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SPECTRAplus
Tutorial Manual
M84-E00030 -0899
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Your First Calibration
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This tutorial chapter covers the following topics to get you acquainted with calibrating:
Preparation for Calibration
Getting to know your calibration tools
Starting the Calibration
Measurement of Unknown Samples with the Low-Alloy Calibration
Using the XRF Results Manager
Drift Correction
Here, you will perform your first calibration from beginning to end, step by step. Your task will be to
calibrate low-alloy steels using a set of BCS low-alloy steels and predefined lines from the
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SPECTRA line library and scan measurements. No measurements are necessary since all samples
were measured on the Bruker AXS master SRS in Karlsruhe. But carefully follow all steps to obtain the
same results shown.
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8 In the window, select Training for Material groups and type low-alloy-steel for New material. Then
press the New File button (red circle) to create this new file and have it appear (highlighted) in the
list.
1RWH: The group might already be in your database (and the list). If so, just click on it in the list to
highlight it. No inputs will then be necessary.
8 Press Next twice. The Standard Materials screen appears. Here, you can enter the standards and
their concentrations.
7 If no concentrations are listed, you must enter them manually. First refer to the appropriate table in
the appendix for correct standard names and concentrations. Then enter the name of each
standard in the New standard material field exactly as shown, pressing the New button (circled)
after each name entry.
Once you have entered all standard names, begin entering the concentrations as follows:
+LQW: If you are used to entering all the concentrations of one element for all standards, it is very
useful to switch the After validation button to Bottom. With the Bottom button selected, after you have
typed the concentration value and pressed New, the cursor will move down.
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Since in low-alloy steel samples the iron is not certified, you must let SPECTRA calculate the value
as balance to 100.
8 Scroll to and click on the Fe column heading so that the Fe column is highlighted.
8 Click the right mouse button, select Column Balance, and set the number of decimal places you
want to see in the list. We recommend 2 decimal places since in low-alloy steel samples the iron is
not certified.
8 Select Yes and the entered concentrations will be saved in the database (FLUO.MDB). For your
convenience, all concentrations are already stored in the database.
8 Select Solid for Preparation and Method by clicking on the item in the field menu (circled arrow).
8 Press Next.The Size screen appears.
1RWH: In this part, we combined concentrations entered in the database with the actual
preparation to a (physical) sample which has a name. In order to distinguish between samples
of the same standard but with different preparations, you can select the long name as
highlighted above. Here, the SS_401-1 sample would be called SS_401-1-solid.
8 Press Next twice.
8 Press Launchto activate the XRF Measurement Method program, in which you will set the
measuring conditions.
M84-E00030 -0899 1-7
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Your First Calibration SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
8 Choose an element from the Element field menu and see which line SPECTRA
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chose (appears
in the left window).
The acquired data was collected on the master SRS using S and Mn the High Res Lines (HR-Min).
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You will now exchange the HS-Min lines that SPECTRA chose for the HR lines for S and Mn in
order to have the same conditions as for the measured data.
8 Click on the element line in the left window.
8 Press Remove.
8 Select the HR-equivalent line in the right window, and press Add:
8 Select the element Mn and follow the same procedure for it.
8 Select Run scan measurements, and change the Time per range to 100 seconds.
1RWH: With these settings, SPECTRA will run scans of 2Theta=10 times the collimature
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aperture of the collimator used for the line around the theoretical peak maximum with a total
time of 100 seconds and a step size of 10% of the collimator aperture.
This setting will apply to all lines. Thus, you will see global parameters for the method
checked.
8 Select Intensity reduction and Automatic calibration control to run these scans to make sure we
always remain in the linear region of the detectors. (Refer to the theoretical section Dead time of
counters.)
8 Click on the Parameters tab.
8 Select Vacuumand 34mm as the size for the irridated sample diameter:
8 Select the Line tab again.
8 Click File > Save to save your file. Then, select File > Exit.
Now you will go back to the Quantification Editor and perform the measurements of the standards with
the Loader as follows:
8 Press Next twice to skip past Measurement Parameters and go directly to the Measurement
Standards. (You are skipping Measurement Parameters, because you do not need to check or
change any of the selected lines in that window since this method will use only library lines.)
$ We just simulated the setup for measurement of the standards, since all data is already on your
hard disk.
$ Ensure that the actual Measurement Server program is running by checking to see that the
operation icon is flashing. The icon is located in the status line at the bottom of your screen (and is
marked with a red circle two figures back). If the icon is not there, press the Windows Start button,
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select the SPECTRA program, then the XRF Measurement Program. If you do not have a
spectrometer attached, you may skip this section and go directly to page 2-16.
8 Press Launch. The Loader window appears.
8 Press Search From Database to see how many standards are actually stored for this material and
preparation.
8 Then press Import at Current Position to display the standards on the loader.
1-14 M84-E00030 -0899
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Your First Calibration
$ You can move the cursor with the arrow keys to any of the cups, and SPECTRA will display the
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samples standard name, the method (Analytical), preparation used, and the location of the
standard file.
8 To measure these samples, you would press the Send all samples button (left circle). But since all
measurements are done, simply press the Clear new samples button (right circle) and close the
Loader.
8 Go back to the Quantification Program.
8 Select Next twice to arrive at the Calibration Method window.
$ In this window, you see which material and preparation we selected and how many standard
samples exist.
8 Press Next.
8 Press Next.
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Spectra reads all the data from your hard disk and then calculates the variable alphas for
the matrix correction.
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In this section, you will be introduced to the calibration screen and toolbox.
Graphical
Tabular
display
Display
Toolbox
The Calibration Toolbox contains all the tools needed to perform a complete calibration without using
traditional entry techniques with the keyboard. You can access (toggle open and closed) the toolbox
with the Tool button (circled) in the menu bar, or by pressing F2.
Following are basic descriptions of the tools in the Calibration Toolbox. (For more details on the
options and buttons you can use, refer to the Software Reference Manual.)
The Elementbutton is used to change from one element to another. You can also use the arrows to
the left of this button to change elements.
The Linebutton lets you select the actual lines you want to calibrate for the element. When you press
this button, you see all lines of your line library that have the same settings as the line(s) you used to
measure the standards. (Thus, the number of lines you see will depend on your line library.) This
feature might be a little confusing but will help you in the future.
As an example, press this button for an actual element (as shown for Si).
You can easily distinguish the standard library lines by their missing extensions. Si KA1 HS-
Min is a standard library line, whereas Si KA1-HS-Min/LAS is a copy of the HS-Min line used
for a specific material. This copy can be altered (e.g. by changing the predefined background
positions or by changing the reference sample). Whenever you change settings like kV, the
discriminator windows of the detectors on these method-specific lines will loose their property
of being a copy of the standard line and its factory calibration. Once altered, it will not be
shown together with the standard line.
If scan measurements were made, lines with different background positions are still
displayed.The difference in background positions is not important once a scan is made.
When the line displayed is different from the line mentioned in the tutorial, change to the line
mentioned.
See the Theoretical part of this tutorial manual for more details on the line library.
The Compute and Refreshbutton forces a calculation and/or refresh of all displayed and calculated
values.
The Line Order button sets the sequence used by the interactive evaluation to evaluate each element
line. For the routine automatic evaluation, you will use only Line Order 1.
,PSRUWDQW: Throughout this tutorial, you will be using one line per element. Always make sure that this
line is set as line 1.
The Graphical Displaybutton is used to activate and switch to the Graphical Display window, which
shows a graphical representation that corresponds to the standards highlighted in the Tabular Display
window. Click on the X in the buttons upper right corner when you want to close the display window.
The Tabular Displaybutton (also called the Display Standards button) is used to activate and switch to
the Tabular Display window, which shows a text-and-numerical representation of the standards and
their theoretical and calculated concentrations. You can customize the Tabular Display window using
the customization (glasses) icon in the windows upper right corner.
The Comparisonbuttontoggles the Comparison window open and closed. In this window,
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SPECTRA logs all the settings you are applying to the current element. Here you can find out if the
correction or the new parameter you selected improved the calibration or not. It is also possible to go
back to a setting you used before (explained later and in the Software Reference Manual).
