Probe for EPMA: Acquisition, Automation and Analysis
Probe For EPMA is designed for maximum compatibility for interfacing simultaneously with your existing OEM EPMA instrument computer system.
Probe Software utilizes a sophisticated and advanced native TCP/IP implementation for all instrument communication, therefore no alteration to your current system is required. This means that both the OEM and Probe Software applications work together to improve your productivity and expand your analytical options.
No instrument hardware or network configuration changes are required to run Probe for EPMA. Simply add a PC, install the software and connect a network cable to your existing instrument network!
Download Technical Specifications PDFComplete Instrument Support
Cameca SX100, SXFive and JEOL 8900, 8200, 8500, 8230, 8530, iSP100, iHP200F EPMA instruments
- Allows both Probe Software and your OEM software to be connected simultaneously to your JEOL and Cameca instruments without re-configuration or re-connection.
- Now you can have the powerful Probe for EPMA algorithms running on your new or existing JEOL or Cameca instruments with just a simple network connection!
- Allows maximum flexibility for acquisition, automation and analysis of points and pixels.
- Probe for EPMA has an unlimited redistribution license for off-line data re-processing!
- Everyone who acquires data with your instrument can have a copy for off-line analysis of their data. Re-process your EPMA data in your office or on the road!
- All x-ray intensity data and operating conditions from each microprobe run are saved automatically (data for all utilized standards, unknowns, wavelength scans, digitized coordinates, images, etc.). All user specified parameters are automatically preserved for subsequent re-processing!
- Add or drop analyzed or specified (unanalyzed) elements at any time during the acquisition.
- Automatic saving of all peaking and PHA scans including instrument conditions and sample information.
- Software updates are always free and instantly downloadable.
Probe for EPMA is available free for simulation, teaching and re-processing of previously acquired data!
Customer Testimonials
“Probe for EPMA is a super powerful and highly customizable software that allows users to analyze their samples applying customized beam conditions, element and sample setups, background methods (off-peak, MPB, MAN), along with various analysis options (such as TDI) and correction methods (such as ZAF or Phi-Rho-Z matrix corrections, peak interference corrections, secondary fluorescence corrections).
The software is so customizable that users can design and optimize their analytical protocols for best data acquisition (light elements, trace elements, REE + U-Th-Pb elements with complex background and peak interferences, etc.). Even after using the software for 3 years, there are still many hidden functions and capabilities that I haven't explored.
The Probe Image software, combined with MAN background method using the PfE software, allows users to quantitatively map the area of interest. This function is a game changer and now attracts attention from more researchers worldwide.”
Peng Jiang
University of Hawaii
“Since adopting Probe Software in 2018, we haven’t used the OEM software. Thanks to features in Probe Software such as TDI, MAN, blank correction, multi-point background, and quantitative X-ray mapping, we can perform analyses that simply aren’t possible with the EPMA vendors’ software. Even analyses we once only imagined become feasible through software updates upon request.
We’re not doing the same analyses as everyone else—we’re doing analyses that not just anyone can do. As a result, we have been able to perform nearly nondestructive quantitative analyses of trace elements (< ~tens of ppm) in ultrafine regions (~1 micrometer) in the fields of cosmochemistry and geology."
Changkun Park
Korea Polar Research Institute
“Probe for EPMA has been a great assistance to our analytical capabilities permitting analyses at multiple conditions, providing multiple matrix correction routines, robust errors and detection limits, and easy export.
Together with ease of loading previous setups for calibration and analysis. Its advanced features such as mean atomic number (MAN) background correction have proven to be particularly useful for X-ray mapping, and its ability to alternate peak and background measurements have proved essential for analysis of trace elements in quartz.
CalcImage provides robust mapping quantification, which makes a great combination together with the capabilities of the JEOL mapping acquisition software.”
Ben Buse
University of Bristol
“We have been a customer of Probe for EPMA for the past decades by now. It has proven to be such a reliable and powerful software package. It has opened up numerous possibilities for us, from various matrix correction options, element and group specification, easy valence-state adjustments, to multi-point background measurements, aggregated intensities for ultra-low detection limits, time-dependent corrections (TDI), and much more.
Its versatility across all the platforms via a simple network connection has been invaluable. Since our instrument upgraded from a Cameca SX50 to a JEOL 8230 in 2015, and through successive operating system upgrades from Windows XP to Windows 11, Probe for EPMA has allowed us to seamlessly access, compare, and process legacy data without any interruption.
The ability to process data conveniently on any off-line computer without affecting ongoing analyses, has also been a major advantage. Quite honestly, I cannot imagine working without it, and that is no exaggeration. ”
Yanan Liu
University of Toronto
Summary of Unique Features
Quantitative Spectral Interference Corrections
Easily and automatically correct for spectral interferences for both WDS and EDS elements for up to 5 interfering elements per element. Perform trace element quantification with confidence!
Time Dependent Intensity (TDI) Corrections
Automatically correct for intensity changes over time for beam sensitive materials using our unique log-linear, quadratic and log-log TDI modeling. Never again limit your sensitivity or spatial resolution for beam sensitive materials!
Blank Corrections for High Accuracy Trace Element Analyses
Modern EPMA instruments equipped with large area analyzing crystals can now routinely achieve sensitivities for most elements in the 10 to 100 PPM levels. However, because of various sample and instrumental artifacts in the x-ray continuum, absolute accuracy is more often the limiting factor for trace element quantification.
Therefore, Probe Software provides a quantitative “blank” correction which can be automatically applied to x-ray intensities during the matrix iteration process to correct for these systematic errors.
Multi-Point Backgrounds (MPB) for Extreme Trace Element Accuracy
Use multiple (up to 18 per side) off-peak positions to dynamically calculate the best possible background fit and avoid off-peak overlaps automatically while also compensating for curved backgrounds.
Mean Atomic Number (MAN) Background Corrections
Mean atomic number background corrections provide a unique, fast, high precision method for background removal for WDS analyses without off-peak background acquisitions.
Improve acquisition speed for all elements while improving precision for trace elements in half the time!
Full Integration of WDS and EDS
Probe for EPMA integrates WDS with EDS spectrum acquisition from both JEOL and Bruker EDS detectors, providing fully integrated acquisition, quantitative analysis and statistics for all analyzed elements.
Full Integration of Ocean Optics CL interface
Probe for EPMA supports integration of cathodo-luminescence (CL) spectrum acquisition for manual or automated point analyses. This CL spectrum acquisition can be performed in parallel with WDS intensity and EDS spectrum acquisitions.
Probe Software Provides an Unlimited Site License
Our Site License Allows for unlimited software distribution for data re-processing and output and complete WDS and EDS simulation and quantification for classroom teaching without an instrument.
Every student, client, user or faculty member gets a free copy of our applications for complete and flexible data re-processing in their office or on the road!