten Goemann and Emma Bullock:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=356.msg8433#msg8433

Probeman describes how to automatically acquire multi-voltage analyses (MVA) for characterization of thin film compositions (and thicknesses) in Probe for EPMA (by the way, Aurelein Moy gave a very interesting presentation at QMA 2019 on a new thin film package (BadgerFilm?) which he is developing that will be distributed for free):

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1219.msg8438#msg8438

Probeman posted about the very surprising matrix effect of excess oxygen on Fe concentrations in magnetites and ilmentites:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=92.msg8439#msg8439

Steve Seddio posted his very cool WDS animations shown at QMA 2019:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1220.msg8442#msg8442

Jakub Haifler and John Donovan discuss ways to improve the accuracy of WDS spectral interference corrections:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1175.msg8446#msg8446

That's all for now. Maybe we'll see you at M&M 2019 in Portland next month.

[John Donovan]

Here's the summer newsletter we sent to all members last week.

Sorry this newsletter issue is a little late, wow, summer went fast. And another great M&M meeting in Portland (who doesn't love Portland, right?).

The forum has been busy as usual, with over 42 new topics and over 392 new posts since July 1st. The forum totals currently stand at 8310 Posts in 1071 Topics by 528 Members... here are some recent highlights.

Dominique asks about carbon coaters, while Probeman muses on Newton's colors, and Dave Adams makes a point about color blindness:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1251.0

Probeman in a related topic started a poll on how different labs check their carbon coating thickness:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1252.0

And if you haven't already, please login and vote. We've only got 14 votes in the carbon coating poll so far and we need better statistics!  Also please check Karsten Goemann's interesting approach to measuring carbon coat thicknesses which is here and in subsequent posts by him:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1252.msg8740#msg8740

Probeman discusses his breakfast conversations with Mike Jercinovic during the TC 2019. Mike then chimes in with his thoughts and they get "down into the weeds" on trace element analysis:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=928.msg8498#msg8498

Such nerds! And in the same topic but a few months later, Probeman documents some strange continuum artifacts affecting trace elements on two different Bragg crystals:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=928.msg8729#msg8729

Anette von der Handt also chimes in with her observations on these and possibly related continuum artifacts.  In another topic Probeman documents some interesting (and quite subtle) observations by Ben Wade on the oxygen/halogen matrix correction effects:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1247.msg8749#msg8749

Yeah, it's a long read because it's complicated!  Meanwhile Brian Joy and Dave Adams discuss the effects of barometric pressure on gas flow detectors:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1109.msg8755#msg8755

When are we going to get solid state WDS detectors? Meanwhile, Ben Buse documents some Generic Mapping Tools (GMT) and other software packages for use by those without the Surfer plot package:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1254.0

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1255.0

Though it should be mentioned that Golden Software does offer student licenses for $50/year.

John Fournelle and Probeman discuss the Pouchou binary k-ratio database files here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1256.0

Hwayoung Kim documents some strange changes in his background intensities over time on his JEOL 8530. Maybe someone has some ideas:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1257.0

Walter has a DTSA-II question, but no answers yet:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1258.0

Probeman asks if any one has written a script to export CalcImage compatible "classify" DAT files from Pathfinder spectrum images, and documents the format for those interested:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1071.msg8825#msg8825

That's all for now. Have a great holiday season!

Regards,
The Probe Software Users Forum Team.

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php

[John Donovan]

Here's the Fall 2019 newsletter we sent to forum members a couple of weeks ago:

The forum has been busy as usual this fall, with over 36 new topics and 338 new posts since Sept 1st. The forum totals currently stand at 8426 Posts in 1071 Topics by 538 Members... here are some recent highlights.

Theo Ntaflos started a topic requesting a custom filament standby method for when the automation in Probe for EPMA (or Probe Image) is completed:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1263.0

His request was specific to his Cameca SXFive FEG EPMA instrument, but the people at Probe Software came up with a very flexible solution that works with both JEOL and Cameca EPMA instruments, and that was to allow the user to specify a Probe Column Condition file (PCC) in the probewin.ini file, e.g., filament_standby.PCC, to set whatever column conditions are desired once the automation completes.

Meanwhile Phil Orlandini suggested a very cool modification to the so called "off-peak" MAN method, first proposed by Ben Hanson a couple of years ago. The original idea was to allow Probe for EPMA to utilize off-peak measurements on ones standards, for creating MAN background calibration curves. The idea being, that even if a standard was unknowingly contaminated by trace amounts of the element of interest, by utilizing off-peak interpolated intensities for the MAN curve, those impure standards could still be utilized in the MAN fit. In a more exotic example, consider using the MAN method for trace oxygen, when most of your pure metal standards have a native oxide layer!  But Phil wanted to be able to utilize all his standards for the MAN fit, even those that contained major concentrations of the element of interest, e.g., silicon in silicates!  So Probe Software came up with the following idea:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=987.msg8889#msg8889

Of course the usual caveats regarding off-peak backgrounds still apply (e.g., off-peak interferences and absorption edges), but it does allow one to only acquire (off-peak) background measurements on their standards, and then simply use the MAN method for unknowns. This results in higher precision and much reduced acquisition times, not to mention the elimination of off-peak interferences on the unknowns!  And this off-peak MAN method applies to both quantitative points and quantitative x-ray maps!