The Standard Deviation display shows the actual deviation value derived from the calibration of the
current element (library line).A value that displays over an orange background is the standard
deviation of the precalibrated line.
The Expand button (down arrow) lets you gain access to more options in the Toolbox by expanding it
(compare figures below). The Reduce button (up arrow) shrinks the toolbox so that the commands
from the expanded area are no longer visible.
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The Summarybutton displays the Summary window, where SPECTRA automatically creates a
short calibration summary of the actual line. This function will greatly reduce your time documenting
the working calibrations.
The Active button automatically calculates the offset of the regression curve.
The Abs, Rel, and Stat buttons let you change between different regression weightings. (Refer to the
Theoretical section of this manual for details on the Regression Weightings.)
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You will now proceed with the calibration procedure, which takes advantage of the programs many
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built-in intellegent default settings (already included in SPECTRA ). The procedure is easy, and all
information and commands are just a mouse click away, which means you need not
wonder about alpha coefficients.
switch between applications.
provide paper for noting your comments or logging your actions.
To best explain the calibration procedure, we will guide you through sub-procedures, each calibrating
a different element line. Use the Toolbox tools to perform the calibration.
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8 Select element Si.
8 Select the Si KA1-HS-Minline.
8 Press the Compute and Refreshbutton.
8 Press the Graphical Displaybutton.
8 Select theFullScreen Display button (in the upper right corner of the Graphical Display window).
$ Compare the chemical and the XRF(calculated) concentrations, note the deviations of the
standards, and see if it is a good calibration.
8 You have just completed the calibration for that line. Select 1 as a line sequence.
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8 Select element V.
8 Select the V KA1-HS-Min line.
8 Press the Compute andRefresh button.
$ Compare the chemical and the XRF(calculated) concentrations, note the deviations of the
standards, and see if the calibration is improving.
8 Press the Active buttonto deactivate(toggle off) the Offsetfunction.
$ Compare the chemical and the XRF(calculated) concentrations, note the deviations of the
standards, and look again for improvement.
8 Check the Graphical Display window for outliers.
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8 Select element Cr.
8 Select the Cr-KA1-HS-Min line.
8 Press the Compute and Refresh button.
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8 Select element Mn.
8 Select the Mn KA1-HR-Min line.
8 Press the Compute and Refresh button.
$ Compare the chemical and calculated concentrations, and note the deviations of the standards.
8 Delete the SS405 standard (since its deviation is too high) by double clicking on it.
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8 Select element Mo.
8 Select the Mo KA1-HS-Min line button.
8 Press the Compute and Refresh button.
8 Compare the chemical and calculated concentrations, and note the deviations of the standards.
8 Select 1 as a line sequence.
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8 Select element Ni.
8 Select the Ni KA1-HS-Min line button.
8 Press the Compute and Refresh button.
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8 Select element Cu.
8 Select theCu-KA1-HS-Min line button.
8 Press the Compute and Refresh button.
8 Deselectthe Active button to deactivate Offset (if activated).
$ For a change, observe the data from the Graphical Display window. (Data here is equivalent to
that in the Tabular Display window.)
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8 Select element P.
8 Select the P KA1-HS-Minline button.
8 Press the Compute and Refreshbutton.
8 Deselect the Active button (to deactivate Offset).
1RWH: Some Standards do not fit the regression. The reason is that there could be an overlap.
All standard library lines are provided with calculated overlap factors for ease of use.
Sometimes you may see an overlay of an element which was not included in your
measurement or your actual standards.
8 To demonstrate the optimization, click on the "" button directly left of any line, then select None to
remove all the calculated overlay corrections for each line listed.
$ Notice that the standard deviation (circled) went up, indicating that the calibration got worse.
8 Click the first ""button to display the most probable overlay (that being Mo LI).
8 Select Mo LI.
8 Press Calc (circled) to set the correction method, and note the good standard deviation.
8 In the Toolbox, set this line as line 1.
8 Compare the chemical and calculated concentrations, and note the deviations of the standards.
8 Select 1 as a line sequence.
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8 Select element S.
8 Select the S KA1-HR-Min line button.
8 Press the Compute and Refresh button.
$ Notice that the first standard in the list has a very big absolute deviation.
8 Delete this standard from the calibration.
$ Check the Graphical Display window to understand why we eliminated this outlier.
Now the deviation is in the range of the 95% confidence interval of the standards.
8 Select 1 as a line sequence.
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8 Select element Fe.
8 Select the Fe KA1-Majline button.
8 Press the Compute and Refresh button.
1RWH: Here the calibration does not yield a good statistical deviation because we treat the Fe
concentrations as balance to 100.
8 Set the line as line 1.
8 Select File > Save As. (A filename will be automatically inserted.)
8 Press Save.
You have just finished the calibration of all lines. Go now to Measurement of Unknown Samples With
the Low-Alloy Calibration.
1RWH: Since default lines from SPECTRA were used, they will be automatically recalibrated when
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1RWH: Understandably, this section works only when you have a spectrometer attached.
In this section, you will use some known samples and measure (evaluate) them as if they were
unknowns to assess the quality and then to document the calibration.
8 Start the Loader program from the SPECTRA
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program folder.
$ If any samples with yellow boxes display on the Loader, select the samples (8), then select
Samples > clear all Samples done to remove them.
$ If any samples with red boxes display on the Loader, select the samples (8), then select Samples
> clear all Samples in Error to remove them.
1RWH: You can also use the toolbar icons that symbolize these commands.
In this procedure, you will reset the definition file, which controls the next input window and how the
samples are identified by the routine definition file:
8 Select Samples> Definition file.
8 Navigate to c:\specplus\libraries\Measmethods.
8 Select Routine.def and press Open.
8 Click on the first position where you want to put your sample.
8 Select Samples > Edit.
The Sample Definition Table appears. The contents and the functions of this table are
controlled by the definition file you previously loaded. You can modify this definition file to suit
your needs and save it under any filename with the tool SAMPLEDEF. (Refer to the
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SPECTRA Reference Manual, Chapter 9.)
7 In the Sample Definition Table, type SS403-unknown as a Sample name.
7 Select Low-alloy-steel for the Method.
7 Select Bulk as the Type.
7 Select Solid for the Preparation.
The measurement will start, and the sample list will display in the window below the samples.
All measurements are stored in the Measure database (Measure.mdb). To see the results, you
will use another program (XRF Results Manager), which will query the database
(Measure.mdb) and can also display online results.
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8 Press the button and select the method ending with low-alloy-steel.
8 Press Next.
The resulting screen lets you set various print order functions. You could set all functions to
their default values with the Default All button, or you could custom set each function to a
setting of your choice.
For instance, you could set the program with custom settings as simple as printing by Atomic
Number, Alphabetical, or Concentration order. Or you could implement a more elaborate
custom scheme of assigning numbers to the elements by clicking on each element, and
assigning a number to it that specifies its print order.
7 Click each element in the following order and assign it a number in increasing order (to obtain this
print order):
Si, P, S, V, Cr, Mn, NI, Cu, Mo, Matrix(Fe), Sum
8 Press Next.
In this screen you can specify if you want an automatic changeover from % to PPM (parts per
million) when a certain threshold is reached. A threshold of 0.1% is good.
8 Press Next.
In this screen you can force how you want the element printed.
PPM displays only ppm.
Auto displays as % if over the threshold (set in the previous screen). Otherwise, it will be displayed
as ppm.
Percentage displays only %.
8 Ensure that the above elements are selected, then press the Percentage button and those
elements will display at %.
8 Press Next.
In this window, you can set the decimal places and/or significant digits to be displayed by pressing the
element (or special) button as often as needed to display the correct number of digits. Use the Decimal
places and Significant digits diagrams (circled) as guides.
8 Press the Matrix and Sum buttons as needed to set each to 2 digits (as shown, circled).
8 Press each element button shown (as needed) to set each to 3 digits.
8 Press Next.
In this screen, you can set the printout mode of the concentration to:
only Compounds (e.g. If there would be SiO2 in our method).
only Elements (in our low-alloy-steel file, we want to have just Element concentrations)
or Automatic, which displays Compounds (displayed in %) up to a threshold, and displays
Elements when over the threshold (displayed as ppm).
