Contents of Chapter.
This dialog permits editing those quantities that are common to all spectra in an already existing disk file. It also serves the purpose of creating valid and appropriate fields for a new disk file.
If there is an "active" file of DTSA spectra, the "Edit the EXPERIMENT Header" in active FILE button will be functional, otherwise it is "grayed out" and is non-functional. This feature is for spectra being read by DTSA. It does not apply to the header of spectra being saved in which case, all the experiment header data should be entered before the first spectrum is saved.
The Detector Information button brings up the following dialog if the EDS radio button is chosen:
This dialog is invoked in several places in DTSA. Here the dialog is used for review-edit-append(ing) a disk file. In other places in DTSA this dialog affects the actual generation of spectra. The quantities to the right of the text edit boxes on the left side of the dialog are in two parts. The first part is the density used by DTSA to do the Beer's law calculation for the various window materials. The second quantity is the manufacturer's "recommended" value, and should be used as a starting point. Although, as just noted, the dialog as used here does not actually result in a calculation directly.
If the WDS radio button is chosen, the following Detector Information dialog is invoked:
This dialog permits changing quantities unique to WDS spectra. The WDS capability of DTSA is installed in this version and this dialog; however, processing WDS spectra is still experimental (particularly Simplex fitting) so the user needs to develop his own procedures. The Digital Filter Multiplier changes the width of the digital filter as it is often necessary to adjust this for different peak widths. The Hypermet number determines what fraction of a peak is Gaussian and what part is Lorentzian (0 for pure Lorentzian and 1 for pure Gaussian). For Simplex peak fitting, this fraction should be varied until the best fit is obtained. This is not a speedy process so patience is required.
This dialog is used in several places throughout the program. Here it is used in the experiment header, note that only Beta, Detector Elevation Angle and Azimuthal Angle can be changed. These are the parameters that are normally defined as instrument parameters and are fixed for an instrument. The other quantities are in the Spectrum Header and may be changed from spectrum to spectrum.
This dialog permits editing those quantities that may change, from spectrum to spectrum, in the disk file. This "Spectrum Header" dialog, like the "Experiment Header" Dialog, above, serves the review and editing functions for an already created file. It also serves the purpose of creating valid and appropriate fields as a new disk file is being created, spectrum by spectrum.
Starting from the top: The Experiment Title serves just as a reminder of which "Experiment" is currently active.
The WORK Spectrum Number is the position in the disk file of the current spectrum. If a file is being created then this quantity is the spectrum number about to be appended to the disk file.
The Date field is the date and time to be review-edit-append(ed). The format is important and all entries must be occupied. It should be noted that DTSA will "fill in" a date near the turn of the last century to indicate that either there was a problem, or that it found a null entry.
The Spectrum Class column of text edit boxes, preceded by radio buttons, is a convenience feature for that class of analysis where the specimen consists of a number of distinct and namable phases, or some other distinct characteristic that can be labeled. By filling in the fields (which may be up to 50 characters) before the analysis proceeds (if an acquisition board is installed in the computer) or before the disk file is created (if working from a collection of ASCII spectra) it is then possible to merely "click" the appropriate radio button to attach this label to each spectrum being saved to the disk file. This saves typing the same things over and over. The class is also written to the spreadsheet output. The spectra may then be sorted by class by the spreadsheet program.
The remaining text edit boxes and radio buttons are self explanatory. It should be noted that a number of fields and radio buttons are not used by DTSA. The purpose of these fields and buttons is to "pass through" the information to other programs that can use the DTSA output files, such as spread sheet programs, text editors, or a ZAF quantitation program such as stand alone CITZAF. The current and time fields are used by any of the DTSA quantitative analysis functions.
The large text edit box is for the entry of the Spectrum Label Field. This field can contain up to 255 characters. It is not necessary, or desirable, to include carriage returns since the entered text will automatically fold around as needed.
The 2 in-column check boxes and the Do Checked button at the bottom center are for editing an existing file on disk. In this version of the program, if the Copy to Subsequent Headers feature is invoked, it will copy only the changed fields into ALL subsequent spectrum headers. This applies to information that is in the sub-dialogs Detector Geometry and Composition Information. Warning If the spectrum label is changed, the copy to subsequent headers will copy the label to all headers.
The Detector Geometry button will bring up the following sub-dialog:
Note that the fields associated with the Experiment Header are not changeable. Only the Specimen-Detector Distance, and the two Specimen Tilt Angles may be changed.
Information Returning to the main Spectrum Header dialog, the Composition Information button will invoke the following dialog:
This dialog permits attaching up to 15 concentrations and valences to a spectrum header. It is necessary to do this if the spectrum is to be made into a ZAF standard (in which case, the Specimen is a Standard check-box should be checked). If the specimen is an unknown then these fields can be used to fix the concentrations of selected elements if these concentrations are known beforehand.
If a ZAF or standardless ZAF analysis is not performed then these fields are available for general notebook purposes, and it is not necessary to fill them in.
The Database part of this window operates in the same fashion as in the Generate Menu item discussed above.