Probeman started a topic/poll asking what is everyone's preferred method for determining carbon coat thickness:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1252.msg8851#msg8851

The poll results (please login and vote to see how everyone else voted!), were surprising to some of us.  But more interesting were some alternative methods described by Karsten Goemann.

Thanks to Gareth Seward's expertise, Probe Software completed their first EPMA software installation in China this fall at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=245.msg8857#msg8857

Lab manger Li Wancai posted some pictures of this happy event. Other recent Probe Software installations can be seen in our customer list here:

https://probesoftware.com/Customer.html

Note: a warning for those of you who utilized TinyPic as your image hosting site for posting "in-line" images on our user  forum.  TinyPic no longer exists:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=6.msg8881#msg8881

So you might want to review your older posts and make sure you replace the TinyPic "missing image" with an updated "in-line" image using the Probe Software user forum's own image gallery.  Assuming you can still find your original images!  Directions for using the user forum image gallery are found here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=2.msg4040#msg4040

Have you all seen the cool new "Basic EPMA" feature recently released in Probe for EPMA as suggested by Julie Chouinard, Gareth Seward and Anette von der Handt:

 https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1267.0

We think this new Basic EPMA feature will not only simplify training new users, but will also assist those users who only utilize the EPMA instrument a few times a year or less.  In addition this Basic EPMA feature can be utilized not only for acquisition of points and images, but also for quantitative analysis and output of results.

SEM Geologist has a suggestion for those looking for a quieter scroll pump:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=830.msg8911#msg8911

Ben Buse asks for more information on the USNM chromite material:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=691.msg8913#msg8913

Neko posts about a new paper on microprobe dating of monazites:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=186.msg8914#msg8914

John Minter discusses some recent scripting for DTSA II:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1258.msg8918#msg8918

John Donovan discusses a "hidden feature" that might be helpful for those attempting to perform modal analysis on x-ray maps containing unusual phases, by utilizing a "custom" standard composition database:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=8.msg8923#msg8923

Phil Orlandini discusses using large area "search maps" for locating minor phases in thin sections:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1262.msg8928#msg8928

And Anette von der Handt had an EPMA "wish" fulfilled:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=71.msg8943#msg8943

Have a great holiday season all!

Regards,
The Probe Software Users Forum Team.

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php

[John Donovan]

This is the second of our "new features" newsletters, which was sent to everyone a week ago. If you missed it here it is:

Hi all,

These "new features" newsletters specifically highlight improvements to the CalcZAF and Probe for EPMA software. We've been asked by several customers and forum users that an occasional newsletter of this type would be helpful in getting a summary of these changes. The point often mentioned is that there are many improvements to the software, but they sometimes get "buried" in the normal forum activity.  Remember you can update your CalcZAF and/or Probe for EPMA software for free from the Help menu any time to get these latest new features.

For a complete listing of all changes to the software, please see the version.txt file that is provided with each update of the software.  It is also posted to the forum here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=40.0

A new and somewhat esoteric feature improvement for using "off-peak" MAN backgrounds was suggested by Phil Orlandini (the off-peak bgd MAN feature idea was originally from Ben Hanson at Corning Glass), which we thought was quite interesting. If one has very pure metal or oxide standards maybe this feature isn't as necessary, but if ones standard materials are contaminated by trace elements, this new feature allows the user to acquire "off-peak" interpolated MAN acquisitions on their (less than perfectly pure) standards. Even if the element is present in large concentrations! Then one can utilize these MAN fits on unknown samples without having to acquire off-peak backgrounds on the unknowns. This also especially saves time for acquisition of quantitative x-ray maps:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=987.msg8889#msg8889

Julie Chouinard, Gareth Seward and Anette von der Handt suggested we implement a method to help train new Probe for EPMA users. And also to help remind infrequent users where that "darn" window/menu is found!  So after some thought created a new "Basic EPMA" window that consolidates a number of diverse buttons and menus for basic setup, peaking, acquisition, imaging and output:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1267.0
We added output of average atomic numbers (Z-bar), and density, to the Run | List Standard Compositions menu output in Probe for EPMA as suggested by Paul Carpenter:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=42.msg8867#msg8867

We added a new user specified output parameter for "machine readable" column headings as suggested by Dave Adams (who is now in New Zealand running the microprobe at the University of Auckland) and also with further suggestions by Heather Lowers at the USGS Denver:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=40.msg8609#msg8609

We added what we think will be a useful feature to store EDS net intensities in probe database for off-line use without an EDS interface, as requested by Gareth Seward. This new feature applies to all of our supported EDS interfaces, including Bruker and Thermo but especially JEOL EDS, since the JEOL EDS requires a network connection to the JEOL PC for net intensity calculations.

