Tips and Tricks for PFE quant

[John Donovan]

Sometimes we get requests for features that are already implemented, but "undiscovered"!

Someone recently asked "Is there a way to have the analysis output automatically after an acquisition?" and the answer is "yes", and here is where to find it:



Note the the software will ask you the first time:



so you'll want to make sure that your primary standards (and MAN/interference stds, etc.) are already acquired and assigned(!) before you activate this feature. Otherwise you'll get this error:



and your automation will halt.

Note also that this feature works for manual single point acquisitions from the Acquire! window and automated acquisitions from the Automate! window. Also note that if you have a link to an Excel spreadsheet opened, by using the this menu:



your results will also be sent to Excel after each analysis. See the other automatic output options in the Acquisition Options dialog from the Acquire! window.

[John Donovan]

A colleague asked how to change the standard assignments from the Analyze! window for multiple samples...

Start by selecting the samples that you want to change the standard assignments for:



Then click the Standard Assignments button and confirm the samples that you want to edit.  The selected sample indicates the basis for the elements to modify (in case different samples have different elements):



Then click the element you want to modify the standard assignments for.

Note that you can also utilize the text selection control to quickly select all samples, for example that contain the string "garnet", etc.:

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=42.msg8602#msg8602

[John Donovan]

This is a small thing but sometimes we need to add unanalyzed elements to our samples in order to calculate the complete matrix effects accurately:

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=92.0

For example, adding ZrSiO4 by difference when analyzing only traces in zircons, or carbon by stoichiometry when analyzing Ca, Mg, etc in carbonates.

Usually we can quickly change or add an element as an unanalyzed element by clicking the "Specified" option in the Elements/Cations dialog. But depending on whether the sample already contains data (you must make a new sample to add an analyzed (WDS) element), or you also have elements by EDS (where you can add an analyzed element even when the sample already contains data), these controls may or may not be enabled.

This is indicated by the tool tip help as seen here:



To add an unanalyzed element when EDS data is present (and these controls are disabled), you simply need to select the last x-ray selection, which is a blank as seen here:



Alternatively, one can also simply delete the x-ray line leaving it blank. That action tells the software that the element is not by EDS (or WDS), but is instead unanalyzed (or specified).

[John Donovan]

This is a helpful tip for non experts in Probe for EPMA.  I'm posting it because someone recently asked "How do I change parameters for multiple samples in the Analyze! window?"

Basically changes you make to the Standard Assignments, Specified Concentrations, Elements, Cations dialogs are applied to whatever samples are selected in the Analyze! window:



But you can select samples many different ways, individually using <ctrl> click or a range using <shift> click or using the String Selection field.

Also what the "sample basis" is for making changes can be modified using the feature described in the above post:

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=8.msg13591#msg13591

Basically, when you load the Standard Assignments, Elements/Cations, etc. dialog it uses the last selected sample as the sample basis for changes, but you can select another sample. The changes are applied by matching the elements, x-ray, spectrometer and crystal.

[Probeman]

To ensure best EPMA accuracy in Probe for EPMA, based on recent testing:

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=1854.0

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=1831.0

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=1823.0

We now recommend setting the following defaults in your probewin.ini and SCALERS.DAT files. 

First edit the default MAC flag to 6 for the FFAST MACs (highest accuracy for the absorption correction):

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=1831.msg14340#msg14340

then edit the default dead time flag to 4 for the logarithmic dead time corrections (quantitative to 300 kcps!):

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=1466.msg13255#msg13255

and finally edit the default matrix correction flag to 11 for the Armstrong/Brown/Donovan and Moy matrix corrections (for improved backscatter correction accuracy):

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=1566.0

in your Probewin.ini file.



In your SCALERS.DAT file edit the PHA mode flags from non-zero to zero to make Integral PHA mode is your default (and correct for high order Bragg interferences using the quantitative interference corrections in Probe for EPMA):

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=1854.msg14402#msg14402



You will be amazed at the improvement in your EPMA accuracy.

[John Donovan]

A colleague asked:

I am running basalts looking at the different mineral phases. So I have 5 different sample setups. pyx, plag, oliv, oxide, glass on each sample. Is there a better way to standardize on all the necessary elements or do I need to be deliberate in choosing an appropriate setup file for each standard to make sure I am getting all of my elements.

There are several different approaches to standardizing when acquiring multiple sample setups for different phases.

My own preferred approach is to first create a "mother of all setups" sample with all the elements and peak and tune that up. Then I use that sample for creating the separate setups for each of the different phases.

One you've created this "mother of all" sample setups, you can use the Add To Samples Setups button in the Analyze! window to save them, then use the New/Sample Setup | Load Sample Setup button from the Acquire! window to save each setup and assign them in the Automate! window to your unknowns.  Then you can either assign this "moter of all" sample setup to all the standards or assign the phase specific sample setups to the primary standards you've assigned in the Automate! window using the Use Digitized Sample Setups option and the Sample Setups button.

Second, try the Use Quick Standards checkbox in Automate!.  See also the quick standards options in the Acquisition Options dialog from Acquire!

It's important to keep in mind that that Probe for EPMA is pretty smart about finding data intensity data.  For example if you acquire Fe Ka using one sample setup on your Fe primary standard, every sample setup that also contains Fe, can also utilize that standard intensity for quantification.

See here for more details:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8CibKosKvX_KOTJDI7t-jLJiR_xsuRC9