Transcript Introduction to Operation of the XL

Introduction to Operation of
the XL-30 Scanning Electron
Microscope
Tutorial # 1
Overview of XL-30 Microscope
Control Program
Purpose
• Purpose of these tutorials is to enable the
user to understand the basics of
OPERATING the XL-30 to obtain Secondary
Electron and Back Scattered Electron
Images, and to obtain an Energy Dispersive
X-Ray Spectrum.
• Very little theory is given.
• If the user’s requirements demand further
instruction, he or she should seek further
formal instruction.
Overview
Windows 3.1
• The operating program runs
under Windows 3.1, which
you may not be familiar
with.
• If the instrument is on when
you start, Windows 3.1
should be running. If it is
not, click HERE for
additional instructions.
XL-30 Operation Program
• Find the XL 30
Control window in the
Program Manager
• Click the icon that is
labeled
“Microscope Control”
Microscope Control
Pages
• The right side of the
control screen holds
various pages.
• WHAT page is noted in
the upper right corner.
• This one is the
“Settings” page.
Settings Page
• The Settings Page
contains three items
with drop-down tabs:
– Vacuum
– Beam
– Video
Settings – Beam
• You should not need to
use this subpage.
• It is used for saturating
the filament and some
other adjustments.
• Do not adjust FiL
Current without
assistance.
Settings - Vacuum
• You should not use the
“ShutDown” or change
the purge time.
Settings – Video
• ACB = Auto Contrast &
Bright
• Videoscope = intensity
profile
• Histogram = grey levels
of complete image.
• Measurement = (F7)
brings up X, Y
measurement tool.
Imaging
• Imaging Page has two
dropdowns:
– Imaging
– Video
• Video has already been
described. It is the same
dropdown that is on the
Settings Page.
Imaging – Imaging
• Imaging dropdown
contains adjustments
for:
– Magnification
– Scan rotation
– Stigmation (hold shift +
right click mouse)
– Tilt correction
– Split screen viewing
Image Manipulation
• Nobody uses this.
• Very basic and not userfriendly way to add text
and basic image
enhancement.
Survey
• We don’t have a
motorized stage on this
instrument so this page
is pretty-much
worthless.
Adjustments
• Stay out of this.
4 Quadrants
• The idea here is to be able
to view several different
signals at the same time.
Our instrument has SE and
BE detectors that can be
viewed here. But why not
just use the split screen
mode in “Imaging”?
Menu Bar Functions
• Next we take a quick look at the Menu Bar and the
various options.
Menu Bar – Image!
• Clicking Image! will bring up a box that asks you if
you are sure you want to do this.
• The idea here is to provide a fast one button
operation to an INITIAL IMAGE. (sometimes it works)
Menu Bar – Magn.
• Allows for a selection of
pre-defined
magnification settings.
• Magnification may also
be changed by using the
+ and – on the keypad.
Menu Bar – Magn. 2
• Selecting CHANGE on
the magnification menu
allows new presets to
be entered into the list.
Menu Bar – Magn. 3
• Selecting “Device
Display” adjust the
scale bar for the desired
output.
• This should be at
“Display”
Menu Bar – Beam
• Preset accelerating
voltage can be selected.
• Spot size (beam
current) can be
selected.
Menu Bar – Beam 2
• Selecting “Change” on
the Beam menu allows
the user to input
desired accelerating
voltages.
Menu Bar – Scan
• Scan speed selection
• Full Frame – normal operation;
• Sel[ected] area, reduced area
generally at a faster refresh rate.
• Hor[izonatal] line
• Spot
• Most of the above have icon
buttons that bring up the desired
utility.
Menu Bar – Scan
• Normally this is not
changed, but you can
change the preset
speeds and pixel
density.
• Please reset when
finished.
Menu Bar – Detectors
• There are two detectors
to choose from:
– Secondary Electron
– Backscattered Electron.
Menu Bar – Detectors 2
• If you go to “Change”
on the detector
dropdown menu you
can change the voltage
on the faraday cage in
front of the secondary
electron detector.
Menu Bar - Filter
• There are various ways to
view an image:
– Live is the signal as received.
But often the image is clearer
if you average some frames
together, especially at a fast
raster speed.
– You can also integrate frames
to increase signal to noise.
– Freeze – stops the scan
Menu – Bar Filter 2
• When you click
“change” on the filter
dropdown, a listing of
options for the various
filtering is shown.
• You can change the
options to suit your
need.
Menu – In/Out
• The In/Out Menu
contains some useful
items and others that
have no relevance.
• We will take a quick
look at each.
Menu – In/Out 2
• From the In/Out Image
selection you can load
and save files.
• Transfer you data to the
Dell PC when you have
finished you session.
(see Link Maven
instructions).
Menu – In/Out 3
• Parameters
– You can store
microscope settings in
“VCT” files. These files
have:
•
•
•
•
•
Accelerating voltage,
spot size
magnification
stigmator settings
etc.
• Nobody uses this.
Menu – In/Out 4
• This is pretty useful
especially if you want to
label and image.
• With the options here
you can turn on/off
what is displayed on the
data label when the
image is displayed.
• The options are selfexplanitory.
Menu In/Out 5
• Generates a gray scale
image across the
screen. Used to
calibrate a camera or
video printer, but as we
use neither.
Menu In/Out 6
• You really don’t need to
change anything here,
and if you do it will
probably mess up
something.
Icons
• Icons – quick access to useful functions
Next Tutorial
• The next tutorial will outline the general
procedure for obtaining a secondary electron
image.