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

这笔拨款为马萨诸塞大学Cameca SX-50电子微探针设备的升级提供了33,287美元的一半支持。该设施已成为来自新英格兰西部的各种研究人员必不可少的研究和教学工具。许多研究的一个特别焦点是高分辨率成分测绘（x射线测绘）与高精度定量分析的集成。在安装微探针的五年中，Cameca对SX-50和新的SX-100的硬件和软件进行了几次改进，显著提高了仪器的质量和效率。具体来说，将对SX-50的四个基本子系统进行升级：(1)自动对焦(2)快速图像采集，(3)帧缓冲，(4)用SPARC 5替换SUN 3计算机。前两项将允许用户更快、更有效地收集高分辨率的定性和定量数据。帧缓冲为查看电子图像和将这些图像与其他合成或光学数据集集成提供了一种改进的方法。升级后的计算机需要运行新的和显著改进的Cameca软件版本。拟议的升级对于实验室保持最先进的研究设施和保持其作为新英格兰西部分析社区基石的地位至关重要。＊＊＊

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. ***