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=40.msg8637#msg8637

We also added disable/enable buttons to Run | Display EDS Spectra dialog so one can enable or disable analysis lines based on the EDS spectra that were acquired (suggested by Probeman).

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=40.msg8739#msg8739

Based on a suggestion from Theo Ntaflos we added the ability to specify a PCC file for setting the filament standby mode. This is done by a new Probewin.ini option as described here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=42.msg8869#msg8869

Anette von der Handt suggested that we add the ability to re-assign the TDI fit method in the Run | Display Time Dependent Intensities menu:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=71.msg8943#msg8943

Finally a reminder that whenever you visit the Probe Software user forum, you should login using your membership login and password. This is for several reasons, first of course because if you are logged in you can respond to posts and polls!  But also because only logged in forum members can see attachments and only members can access our "member only" boards. For example the JEOL vs. Cameca board in which Dawn Ruth and Probeman are discussing acceptance tests for new instruments:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=369.msg9007#msg9007

Well, that's all for now. Not too bad for a few months work by the Probe Software team! Congrats to them, our most excellent beta testers and all of our wonderful customers and users.  We couldn't do all this without your help and support.

Regards,
The Probe Software Users Forum Team.

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php

PS The ferric/ferrous excess oxygen calculation based on Droop et al. (1987) has been fixed to handle sesquioxides (V2O3, Cr2O3, Al2O3) per suggestion by Andrew Locock:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=92.msg9029#msg9029

[John Donovan]

In case you missed it, here is the Spring 2020 newsletter that was sent out two weeks ago:

This spring has been an unusual spring to say the least, but the Probe Software user forum continues to be busy with 18 new topics, 218 new posts and 66 new members since Jan 1. The forum totals currently stand at 8672 posts in 1102 topics by 559 members. Here a few highlights from the last few months.

Michael Lance asks about best strategies for high resolution point analyses in Probe for EPMA and Anette von der Handt, Owen Neil and Probeman respond:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1286.0

CalcImage has a couple of new features, suggested by Julien Allaz. First the number of points to skip in a TDI plot of a beam sensitive sample has been modified to allow arbitrary numbers:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=912.msg9101#msg9101

And second, the Output Sample Parameters menu now calculates the center pixel of an image rather than the first pixel:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=41.msg9100#msg9100

As suggested by Jon Fellowes one can now align and crop not only multiple pass GRD files, but also TDI replicate PrbImg files:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1152.msg9177#msg9177

John Donovan discusses detection limit statistics for integrated WDS and EDS element quantification:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=79.msg9107#msg9107

Probe Software added a new menu to allow the user to easily output TDI "correction percent" maps, to see the variation in the TDI correction of quant maps of beam sensitive materials (thanks to a suggestion by Julien Allaz):

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=912.msg9110#msg9110

With things the way they are, Anette von der handt, Keith Collins and Jon Fellowes discuss solutions for remote lab access and instrument operation here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1273.msg9113#msg9113

And on a related issue Anette started a topic for lab operation during these times:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1289.0

Dave Adams, Anette von der Handt and Karsten Goemann discuss the JEOL BSE detector settings and operation:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1287.0

Walter asks and John Minter and Nicholas Ritchie respond on DTSA II code syntax for EDS spectrum extraction:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1282.0

Also this DTSA topic on another DTSA II scripting question:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1290.0

Johnny (Zhou) Zhang asks about this paper on a "machine learning" method for ferric/ferrous ratios, but no one has responded yet:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1291.0

Joshua Silverstein asks and Marisa Acosta responds to a question on using FIB for EPMA sample preparation:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1292.0

Mike Jercinovic started a new topic on detection limit calculations here with some discussion with John Donovan:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1293.0

Valery Ray posts his thoughts on buying carbon coaters here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=623.msg9166#msg9166

Dawn Ruth asks about laboratory planning and design and Jon Fellowes, Anette von der Handt, Probeman and SEM-Geologist respond:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=330.msg9002#msg9002

Steve Seddio reports the release of Thermo Pathfinder 2.5:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=1295.0

John Donovan posts about a new button in the PFE Image and Digitize Image windows for loading an image from an external source based on the instrument's current FOV and stage position:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=42.msg9193#msg9193

Lastly John Donovan shows some WDS spectrum simulation for light elements using PFE in "demo" mode (these are in Cameca simulation mode, but you can also run in JEOL simulation mode):

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=837.msg9198#msg9198

This "demo" or simulation mode of Probe for EPMA is often used to teach students in the classroom (or nowadays remotely!). Remember if your lab has purchased Probe for EPMA for your JEOL or Cameca EPMA instrument, you are licensed to install Probe for EPMA on as many computers as you want for off-line data processing and/or teaching.

On a final note our web traffic last year in 2019 is essentially the same as 2018 where we hit around 1.5 million page views, so that's good news.

Take care and stay well.

Regards,
The Probe Software Users Forum Team.

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php