8 Press Next.
In this window, you could decide if you want to see Intensities and some special fields (Operator, etc.)
in the display and printout. Make no changes to the window, though. For now we want to specify no
intensities or special fields.
8 Press Next.
This window prompts you for a name (usually that of the measurement method you started with).
8 Type a name after the directory shown, then press Create to make a mapping file (with your
specified name and the extension .ml) in the specified directory. Note that the mapping file should
be the same as the method used.
8 Select File > Save As to save the Wizard settings for this mapping (.ml) file.
+LQW: You can create more than one mapping for a measurement method. Just use different names.
Always make sure that the ML files are in the MEASMETHODS directory.
7 Type a filename to match the ML file you just stored. And press Save.
8 Exit the Results Manager, and open the Results Monitor.
8 Select File > New Monitoring View.
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The commonly used method-specific drift correction is not necessary, since all lines used are part of
the global line library. All precalibrated lines that you use also as lines for the semiquantitative
standardless measurements are recalibrated using the four glass samples provided with your system.
Although the lines you used for the low alloy program now have new coefficients, obtained with this
calibration stored in the Low-Alloy-FCL file, the precalibrated coefficients for the standardless program
are still stored in the line library.
To perform a recalibration with these glass samples, see the tutorial in section 3 on how to recalibrate
the standardless program.
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This section covers the following topics:
Entering Oxidic Materials in the Standard Table.
Treating Loss on Ignition.
Defining Preparations for fused beads and Pellets with binder.
Defining variable preparation parameters.
Measuring multiple lines for one element.
Calibrating Oxides with variable alphas covering a wide concentration range.
Interactively evaluating samples using this quantitative calibration.
Mixing different preparation techniques in a calibration.
Evaluating samples with a different preparation.
For each section, you will need about 20 minutes to complete the work examples.
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This section covers steps from entering the standard materials into the database to measuring them
with an SRS. All required data was previously measured on the master SRS and is supplied and
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installed with your SPECTRA distribution CD.
8 Start the XRF Quantification Manager program from the SPECTRA
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program folder.
8 Click File > New.
Here, you can add to your elements list those compounds which are not the usual oxides or
matrix compounds and which you could not add in the previous screen (compounds such as
LOI, CO2 or SiC, CaCO3 etc.).
8 Click on LOI, then press Add (if you had to enter also the elements).
In this screen you would now enter the concentrations of the various standards. Again, we
have already done so for you, so no entries are needed. (However, in case your table is empty
or corrupted, see the appendix for the full list, and enter the concentrations at this time.)
Formatting of this table is like using any available spreadsheet under Windows.
8 Click any row and press the right mouse button.
+LQW: In all standard Windows-based programs, you can modify properties of an object by
clicking with the right mouse button.
Select the number of decimal digits (3) and the unit (set to %).
8 Press Next. The Preparation screen appears.
Here you describe how you prepared the standard samples.
In our case, we have prepared the standards as pressed pellets with Hoechts-Wax C as a
binder. The binding agent is CH2 (wax). Therefore, we named the preparation WAX and used
the pressed pellet method.
Wax was declared as an additive, and the default weights were 10g sample and 0.8 of wax.
(For more information on sample preparation, see the Appendix.)
2. Choose a method.
3. Choose binder
or additive.
4. Enter default
weights.
1RWH: Any changes you make to an existing preparation may affect calibrations and samples
used in previously made methods. If in doubt, check before changing.
8 Press Next. The Size screen (a submenu of the Preparation screen) appears.
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Here you can enter sizes and weights of the default sample so SPECTRA can acquire data
it needs for the sample thickness correction and the absorption correction.
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In this window, we will now create entries in the database for any prepared standard materials we want
to use for the calibration.
$ Ensure that the correct Material group, Material, and Preparation are selected (as shown in the
dashed circle).
8 Press the Automatically create all Standard Samples button to create the samples using the
default naming convention (long names).
$ Observe what SPECTRA
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did for you in the list window.
7 Enter the actual weights of your standards in the columns for Material Mass and Additive Mass.
8 Press Next.
You are one step away from the measurement but must first decide on a measurement
method and parameters for the lines you will use. A method defines the elements and lines
used for the measurement, the type of measurement, and all the measuring times, as well as
the atmosphere used.
8 Press Next. The Measurement Method programs launch window appears.
8 Press the Launch button to start the Measurement Method program.
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Now well let SPECTRA select some conditions for us:
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We want to measure one line per element, and SPECTRA should select the lines with the
highest intensity for our thick samples.
Included should be the Compton and the Rayleigh line.
8 Set the buttons and check the boxes as shown in the next screen, turning on One LineHighest
IntensityThick sample/high energy lines, Compton Lines, and Rayleigh Lines.
8 Press the Default line set for current material button.
Repeat the above two steps for elements Al, S, Ca, and Fe, and their Maj line.
$ Make sure that the screen looks like the figure above.
You will measure scans for each element line and use them to determine the peak and the
background (to get net intensities).
The scan range for each element will be +/- 10 times the collimator aperture of the collimator
used for the specific element (e.g. Ca uses a 0.46 degree collimator, so the scan range will go
4.6 degrees 2T in both directions from the theoretical position of the peak). The total time for
that scan will be 60 seconds, and the step size of the scan will be 10% of the aperture of the
used collimator (in our example, 0.046 degrees).
Currently the program is set with global measuring conditions, meaning they apply for all
elements in your method. Since the fluorescence yield of some elements is not very high or
the concentrations are very small, you could use local parameters for some lines. We will, in
fact, use local parameters for Cl, Mn, Na, Sr, and Ti, all of them (except Na) are traces. The
scan times for these elements should be increased to 100 seconds in order to get decent
counting statistics.
+LQW: For more details on the implications of counting statistics and measuring time, see the
theoretical part of the manual.
8 Press OK.
8 Change the Time per range to 100 seconds (to get decent counting statistics).
5HSHDWthe procedure to apply the same conditions to Ti, Sr, Cl, and Mn.
8 Now click back to Fquant. Then repeatedly press Next until you reach Measurement Parameters.
In Measurement Parameters, you could check on the individual line settings or change
background positions. But since we are using the standard lines and scans, we do not need to
check anything here.
In the Tutorial using the High-Alloy-Steel samples, you will find instructions on how to change
background positions using the Measurement Parameters program.
8 Click on a free position in the loader that you want to use for measuring the standards.
8 Select Standards > Import from Database.
8 Check that you have the right material and preparation (as shown), then press Search From
Database.
All standards are highlighted, and you could import them all to the Loader by pressing Import
at Current Position. But, if you only want to import some selected standard, click on the first
one you want and then Ctrl-click on the others. Once you have marked all desired standards,
press Import at Current Position.
+LQW: You can check details on a sample (including its loading sequence) by moving the cursor
(which changes to a hand) onto a sample on the loader.
You would start the measurement by pressing the Send All Samples button (circled). But,
again, we have done that for you to save you the time of preparing and measuring all the
samples.
8 Click on Clear New Samples.
8 Click File > Exit to leave the Loader.
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As you can see from the following sequence, setting up a quantitative program is easy:
Define a material
Define elements to be measured (as oxides or elements)
Insert Compounds (LOI)
Insert Concentrations
Define Preparation method (if not defined in a previous program)
Make actual standard samples and input the preparation if there are differences from the default
Define a Measurement Method
Check and/or change Parameters (use method-specific lines for doing so)
Measure the actual standards
Calibrate
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In this section, you will calibrate the wax-based samples measured previously on the master SRS in
Karlsruhe.
8 Press Uncheck missing stds (standards) to see if any standards are missing.
$ You should find one standard missing, as shown.
8 Press Next.
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The calibration screen is where you will view and perform calibration functions. You control functions
within the calibration screen from the Calibration Toolbox, which you can switch on and off by selecting
View > Calibration Toolbox Menu, clicking the Toolbox icon in the toolbar, or pressing F2.
For more details on the Calibration Toolbox and its usage, see the Stainless Steel Calibration and also
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check the SPECTRA Software Reference Manual.
Since we used the standard lines, we are shown the Std Dev and the curve of the precalibrated line.
