Upgrade of Electron Microprobe Instrumentation at North Carolina State University: new computer and one-time service visit

北卡罗来纳州立大学海洋、地球和大气科学系(MEAS)的ARL-SEMQ电子探针对于从地质材料(主要是矿物)中获取成分数据至关重要，该项目服务于研究生和教师研究，并为研究生论文、期刊出版物和普通公众提供信息。2004年与微探头连接的计算机最近出现故障，自2000年以来一直没有对微探头进行专业维修。当仪器仍在运行时，包括重建的计算机，仪器总体上在电子束稳定性、高真空、计数电子设备和一些硬件组件方面出现故障-修复的计算机不再值得信任。这项提议要求提供资金，用于购买一台新的带有仪器接口的计算机，并由专业服务人员一次性访问，以使电子显微探头达到最佳工作状态。

The ARL-SEMQ electron microprobe in the Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences (MEAS) at North Carolina State University is critical for acquiring compositional data from geologic material, mainly minerals, within an academic program that serves graduate student and faculty research, and provides information for graduate theses, journal publications, and the general public. The computer that was interfaced with the microprobe in year 2004 has recently failed, and the microprobe has not been professionally serviced since year 2000. While the instrument is still operating, including the rebuilt computer, the instrument overall is failing in areas of electron beam stability, high vacuum, counting electronics, and in some hardware components - and the repaired computer can no longer be trusted. This proposal requests funds for a new instrument-interfaced computer and a one-time visit by a professional service person to bring the electron microprobe up to optimum operating condition.