A customer of ours recently contacted us and asked:

QuoteIs it possible to register or define analysis points on an optical image offline (i.e. on a different PC), save them, and then import the file into Probe for EPMA on the system connected to the probe?

And we answered:

QuoteYes.

You would need to install PictureSnapApp on your optical microscope computer in text input mode using the half cartesian stage orientation mode (because it is an inverting optical microscope), then calibrate your optical image using two, then three fiducial points, and digitize your points on the optical image there.

Then install PictureSnapApp on your Probe for EPMA computer (using JEOL anti-cartesian mode for JEOL instruments or Cameca cartesian mode for Cameca instruments), and transfer the PictureSnapApp project folder from the optical computer microscope computer, to the PFE computer and open it in PictureSnapApp there. Then re-calibrate the project copied from your optical microscope again, using two, then three points on the PFE computer.

Finally, using the Window | Show Point Annotation List menu in PictureSnapApp, view or navigate to the image coordinates digitized using your optical (or other) microscope.

See also:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6tzYdyOJmE&;

Here is a nice video on our YouTube channel explaining the differences between PictureSnapApp and the PictureSnap feature in Probe for EPMA by Anette von der Handt:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6tzYdyOJmE&;

Minor improvement in the X-Ray | Calculate Spectrometer Positions dialog in CalcZAF:



The calculation now displays the 2d of the Bragg crystal, which is especially nice when selecting an LDE type crystal.

Quote from: dawncruth on January 14, 2026, 04:09:54 PMWhat are the relevant files I need to match the demo mode to our probe setup? Right now, I have all of John's standards and spectrometer configuration instead of mine.

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=1559.msg12915#msg12915

The answers to your questions are in the 2nd half of the post linked.

What are the relevant files I need to match the demo mode to our probe setup? Right now, I have all of John's standards and spectrometer configuration instead of mine.

Very cool.

Check out the images attached to this post:

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=44.msg527#msg527

Here is a quick R script to automate the gif production. I made the following gif with this script. I will make one with the images taken with PfE and edit the post once collected. Make sure your images are .bmp for this script to work


install.packages("magick")
library(magick)

# Folder with bmp, put in your image directory on your computer, e.g. for me it was "C:/Users/druth/OneDrive - DOI/Desktop/2025Jan13_stage/Location2_longdist"
Loc2<- "Your image location"

# 2. List BMP files
bmp_files <- list.files(
  Loc2,
  pattern = "\\.bmp$",
  full.names = TRUE,
  ignore.case = TRUE
)

# 3. NUMERIC SORT (fixes frame order)
bmp_files <- bmp_files[order(
  as.numeric(gsub("\\D+", "", basename(bmp_files)))
)]

# 4. Read BMP images
images <- image_read(bmp_files)

# Optional: force same size
images <- image_scale(images, "800x800!")

# 5. Create animated GIF
gif <- image_animate(images, fps = 0.5, loop = 0)

# 6. Write GIF to disk, rename as needed
image_write(gif, "animated_output_loc2.gif")

I just add the picture with more down-to-earth implementation.

Quote from: sem-geologist on November 06, 2025, 01:43:08 PM... As only 80mL from required 100mL had dripped out, I decided to disassemble pump for cleaning. It was absolutely nastily dirty...

That above (question how so big 20% loss of diffusion pump oil could happen), and emergency fire situation in the building a month ago made me to look back into importance of backup battery which I mentioned previously in the beginning of this thread: https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?msg=11923

As this diffusion pump repair had teach me a lot about the diffusion pumps, It changed my perception and recognition of the backup battery in completely different light. It is a crucial safety feature for SX100 equipped with diffusion pump (for turbo pump equipped SX100 it is not crucial or even unnecessary) - it covers most of failure cases which UPS and backup generator does not cover, and recent fire hazard event and complete cutoff of power to the building for 3 days had teached me the backup battery for Diffusion Pump inlet valve is not a "maybe", but a "must" – unless cleaning the column from deposits of diffusion oil vapor is seen as a very nice pleasant afternoon activity.

I was partially wrong in my initial reasoning - safety valve is not to protect diffusion pump oil from residual gases originating in chamber – but its protection is in opposite direction - it is to protect clean sample chamber from backstreaming of diffusion pump oil in case of abrupt power cutoff to EPMA. The reliance explicitly only on UPS/generator can be dangerous, as UPS and power generators covers only and only event of general external power blackout. In case of high capacity UPS, our Polish (and I believe many other european standards and laws) requires to have remote switch off, which is situated near entrance into the building, and in case of any fire emergency situation those UPS power cutoff switches are triggered without any questions asked or any hesitations at the moment firefighters enter into the building during any fire emergency event.