Pressing Compute and Refresh will change to the standard deviation derived from the actual
standards. (We also changed from Element to Compound by pressing C)
8 Make sure that you see the Graphical Display and the Tabular Display.
8 Expand the Toolbox. Then close all other windows of the Toolbox by clicking the small X
associated with them.
8 Press the Disable button in the Tabular Display window to disable all standards from the
regression which do not have any concentration listed for the actual element.
$ Lets check on some standards. Look at the absolute deviation column and then at the Graphical
Display. Lets eliminate the NIST1880 due to its deviation.
8 Double click on the point in the Graphical Display that represents the standard (or double click on
the standard in the Tabular Displaywindow) to see the change.
$ The regression already looks better than before, but lets see if there are some overlaps that
interfere with the signal from the standard just deleted.
8 Press the Overlay button in the Toolbox.
This list already contains a lot of overlays. (Overlays are the stored correction which will be
applied if you use the line for standardless analysis).
8 Remove the stored overlay corrections by clicking the ?? button, then None
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To have SPECTRA check for an Overlay, we need to decide on the following parameters:
M84-E00030 -0899 2-23
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Calibration of Carbonates as Fused Beads and as Wax Pellets SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
INFLUENCE RANGE
Minimum concentration in standards
Reflection order (see also Interference of higher reflection order in the theoretical part of the
manual)
The red vertical line represents the actual measuring position of the peak. The red horizontal
SOXV
line is the chosen influence range. SPECTRA looks now 3 or 10 times the used collimator
aperture around the peak postion.
SOXV
To detect an overlay, SPECTRA also checks the concentrations of the elements that might
interfere in your standards.
SOXV
Example: Zn has a very strong overlap on Na, but when we ask SPECTRA for possible
overlaps we will not be prompted with Zn, since it is not part of our standard materials.
8 Set a collimator aperture of 10x, a present in standards of 1%, and a reflection order of 1-2 (as
shown in the dashed area).
$ Create the overlays and notice that you get S and Mg (which are part of our standard materials),
as possible Overlays
8 Select element S.
8 Click on the S KA1,2 line button, then click on Compute and Refresh.
$ The overall standard deviation got better, and we corrected for the sulfur. You could try correcting
for Mg as well, but this will not affect the results much.
$ Make sure the active line is set to line 1 (circled) in the Toolbox.
8 Select Fe as the next element.
1RWH: The list may display more lines related to your element than the two you have told
SOXV
SPECTRA to measure. Do not get confused. The reason your list may vary is that
SOXV
SPECTRA looks at the actual standard measurements and then prompts you with all the
lines in your line library that have the same settings.
In this case, the Maj/High-Alloy-Steel line appears because you made a copy of the Fe-KA1-
Maj line for your high-alloy steel method (in Chapter 1, Tutorial) by pressing Insert method-
specific lines in the Measurement Method builder. Then you inserted a background position.
Since you did not change the kV and the PHA settings, this line is identical (except for different
background position) to the original line when you measure scans.
SOXV
Since we measured a scan, SPECTRA cannot detect a difference between them and, thus,
shows you this line in the selection as well. You do not need to calibrate this line, but you must
calibrate the Maj line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
&DOFLXP
8 Select element CaHS-Min line.
8 Make this Line 1 and notice that the fit has improved.
3RWDVVLXP
8 Select element K.
7LWDQLXP
8 Select element Ti.
0DQJDQHVH
8 Select element Mn.
8 Select the Graphical Display window.
$ The GBW3108 standard looks bad for this element. Check for possible overlays. The sample
might be certified wrong or there was a preparation glitch.
6WURQWLXP
8 Select the KA1-HS-Min Line.
8 In the Tabular Display window, disable all standards with trace concentration.
There is some scatter in the values but, when compared to the allowed deviation range from
the certificates, this is OK because the actual calculated values are within the 95% confidence
interval of the standards.
8 Set the HS-Min line to Line 1.
6LOLFD
8 Select element Si.
8 Select the KA1-Maj Line.
The deviations seen with AR4112 and NIST 1881 are mostly due to grain size effects which
are based on the preparation. (For more details, see the preparation effects in the theoretical
part of this manual.)
8 Make this Line 1.
8 Select the Si KA1-HS-Min line.
8 Select theTabular Display.
$OXPLQLXP
8 Select element Al.
8 Select the Maj Line, and press Compute and Refresh.
$ Except for three outliers (circled below in the Tabular window), data looks acceptable.
3KRVSKRURXV
8 Select element P.
8 Press Compute and Refresh
8 Select the Tabular Display.
8 Disable all standards with trace composition.
8 Press Activate (Offset).
$ Look at the Tabular Display and notice that all absolute deviations are within the limits of the
certificates.
6XOSKXU
8 Select element S.
8 Select the Maj line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Select the Tabular Display.
8 Disable standards with trace composition.
8 Disable the GBW3109 standard, which is out of the allowed range.
8 Press the Alphas tab and then the Quadratic (regression) button.
8 Press Relative (Rel.) under Regression Weighting.
8 Press Compute (Offset).
8 Press Fixed (Offset).
8 Select Absolute (Regression Weighting).
Now this does not look bad, especially if you note the large calibration range and when you
consider that the wax we used as a binder contains some sulfur.
8 Make this Line 1.
8 Select the KA1-HS-Min line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Disable standards with trace composition.
8 Disable the highest GBW standard that is out of the allowed range.
8 Press Relative (Regression Weighting).
8 Press Compute (Offset).
8 Press Fixed (Offset).
8 Press Absolute (Regression Weighting).
$ See if you get the same results as we do in the next figure.
0DJQHVLXP
8 Select element Mg.
8 Select the KA1-HS-Min line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Disable the outlier for Mg (NIST 1881) in the Graphical Display.
8 Press the Active (Offset) button.
8 Click on the Line Overlay tab and insert the calculated S overlay.
$ Check on the deviations in the Tabular Display.
8 Make this Line 2.
&RPSWRQ3HDN
8 Click on Rh compton.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Press Active (Offset).
The calibration is now finished. Test (evaluate) it, as explained in the next section.
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To check the calibration made in the previous subsection, you can use some files provided in the
Tutorial Directory and also some measured standards used in the calibration by:
using the XRF Interactive Evaluation Program
printing with the XRF Interactive Evaluation Program
8 Press Open.
8 Press Open.
8 Press Matrix (circled). The Insert Matrix dialog box appears, where you will enter a non-measured
compound (needed to get an exact analysis).
8 Enter CO2. Note that if you had no value, you would set the remainder of the total to that
compound.
8 Press OK. A new CO2 line will appear in the data window.
8 Double-click on the CO2 line to display the Compound Property dialog box.
8 Select Fixed.
8 Under Concentration (%), enter the LOI of the sample (37.6) from the table in the appendix.
8 Press OK.
8 Compare the concentration values for the different lines with the values for the certified material.
5HSHDW the same procedure with some other standards from the same group and compare them to the
table.
$ Note the elements which show values that are off. Go back to the calibration in the Quantification
and try to optimize the element where the values were not satisfactory. Be aware that your
calibration can never be better than the standard you used and that even good standards might
look bad whenever the preparation is not optimal.
+LQW: Invest most of your time and effort in choosing good standards ad even more in the optimal
preparation.
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The same standards used in the previous calibration (for wax samples) have been prepared as fused
beads to illustrate the difference between these two calibrations. You will perform the same calibration
process as before, by using the fused samples instead of the wax samples.
Since we loose the CO2 during fusion, we have to increase the weight of the original material by the
percentage of loss to end up with our desired weight of ignited sample.
Example of a fixed dilution preparation: 1g of ignited material is fused with 6g of flux. The calibration is
then done with the LOI corrected concentrations or the LOI has to be inputted together with the sample
in order to use the original concentrations. Another option is when the original material is weighted, so
that after the fusion the ignited original is always a constant. In order to use the 1g of ignited material
per 6g flux ratio of a substance with an LOI of 12%, the amount of 1,12g has to be weighted in as
original material together with 6g of flux.
SOXV
The terms used by the manual and SPECTRA are:
LOI Loss on ignition
Original material Unignited sample material or the original material (dried at 105 deg C)
Ignited material Ignited material
Flux Amount of flux used
This section contains the step-by-step guide for calibrating a quantitative method using fused bead
preparation.
