Replacement of energy-dispersion X-ray spectrometer and operating system on Phillips XL30 scanning electron microscope

我们正在申请资金，以更换出现故障的能量色散X射线光谱仪(EDS)和飞利浦XL30扫描电子显微镜(SEM)上过时的工作站/操作系统。我们的扫描电子显微镜是不列颠哥伦比亚省地球和海洋科学公司的电子微束/X射线衍射设备(EMXDF)的重要组件，该设备还配备了Cameca SX50电子探针显微分析仪和西门子D5000粉末X射线衍射仪。这三个实验室的职能整合在一起，不仅在不列颠哥伦比亚省，而且在周边社区，为矿物和材料的表征提供全面的分析设施。扫描电子显微镜/能谱仪系统使用电子束从样品中产生各种信号(例如，二次电子、背向散射电子、特征X射线、阴极发光)，以获取高倍率的材料图像，进行基于点和面的化学分析，从而识别抛光切片或手工样品中的未知相，并绘制它们的分布图。除了对矿物和材料进行定性和半定量的EDS分析外，这些信号还可以用于数字图像分析(例如，颗粒的自动大小和形状、化学分类、以下研究项目将大大受益于更新和提高我们的扫描电子显微镜的能力：煤层气研究；预测采矿活动(如酸性岩石排水)的环境影响；新型合金和陶瓷的表征；加拿大宝石材料研究；花岗岩伟晶岩；硼硅酸盐矿物；岩石年龄；尾矿中硅酸盐风化和二氧化碳固存研究；与火山碎屑岩流动和破碎有关的结构和颗粒形状的测绘；以及热液矿床的特征研究。此次升级将使我们的研究小组能够继续进行高效和经济高效的矿物学分析，并提高我们对加拿大矿物和材料行业的服务质量。

We are requesting funding for the replacement of the ailing energy-dispersion X-ray spectrometer (EDS) and obsolete workstation/operating system on a Philips XL30 scanning electron microscope (SEM).  Our SEM is an essential component of  the Electron Microbeam/X-Ray Diffraction Facility (EMXDF) at Earth & Ocean Sciences, UBC, which also houses a Cameca SX50 electron-probe microanalyzer and a Siemens D5000 powder X-ray diffractometer. The three laboratories are integrated in their function to provide a comprehensive analytical facility for the characterization of minerals and materials not only at UBC but also the surrounding community. A SEM/EDS system uses a beam of electrons to generate various signals from a specimen (e.g., secondary electrons, backscattered electrons, characteristic X-rays, cathodoluminescence) to acquire images of materials at high magnifications, to do spot and area-based chemical analyses allowing identification of unknown phases in polished sections or in hand specimens, and to map their distribution.  In addition to qualitative and semi-quantitative EDS analysis of minerals and materials, these signals can also be used do digital image analysis (e.g. automatic size and shape of particles, chemical classification, relative area analysis).  The following research projects will benefit substantially from renewing and improving the capablities of our SEM: coal-bed methane studies, prediction of environmental impacts of mining activities such as acid-rock drainage, the characterization of novel alloys and ceramics, studies of Canadian gem materials, granitic pegmatites, borosilicate minerals, dating of rocks, the study of silicate weathering and CO2 sequestration in mine tailings, mapping textures and grain shapes that relate to flow and fragmentation of pyroclastic rocks, and characterizing hydrothermal mineral deposits. This upgrade will allow our research groups to continue efficient and cost effective mineralogical analyses and improve the quality of our services to the minerals and materials industries in Canada.