Upgrading of Electron Microprobe Facility, Department of Geology and Geography, University of Massachusetts

威廉姆斯9503054 这笔赠款提供33 287美元，作为马萨诸塞州大学Cameca SX-50电子微探针设施升级的一半支助。 该设施已成为一个必不可少的研究和教学工具，为来自西部新英格兰的研究人员的多样化群体。 许多研究的一个特别重点是高分辨率成分制图（X射线制图）与高精度定量分析的整合。 在安装微探针的五年中，Cameca对SX-50和新SX-100的硬件和软件进行了多次改进，显著提高了仪器的质量和效率。 具体地说，SX-50的四个基本子系统将进行升级：（1）自动对焦（2）快速图像采集（3）帧缓冲，（4）将SUN 3计算机替换为SUN 5计算机。 前两个项目将使用户能够更快、更有效地收集高分辨率的定性和定量数据。 帧缓冲提供了一个更好的方法来查看电子图像和整合这些图像与其他组成或光学数据集。 升级后的计算机需要运行新的和显着改进的版本的Cameca软件。 拟议中的升级对于实验室保持最先进的研究设施并保持其作为新英格兰西部分析界基石之一的地位至关重要。 ***

9503054 Williams This grant provides $33,287 as one-half support for upgrades to the Cameca SX-50 electron microprobe facility at the University of Massachusetts. This facility has become an essential research and teaching tool for a diverse group of researchers from western New England. One particular focus of many studies is the integration of high-resolution compositional mapping (x-ray mapping) with high-precision quantitative analysis. In the five years since the microprobe was installed, Cameca has made several improvements to the hardware and software of the SX-50, and the new SX-100, that significantly improve the quality and efficiency of the instrument. Specifically, upgrades will be made to four essential subsystems of the SX-50: (1) autofocusing (2) fast image acquisition, (3) frame buffering, and (4) replacement of a SUN 3 computer with a SPARC 5. The first two items will allow users to collect high-resolution qualitative and quantitative data much more quickly and efficiently. Frame buffering offers a much improved method for viewing electron images and for integrating these images with other compositional or optical data sets. The upgraded computer is required for running the new and dramatically improved version of the Cameca software. The proposed upgrades are essential for the laboratory to remain a state-of-the-art research facility and to keep its position as one cornerstone of the analytical community of western New England. ***