The same standards were used as in the previous section. Only now well change the preparation, and
then well be able to compare the results of both calibrations.
6WDUWLQJ)48$17DQG'HILQLQJD1HZ3UHSDUDWLRQIRU&DUERQDWHV
8 Launch XRF Quantification (Fluorescence) from the SPECTRA
SOXV
folder.
8 Click File > New.
8 Click on Materials in the directory.
8 Select Training for the Materials group.
8 Select Carbonates for the Material.
8 Click on Preparation in the directory.
8 Select IgnSam for the Preparation. If this does not exist, create this preparation with the
parameters shown above.
8 Tick the Default values for sample specific input.
The preparation method that was used for these standards is fusing the previously ignited
material with 7.5 g of Lithiumtetraborate. The LOI was determined after the ignition process
and entered as CO2 (LOI) in the standard table.
SOXV
This method takes full advantage of the variable input parameters support by SPECTRA
8 Press Next.The Size screen appears.
8 Check that the diameter is set to 4cm, the Mass to 9g, and all other settings are as shown. Press
Next, and save the current preparation when asked to do so.
8 Click on Standard Samples in the directory. The Standard Samples window displays.
$ Check to see if the standards already exist. If not, select (8) the sample wizard (the following
window displays) to create all standard samples using long names. Then press OK. The Standard
Samples window reappears.
7 In the Standard Samples window, click into the desired field and enter the values for the original
material and the flux from Preparation table in the appendix. (Scroll to access columns with this
data.)
The standard samples are stored with their respective weights in the database.
8 Press Next and check that all standard samples are present.
8 Press Uncheck missing standards to check that all standard samples are present.
8 Press Next to go to Compute Coefficient (the actual calibration screens).
7 Make sure the toolbox is active (F2).
For this material, make sure to be in Compound Mode (C is pressed on the toolbox, Oxide of
the element displayed on the Element button).
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&DOLEUDWLRQRI)H
8 Select element Fe.
8 Select the Fe KA1-HS-Min line.
8 Make it Line 1.
8 Select Compute and Refresh to calculate.
8 Disable the standardKH, due to its deviation.
8 Press Active (to activate Offset).
8 Press the C in the toolbox to switch to compound mode (if not already set).
8 Select the Tabular Display.
$ Check the standard concentrations and deviations.
8 Click on Overlays.
8 Make these settings: range set to 10* of collimature aperture, 1% present in standards and 1-3
order lines. Then press ??.
Since there are no Overlays, we cannot get better results with these standards.
Most of the data for Fe2O3 in the standards are certified to two decimal places.
5HSHDW the same procedure for the second line measured (Fe KA1-Maj) and make it Line.2.
6WURQWLXP
8 Select Sr.
8 Select the KA1-HS-Min line.
8 Press Disable all standards with Trace in the Tabular Display.
8 Click the Overlay tab and disable all stored overlays.
$ Compare your results with the next screen.
8 Make this Line 1.
3RWDVVLXP
8 Select element K.
8 Select the KA1-HS-Min line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Disable all Overlays.
8 Disable all the Kalkstein and KH standards.
8 Compare your results with the next screen.
8 Make this Line 1.
0DQJDQHVH
8 Select element Mn.
8 Select the KA1-HS-Min line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Remove all stored Overlays.
8 Disable all Standards with Trace composition.
8 Compare your results with the next screen.
8 Make this Line 1.
&DOFLXP
8 Select element Ca.
8 Select the KA1-Maj line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Press Active (to activate Offset).
8 Disable all Standards with an absolute deviation greater than 0.8%.
8 Compare your results with the next screen and make it Line 1.
5HSHDW the procedure for the KA1-HS-Min line and make it Line 2.
7LWDQLXP
8 Select element Ti.
8 Select the KA1-HS-Min line and make it Line 1.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Disable all Standards with trace composition.
8 Disable NIST1881 and AR4112.
$ Compare your results with the next screen.
0DJQHVLXP
8 Select element Mg.
8 Select the KA1-HS-Min line.
8 Make this Line 2.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Disable all overlays.
8 Press ?? in the Overlay menu and check for possible overlays.
8 Select S and set it to calculated correction in the Overlay menu.
As an alternative, you can try to correct with the Intensity (Measured).
Click on measured and select the S-KA1-HS-Min line.
Compare the effect on the Std Dev.
$ Check the deviations of the standards in the Tabular Display.
You might disable the AN34.
8 Press Active (activate Offset) and see if it gives you an improvement.
$ Compare your results with the next screen.
6XOSKXU
8 Select element S.
8 Select the S KA1-Maj line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Click the Line Overlays tab and disable all Overlays.
8 Press Active (activate Offset).
8 Disable all Standards withTrace composition.
8 Click the Alphas tab and enable the Quadratic (regression).
$ Compare your results with the next screen.
8 Make it Line 1.
5HSHDW the steps for the KA1-HS-Min line (except for the Quadratic Regression), looking for the
following results.
3KRVSKRURXV
8 Select element P.
8 Select the KA1 HS-Min line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Disable all standards with trace composition.
8 Click the Line Overlays tab and disable all stored Overlays.
8 Press the ?? button, Query for an Overlay, and select it as calculated.
8 Compare your results with the next screen.
8 Make it line 1
6LOLFD
8 Select element Si.
8 Select the Si KA1-Maj line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Click the Alphas tab and enable Quadratic (Regression).
8 Disable standard AR4112 in the Tabular Display window.
8 Compare your results with the next screen.
8 Make it Line 1.
5HSHDW the same procedure for KA1-HS-Min, looking for the following results.
$OXPLQLXP
8 Select element Al.
8 Select the KA1-Maj line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Click the Line Overlays tab and disable all stored Overlays.
8 Click the Alphas tab and enable Quadratic Regression.
8 Disable standard AR4112 in the Tabular Display window.
8 Make it Line 1.
5HSHDW the same procedure on the KA1-HS-Min line (except for the quadratic regression), looking for
the following results.
8 Make it Line 2.
6RGLXP
8 Select element Na.
8 Select the KA1-HS-Min line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Disable all Standards with Trace composition.
8 Click the Line Overlays tab and disable all stored Overlays.
8 Press the ?? button, Select Overlays on S and Mg.
8 Set Overlay calculation to calculated.
8 Disable all Standards with a deviation greater than 0.6%.
&RPSWRQDQG5D\OHLJK3HDN
8 Select element Rh Compton.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Deselect Active (to deactivate Offset).
8VLQJWKH)XVHG%HDG&DOLEUDWLRQ
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8 Launch the Interactive Evaluation program.
8 Select File > Next SSD.
8 Navigate to Specplus\Libraries\Materials\Carbonates\IgnSam.
8 Select NBS188 as a sample and press Open.
8 Select Carbonates-FB as Calibration (FCL).
8 Select IgnSam as the Preparation.
8 Enter the original weight = 1.5182.
8 Press OK. The following window appears.
8 Press LOI, then enter CO2 as the compound for LOI, and enter 1.25 (%) as a fixed value.
8 Tick Auto Update, then press the View button (circled) to display the View Line window.
8 Click on the Si line in that window, then press Update.
8 Look at the lines displayed for the element and compare the differences by clicking at the line
shown in the lower part of the View Line window.
8 The line currently used is marked with a filled circle.
8 Double-click the highlighted line for use in the evaluation.
8 Press Print Result and document the results.
(YDOXDWLQJD*\SVXP6DPSOHDV)XVHG%HDG
8 Select File > Next SSD.
8 Navigate to Specplus\Libraries\Materials\Carbonates\IgnSam.
8 Select GBW3109 as a sample and press Open. The EVAL window displays.
8 Select Carbonates-FB as calibration.
8 Select IgnSam as preparation.
8 Enter 1.4521 as original weight. Note this Material has a GAIN on Ignition.
8 Leave flux at 7.5 and weight at 9g. (where do these display?)
8 Press OK.
8 Double-click on the CaO line (circled). A dialog box appears.
8 Modify CaO to CASO4.
8 Press OK.
8 If Auto Update is not ticked, press Recalculate button (circled), which blinks when AutoUpdate is
not ticked.