Also, depending from how infrastructure is planned, UPS output often go through some distribution electric boxes (especially if water chiller is also covered with UPS), then with cables to the site where EPMA is installed. Failing water chiller has very high chance to trigger RCD (in between the UPS and EPMA) cutting also power for EPMA - I had this kind of event where fan motor from a chiller after 3 years of constant work just developed reduced resistance between Phase Neutral and Ground tripping the RCD and tripping all distribution box power (including EPMA). Then looking further EPMA itself contains quite a complex electric power system with different safety devices including RCD, any failure in any vacuum component will send whole vacuum system into state of no power.

---

In any case of power failure of EPMA vacuum system, the previously fully operational hot diffusion pump will go through time window where oil curtains gradually stop being formed, and still hot oil vapor will escape into sample chamber through the stayed opened diffusion pump inlet valve. In case of power loss such oil vapor backstreaming can be amplified by pressure built-up at diffusion pump backing vacuum buffer side, as primary pump and outlet valves are off, for one minute still working diffusion pump (still hot oil) will keep building pressure. As soon the diffusion pump ultrasonic curtains start to fail (due to decreasing energy of oil and decreasing oil vapor speed from nozzle) the higher pressure of gas at backing side will very efficiently push oil vapor from diffusion pump upward into the sample chamber. It is possible that time window of vapor transport to chamber can be longer as with power loss chiller water circulation is also off - thus chances of partial trapping oil vapor on its way upward by cold diffusion pump walls is even more reduced, as diffusion pump walls also stop being cooled. The dangerous time window is probably 1-3 minutes long, just after 1-2 minutes counting from power loss (the oil curtains will stay in motion for a minute after power cutoff to diffusion pump; this is in contrast to my initial assumption that danger occurs only about 15 minutes after the power loss). The danger of oil vapor back-streaming into chamber is real and can happen in just few minutes if inlet valve to diffusion pump is not shut.

---

Basically any failure occurring after UPS can cut off the SX100 vacuum system power (UPS, and generators are unable to cover those cases) - and in any of such cases the inlet valve stays open, as H-bridge used to move motor forward or backward to open/close the valve is without the power. In our case as that battery was not replaced for nearly 2 decades, every power loss of EPMA was cumulatively getting rid of diffusion oil from pump into the chamber - that explains: how 20% of oil was lost, and why few years ago, the maintenance full disassemble of column revealed such enormous filthy dirt. That contamination practically killed BSE detector, where its replacement had cost us tens of thousands of euros/dollars.

The battery replacement.

This is where backup battery comes into. It is connected with diffusion pump inlet valve motor only in one way - only to move it only in one direction - that is to close the valve. It is activated utilizing the NC contacts of few relays, which closes the circuit in case there is no external power, If there is power, relays disconnect powering of motor from battery and use power from H-bridge instead. Originally battery was 12V NiCd rechargable battery pack (inside I found 10x 1.2V NiCd cells spot-welded into a pack) of 100mAh. I had seen a few issues against replacing it with something similar: 1. recharging the pack with no balancing would lead to premature aging of battery (rather it would not live for 10 years). 2. I could not find any packs of 100mAh; Commercially available 12V NiCd packs starts at much higher capacities. The trickle charging circuit built-in EPMA would be a bit too weak in case of huge package (i.e. 2000mAh).

Thus I looked to alternatives and decided to replace it with smallest industrial Sealed Lead Battery (800mAh) I could get, and add some voltage limiter to limit charging voltage down to 13.6V - the most appropriate float charge voltage for these kind of sealed lead batteries. The circuit is just adapter to interface JST battery connection, tab type connectors for connecting the wires for charging from EPMA (the wires with SNAP-ON connectors previously used to connect to NiCd battery), 2 zener diodes of 6.8V, which connected in series would limit voltage from 14.4V (actually from 15V) down to 13.6V, and socket for a 1A slow blow fuse. Fuse is there to protect from eventual shorting of winding in motor (or motor stall for some unexpected reason) or shorting anywhere on the circuit from battery to the motor - 800mAh 12V if shorted would be enough to pose a fire hazard.

If anyone would be interested I could send the kicad project and/or gerber files, althought it is such a trivial circuit (only 4 nets) that I made it on a bench with help of small dremel and single layer PCB laminate.

Had tested sudden power cut off - everything works correctly. Such battery should cover protection for about 10 years.

Thanks, Wonachlas,

I hope I will find the resolution too  . The moving probably is going to be in second half of this year. It seems to me that it is possible to dismantle probe into pieces which weight less than 500kg - which will allow to use elevator. The most worrisome part is that elevator.