Upgrade of the Earth & Environmental Science Electron Microprobe Laboratory at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

该项目旨在升级伦斯勒理工学院地球环境科学电子探针实验室，该实验室拥有Cameca SX-100电子探针显微分析仪。升级包括安装一个新的计算机工作站，运行EPMA探头和与仪器接口的探头图像。这一升级的理由是基于三个主要标准：第一，提供了目前供应商提供的软件包造成的主要限制的例子（Cameca的Peak Sight），其可以使用可从Probe Software，Inc获得的软件来克服，包括（1）改进最小检测限、精确度和准确度的新算法;（2）上级时间依赖性强度校正;以及（3）改进的X射线映射能力。第二，介绍了正在进行的和未来的项目，具有令人信服的科学价值，需要使用最先进的电子探针表征。第三，该设施在使用现有仪器进行高质量科学研究方面有着良好的记录，有着成功和可持续的维护和管理计划，有着众多的合作研究工作，以及高度多样化的用户群。RPI升级后的电子微探针实验室将通过提高目前作为区域设施的能力，使较大的伦斯勒社区和更广泛的纽约北部/新英格兰地区受益。EMPL已经并将继续向公众开放，沿着的本科生，研究生，博士后，研究人员和教授在伦斯勒和其他地方。除了为完成各种项目的本科生免费提供分析外，该设施每年还参加埃克森美孚伯纳德哈里斯夏季科学营，这是一个为期两周的免费项目，面向来自纽约首都地区的50名中学生（6-8年级），旨在灌输对数学和科学的终身兴趣。由于Probe for EPMA的完全集成、用户友好性，此次升级将极大地增强学生、访客和新用户的学习体验，它在视觉上强调了重要的考虑因素（背景模型、与时间相关的强度校正、波扫描等））。

This project is to upgrade the Earth & Environmental Science's Electron Microprobe Laboratory (EMPL) housing a Cameca SX-100 Electron Probe Microanalyzer at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). The upgrade involves the installation of a new computer workstation running Probe for EPMA and Probe Image interfaced with the instrument. This upgrade was justified on the basis of three main criteria: First, examples were provided of major limitations imposed by the current vendor-supplied software package (Cameca's Peak Sight) that may be overcome using software available from Probe Software, Inc including (1) new algorithms to improve minimum detection limits, precision, and accuracy; (2) superior time-dependent intensity corrections; and (3) improved X-ray mapping capabilities. Second, a description was presented of ongoing and future projects that have compelling scientific merit and require characterization using a state-of-the-art electron microprobe. Third, this facility has had an excellent track record of high quality science with current instrumentation, a successful and sustainable maintenance and administration plan, numerous collaborative research efforts, and a highly diverse user base. An upgraded Electron Microprobe Laboratory at RPI will benefit both the larger Rensselaer Community and the broader Upstate New York/New England Region by enhancing current capabilities as a regional facility. The EMPL has been and will continue to be open to the public along with undergraduates, graduate students, post-docs, research faculty, and professors at Rensselaer and elsewhere. In addition to providing analyses free of charge to undergraduates completing various projects, this facility participates annually in the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp, a free two-week program for fifty middle school students (grades 6-8) from the New York Capital Region designed to instill a life-long interest in math and science. This upgrade will greatly enhance the learning experiences of students, visitors, and new users alike thanks to the fully-integrated, user-friendly nature of Probe for EPMA which visually emphasizes important considerations (background models, time-dependent intensity corrections, wave scans, etc.).