8 Compare your results with the next screen.
0HDVXULQJ)XVHG%HDG6DPSOHV
If you want automatic evaluation of samples prepared as fused beads, you must remember two
important aspects:
Whenever you work with variable dilution, you need a Loader sample definition which contains
these variable parameters.
If you work with fixed dilution, you can work with the routine definition where just the name of the
preparation is entered.
Whenever you work with an LOI or GOI, you have variable dilution when you calibrate against the
original material. In this case, you have to use a Loader Definition file which includes the orig-g and
LOI field.
5RXWLQH0HDVXUHPHQWRIDVDPSOHZLWK/2,DVIXVHGEHDGZLWKYDULDEOHGLOXWLRQ
SOXV
SPECTRA needs the LOI, the amount of original material, and the amount of flux used to calculate
the dilution of the bead.
Included in the distribution are a number of Loader sample input definition files (also called DEF files)
which should cover nearly all needs. In our case, we use the OrigLOI.Def.
8 Launch the Loader. (Note that the Measurement Server must be active on your system, or on the
network, for the Loader to start.)
8 Select Sample > Definition File. The following window appears.
In the OrigLOI.def file you enter Samplename, Method, Preparation, the amount of original
material, the amount of flux, and the LOI. These values will be automatically stored with the
Samplename and a unique identifier in your database, so that you can also reevaluate the
sample without looking up these values.
+LQW: In the tutorial, you must enter all these since your system database is empty when the
system gets delivered and does not contain these values for the tutorial samples.
8 Press Create Samples. (If you have a system, you could now measure a sample.)
8 After the measurement is finished, SPECTRA
SOXV
will automatically evaluate the sample.
If there is an FCL with the same name as the Method, this will be used.
If there is no FCL with the same name as the Method, the calibration in the line library will be
used.
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The Tutorial section is made up of eight parts of approximately 20 minutes each for convenience:
Creating the Program and Methods (and setting the measurement conditions)
Performing the Actual Calibration (of the high-alloy-steel method)
Documenting the Calibration
Testing the Calibration
Setting up a Recalibration
Setting up a Recalibration Definition File for the Loader
Using the DumpSSD
Errata
The section is based on the material high-alloy-steel from the Material Group Training.
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8 Start the Quantification Manager program from the SPECTRA
SOXV
folder.
8 Select File > New. Then click the Materials subdirectory.
8 Select Training for Material groups.
8 Select the high-alloy-steel line under Materials.
8 Click Next.
$ Ensure that the elements shown are selected (if not, select them at this time).
7 Right-click the Fe column and format it as Column Balance with two digits. Then do the same with
elements Cr, Ni, and Mn, And format P, S, and Si as Column Balance with three digits.
You do not need to enter the preparation, since the SOLID preparation is already part of the
distribution.
8 Click on the Standard Samples subdirectory.
$ Check that Material and Preparation match the screen below.
SOXV
With help from SPECTRA , you will now set up a method for measuring the steel samples.
1
8 Press Launch to start the Measurement Method program .
If you get prompted with the above error message, do not worry. It is OK!
1
The Measurement Method program needs an active Measurement Server Meas3p on your system or on
the TCP/IP Network. It will run also without an SRS attached.
3-4 M84-E00030 -0899
SOXV
SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Calibration of a Set of Stainless Steels
The Measurement Method supplied with this tutorial already includes the method-specific lines
you will be creating next. But these lines are not yet part of the line library, so they are deleted
from of the method.
8 Press Default line set for current material.
8 Press OK to proceed.
8 Press the Elements tab.
(OHPHQW /LQH
Si KA1-HS-Min
P KA1-HS-Min
S KA1-HR-Min
Cr KA1-HS-Min
Mn KA1-HR-Min
Fe KA1-Maj
Ni KA1-HS-Min
Mo KA1-HS-Min
8 Press OK.
7 Change the settings to Measure (Peak) at fixed positions, Measure (Background) at fixed Positions,
Fixed (measuring time) = 10 seconds, Background = Same as Peak.
8 From the XRF Quantification program, click Nextto get to the Measurement Parameters program.
8 Launch Measurement Parameters.
8 Select the P KA1-HS-Min/high-alloy-steel line.
3URFHGXUH$ZLWKDQ656DWWDFKHGWR\RXU3&
With an actual SRS attached to your PC, you could now really run a sample and check on the line position
and background position by selecting the Immediate Scan tab.
Identify Lines
option on/off
Theory button.
Reset to theory
position
Position of
sample in
loader Press for new
Bkg Pos and
drag it where
you want it to
be
8 Press the Immediate Scan tab to display the peak and background positions window. Press the Reset
to Theory button to set the peak position to the theoretical value. Remove the two stored background
(Bkg) positions by dragging them into the Bkg box. Set a new bkg position at 2Theta=86.576.
8 Select any other line.
8 Click Write Changes in Library. And press OK.
To perform these steps without an SRS, select View > Line positions. The next window appears. Make the
changes by typing.
5HSHDW the procedure for Si KA1-HS-min/high-alloy-steel, setting its background position as follows. Then
click Write Changes in Library and press OK.
Done. You changed the background positions for two lines of the measurement method high-alloy-steel.
3URFHGXUH%IRU6LPXODWLRQ
For those without a steel sample and an SRS, try the following:
8 From Measurement Parameter, select the Scan File tab. Select previously stored SSD file SS_402-1
to check line positions and background positions.
8 Press on the Search Files () button and select the file SS_402-1from the Material Low-Alloy.
8 Remove both existing background positions by dragging each of them to the Bkg waste bin.
8 Select a new background by pressing on the New Bkg button and dragging the vertical line for the Bkg
position to the 2theta 86.576. Or select View > Positions from the menubar, and change the 2thetas
there.
$ After the change, your screen should look like the next screenshot.
8 Select the Si KA1-HS-Min/high-alloy-steel line. You will be prompted to write changes to library.
8 Select the Immediate Scan tab, then check Write Changes in Library in the appearing dialog box.
7 Select the View > Positions and change the Bkg position to 105.957 2Theta.
8 Press Import at Current Position to import into the Loader all standards from the highlighted list.
In reality you would now have to place your samples accordingly into the SRS/S4 Loader. (You
can check which sample is on a position by moving the cursor onto that sample.) After the above
measurement, all samples should be flagged OK. If not flagged, you would have to remeasure the
sample.
Since all measurements are already done and stored, we can proceed to Section 2 of this tutorial:
Calibration of High-Alloy-Steel Method.
1RZLWVWLPHIRUDVKRUWEUHDN
8 Press Next.
$ Check that all standards are listed. If not, see Troubleshooting.
8 Place and resize the windows for the Graphical Display and the Tabular Display as shown in the
screenshot below.
8 Click on the Overlay button in the Toolbox. Then press the ?? button for each listed overlay and select
None to remove all overlays from the Overlay window.
$ Compare the Std. Dev. From the toolbox with the screenshot.
3KRVSKRUXV
8 Select element P.
1RWH When in one of your calibrations the standards do not fit within their allowed deviation
range, check first on the counting statistic and then on sample preparation (e.g. sample not
polished, fingerprint, dust, cracks etc.)
6XOIXU
8 Select element S.
8 Select the S KA1-HR-Min/high-alloy line.
8 Make this Line 1.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Select the Line Overlay tab (bottom of screen).
8 Remove all overlays, except Mo, and deselect the fix option for Mo.
$ Compare Std Dev to the screenshot below.
6LOLFLXP
8 Select element Si.
8 Select Si KA1-HS-Min/high-alloy-steel.
8 Make this Line 1.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Remove all overlays (since there are none for this material).
8 Disable standards SS_462 and SS_61 in the Tabular Display.
$ Compare results with the screen below.
&KURPLXP
8 Select element Cr. Then select Cr KA1-HS-Min/high-alloy-steel line, and make this Line 1.
8 Press Compute and Refresh. Then disable all overlays.
$ Compare results with the screen below.
0DQJDQHVH
8 Select element Mn. Then select the KA1-HR-Min/high-alloy-steel line, and make this Line 1.
8 Press Compute and Refresh. Then select the Overlay tab and remove all overlays.
8 Query by pressing the ?? button and select Cr KB1. Then set the Overlay type to Calculated.
,URQ
8 Select element Fe.
8 Select the KA1-Maj/high-alloy-steel line.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Select Line 1.
The reason why the calibration for Iron is not as good as for the other elements is that the Fe
concentrations are NOT certified but regarded as balance to 100%.
Some of these standards also contain other elements which were not analyzed (e.g. Niobium or
Cobalt), so the balance is not even absolutely correct.
But, for our case, we can clearly see by the results of the other elements that the Matrix correction
with Iron as balance works perfectly.
1LFNHO
8 Select element Ni. Then select the HS-Min/high-alloy-line,and make it Line 1.
8 Press Compute and Refresh.
8 Select Computed (Offset).
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8 Select any element and press Print Preview.
In print preview mode, you get a view of your page(s) and see the position frames of the activated toolbox
item. In the case below, there are three position frames:
the graphical view.
the tabular display of the standards
the summary of the calibration.
Whenever the actual contents of a tabular or summary frame do not fit fully inside that page, the
frame will be split automatically to the next page. The graphical display view will not split,
however. It will print altogether on the next page.
8 To move the summary to the second page, click on the summary frame, then click the right mouse
button (as for defining the properties of a selected object), and select Move Summary To Page 2.
8 Press on the Page Selector to go to the next page. Notice that the summary is now on the second
page, but there are also the frames from the graphical display and the standards, which you must now
adjust.
8 Click on the Standards tab at the bottom of the screen and you are back in the usual display for the
standards.
8 Press the Glasses button on the right. The Column Selection pop-up window appears. In this window,
you see on the left the headings of all available columns that are not displayed. On the right, you can
see headings of all columns that are displayed.
8 Select columns Gross Intensity, Net Intensity, and Background, and press Remove. They will transfer
from the right window to the left window.
8 Click on any column heading on the right and change the sequence by clicking the Move Up or Move
Down button.
8 Click on Standard name. Then in the Width field, enter a number that corresponds to the width of the
column you would like in the printout. Try to change it to 120. Then press OK.
8 Click on the Print Preview tab at the bottom of your screen and notice the change to 8 columns (with
greater width) in the tabular display.
This formatting applies to the entire calibration. The format will be automatically stored with the calibration
once you save it.
8 Press the Print button (circled above) to print the active element.
$ When finished printing, the program returns you to the main FQuant display window.
8 Select the next element from the toolbox and press Print to print the calibration for that element.
5HSHDW the procedure for all elements.
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Windows NT allows you to freely exchange information between any Windows-based software by
transferring an object via the clipboard. All objects displayed in the Print Preview can be transferred (for
example to Winword) by selecting the desired object and clicking on the WMF Clipboard Copy button.
(WMF stands for Windows Meta File and is a standard interchange format for Microsoft certified products.)
8 Select the Graphical Display in the Print Preview.
8 Press the WMF Clipboard Copy button.
25
24
900
23
22
21
XRF Concentration (%)
800
Intensity (KCps)
20
19
700 18
17
16
600
15
14
500 13
12
450
12 20
Concentration (%)
Int. net Int. corrected
8 You can do the same with the frame containing the standards, this time from the tabular display.
Num Standard namChemical C XRF concen Absolute de Relative dev Count. stat. re Count. stat
1 SS_261 17.400 17.130 -0.270 -1.5490 0.1678 1.2292
2 SS_461 15.200 15.182 -0.018 -0.1193 0.1741 1.1909
3 SS_462 12.350 12.560 0.210 1.7011 0.1903 1.0918
4 SS_463 18.300 18.339 0.039 0.2124 0.1618 1.2727
5 SS_465 18.000 17.911 -0.089 -0.4962 0.1634 1.2608
6 SS_466 17.600 17.618 0.018 0.1050 0.1683 1.2242
7 SS_61 15.200 15.204 0.004 0.0261 0.1737 1.1885
8 SS_63 18.700 18.779 0.079 0.4230 0.1604 1.2867
9 SS_64 25.600 25.649 0.049 0.1933 0.1435 1.4298
8 Or for the Summary. This can also be achieved by going to the Summary window, selecting the text
you want to copy, and then pressing copy.
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After you have finished the calibration, it is always a good idea to test the calibration with known samples
of the same material, especially if you used empirical calibration corrections or fixed alphas, because
testing might show you potential or actual problems.
To test, we will evaluate one of our standards with the XRF Interactive Evaluation Program and print the
results to compare them with the certified results. As a good exercise, you can do that for the rest of the
standards as well:
8 Close the Quantification Editor and save your work.
8 Start the XRF Interactive Evaluation Program and select File > Next SSD. The following screen
appears.
8 Press the Search () button and open your SPECTRA directory. From there, open the
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8 Check that settings are as shown. Press OK. The interactive evaluation screen appears. Since we
defined iron in our program as Balance, the result under Total will be 100.0%.
3-34 M84-E00030 -0899
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Calibration of a Set of Stainless Steels
8 Tick the Fe-KA1-Maj/high-alloy-steel option (the calibrated iron concentration), press OK, and notice
what happens. By default, Fe in our case is defined as to 100 (matrix) but we can see what
happens if we use the actual measured intensity for the calibration.
8 Click on the Mn line. Then press the View button (circled) and select Line 1. A View Line (graphical
display) appears for the individual line, where you can get information of the actual lower limit of
detection based on the actual sample and actual scan conditions.
Updates the
window
Here you can also select and copy the contents of the Graphical window to the clipboard (by
pressing Clipboard) and paste them into another program.
8 Press the Select button, select S, and press Update in the View Line 1 window. The graphical display
changes to show details for element S.
Display of lines
near the cursor
8 Print the results by pressing the Print Result button in the interactive evaluation window.
5HSHDW this procedure for some more standards, and also try to change the sequence of the elements in
the prinout.
6HWWLQJXSD5HFDOLEUDWLRQ
This section covers the following:
Removing existing recalibration settings for the high-alloy-steel lines
Setting up the new recalibration samples and lines
Evaluating the recalibration samples
Checking the recalibration
Making a loader definition file for an easy recalibration
Measuring the recalibration samples
The best system for recalibration would be to link all custom-made lines to the glass samples and the
recalibration measurement method associated with these glass samples. So it would be possible to
recalibrate all your used methods with one set of glass samples. Using one set increases the flexibility and
leads to better productivity. All your programs will then be up to date after a recalibration.
8 Close all open SPECTRA
SOXV
programs, except the Measurement Server.
8 Select the Measurement Parameters program.
8 Select the measurement method High-Alloy-Steel.
8 Select the Cr /high-alloy-steel line.
8 Select the Global Recalibration tab.
8 Press OK to confirm.
8 Enter High-Alloy-RECAL1 in the Reference Sample field, and press New.
8 Select the Fe KA1-Maj/high-alloy-steelline from the drop down window at the reference line.
Though we have selected this line for simplicity, you could select from the many other lines.
All lines shown correspond to the same crystal and use the same settings for the counters as the
Fe KA1-Maj line (except for Peak and BKG positions).
8 Select Mn as next element, and write the changes to the library when prompted to do so.
8 Click on the Global Recalibration tab.
8 Press Delete to remove the original reference sample.
8 Select element P.
8 Press Delete to remove the original reference sample.
8 Enter High-Alloy-RECAL1 as reference and, again, the Si high-alloy-steel line as reference line.
5HSHDW the procedure for all other elements of the High-Alloy-Steel Method, according to the table below,
and check that they are set accordingly. Note that we will be recalibrating the P line with the same line as
we recalibrate Si since they have the same setting.
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8 Open the Measurement Method program.
8 Select File > New.
8 Click the Elements tab and select elements Fe, S, and Si.
8 Click the Lines tab and select the high alloy steel lines for each of the elements.
8 Click the Modes/Time tab, and set Measure at Fixed Positions (for peak and background
measurements), Fixed (for measuring time), 100 sec (for time of peak), and Same as Peak (for
background).
8 Tick Local parameters for line, select the Fe line, and set Time per Range to 100 seconds.
7 Create the measurement methods high-alloy-recal2 with Cr, Mn as scan measurements and high-
alloy-recal3 with Mo and Ni.
$ At this point, you should have the three measurement methods stored in the directory
MeasMethods\Recalibration.
$ Locate the SSD files High-alloy-recal1 through 4 using the Explorer to ensure that you have saved
them.
1RWH: For a routine program, it is good practice to set up a customized window for the loader (as you will
do in the next section), so that no typing mismatches endanger the recalibration.
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8 Find and start the Sample-def program (see also Chapter 10 of the Reference Manual for details) The
following window appears.
8 Press the Load button and select file RECAL34.def to load the file into the program. Columns List data
appears.
8 Select Sample (in the Columns List). Then click on Fill with wildcards (under Automatic value) and
enter the following string: %Measurement Methods Path%\Recalibration\high-Alloy-recal*.mm
7 Repeat the procedure for Method, Sample-ID, and SSD-File, entering the appropriate string that
follows.
METHOD %Measurement Methods Path%\Recalibration\#Sample
Sample-ID #sample
SSD-file %Measurement Methods Path%\Recalibration\#Sample
8 Select Samples > Sample Definition and select the .def file that you just created a moment ago. Then
try to enter the three recalibration samples by pressing the Insert Sample button (circled).
When the measurement is finished, the recalibration is automatically written into your line library!
8VLQJWKH'XPS66'
SOXV
Use DumpSSD to get an ASCII file, which shows what SPECTRA actually measured.
8 Start the DumpSSD program. The DumpSSD window appears.
8 Under Input (SSD) file, select an SSD file that you want to dump.
8 Under Text out, select a location where you want to place the ASCII file.
8 Press Dump button.
8 Open the ASCII text file with Notepad or Wordpad and look for the following:
Example output:
Dump of file D:\AS\Training\xrf\SPECplus\Libraries\Materials\High-Alloy-Steel\Solid\SS_465.ssd
Measured under Vacuum
Instrument serial number: 273
Sample Id: SS_465
Range # 1
Channel: 3 Crystal: LiF200
Collimator: 0.15 degr. Mask: 34 mm
Tube : 60 kV 67 mA Filter: none
FC: 58.3% - 120.8% SC: 54.2% - 145.8%
Steps: 195 Size: 0.016 Time: 0.530 s
From: 18.700 to 21.804 2Theta
Range # 2
Channel: 3 Crystal: LiF200
Collimator: 0.15 degr. Mask: 34 mm
Tube : 60 kV 67 mA Filter: none
FC: 33.3% - 129.2% SC: 50.0% - 150.0%
Steps: 195 Size: 0.016 Time: 0.530 s
From: 47.100 to 50.204 2Theta
Range # 3
Channel: 3 Crystal: LiF220
Collimator: 0.15 degr. Mask: 34 mm
Tube : 60 kV 40 mA Filter: none
FC: 25.0% - 300.0% SC: 25.0% - 300.0%
Steps: 195 Size: 0.016 Time: 0.530 s
From: 84.100 to 87.204 2Theta
Range # 4
Channel: 1 Crystal: LiF220
Collimator: 0.15 degr. Mask: 34 mm
Tube : 50 kV 81 mA Filter: none
FC: 20.8% - 129.2%
Steps: 195 Size: 0.016 Time: 0.530 s
3-50 M84-E00030 -0899
SOXV
SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Calibration of a Set of Stainless Steels
Range # 8
Channel: 1 Crystal: PET
Collimator: 0.46 degr. Mask: 34 mm
Tube : 30 kV 135 mA Filter: none
FC: 54.2% - 145.8%
No scan in range
Peak: Si KA1
Time: 10.00 s 2Theta: 109.124 Rate: 8.7817 KCps
Bkg # 1 2Theta 105.957 Coeff 1.000 Rate 0.3854 KCps
(UUDWD
$ Check on the sample concentrations for SS_261 and ensure that they are correct. If wrong, change if
in the Standard Material section.
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
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Imagine you would get a totally unknwon sample (e.g. a brown powder).
Someone wants to know from you very quickly the approx compostion of that sample.
Befor you can measure that sample you would have to:
Measure standards
That adds up to at least one or two days of work !Most of the times you will not even get the idea of the
composition since you might not have other complementary methods (XRD, IR, Raman, AAS) at hand. Or
you would have to make wet chemical assays for qualitative analysis first.
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X-ray fluorescence Analysis is never standardless since the system compares mesured intensities with a
curve based on previously measured standards.
Bruker-axs measured 300 different standards (Metals, Glasses, Ceramics, Rocks, Minerals, Oils,
Polymers etc.) on the Master spectrometer in the application laboratory with universal measurement
conditions.
A calibration was made and stored in the line library. The calibration is then transferred to the customers
XRF system with the help of three glass samples. Included in the Line Library are Calibrations from F to U,
valid from ppm to 100% ranges.
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With this calibration you can analyse totally unknown samples for all elements from O to U with you
standard SRS3400 or S4Explorer.
Just prepare the sample and measure it with a predefined measurement method our build your own:
4-2
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
Since the calibrations are covering the entire concentration range and have to be usable for all types of
material the typical results are accurate in the range of max. +/- 10% relative.
For trace elements there might be a slightly larger deviation depending on the actual counting time used.
You can easily improove the standardless calibration by adding your materials or make a specialized
program for a specific matrix:
Oils = OilQuant
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
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In this section you will be shown which standardless methods are part of the Spectraplus distribiution and
how to use them:
All measurement methods which you can use in Spectraplus are to be found in the directory
Measmethods which is a subdirectory of Libraries in the Spectraplus folder.
In order to use the predfined methods you just need to perform the following steps
Check if the Measurement server is active on your system (or if your system is configured
for network operation, that the measurement server is running on the system attached to the
SRS or S4)
The next step is to choose make sure we have the right setup for the sample input screen
which you can also custom tailor to your needs. Please refer to the section SAMPLEDEF in
your reference manual for details.
Click on Sample
Select the Routine.def file (this is a allround setup for your sample input)
Click on an empty loader position where you want to place the sample
The predefined standardless methods all begin with st-less and use the standard 34mm
sample masks and will run as scan measurements.
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St-less-HR-He Standardless using High Resolution Lines HELIUM
St-less-HR-Vac Standardless using High Resolution Lines Vacuum
St-Less-HS-He Standardless using High Sensitivity Lines HELIUM
St-Less-HS-Vac Standardless using High-Sensitivity Lines Vacuum
Now place the STG Glass sample at that loader position and make sure you use a 34mm
sample cup and that the sample is not wobbeling around (You might use the practical
BrukerAXS distance rings (Order no.: 7KP--------).
The Measurement will start, the sample will be moved into the system.
In the window just below the Loader display you will be prompted with the list of all active
samples and their estimated times as well as the estimated end time.
In approx 20 minutes the sample will be ready for your interactive evaluation
4-6
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
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In this section the XRF interactive evaluation program is introduced.
Evaluating previously measured samples with the standardless calibration using different
preparations techniques.
Evaluating of the sample measurement started in the second section (Hwo to test if the
standardless calibration is working)
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In this sub section you are going to evaluate a steel sample, which was measured previously on the
MasterSRS.
Press Open
Select Elements
4-7
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
Press OK
Tick AutoUpdate
4-8
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
A pane listing all the spectral lines which are to be found at bthe cursor position, when moving
the mouse pointer in the graphical pane.
A line list of up to three measured lines of that element in the actual scan.
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
Peak only will display just the marker for the current element
Zoom Peak will only display a zoom around the current peak
Clipboard moves the actual list pane into the Windows Clipboard:
50
40
30
20
10
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
Update will display the activated line form the main window in the view line window
Check on Co and W
You are now sure that both Co and W are present in a notable quantity and the Lu signal is
due to an overlay.
Check on the main window: Lu is not longer displayed and a new matrix correction was
made
4-11
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
Repeat the procedure for Au and Hg (Au overlayed with Rh Compton, Hg overlayed with W)
Click on Fe
In other words we will not be using the measured value, but a calculated concentration:
Use the usual procedure for steels (since the Fe values are rarely certified)
Check Matrix
Press OK
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
Press Print Results Button to get the results printed on the printer.
See Troubleshooting Section if you do not get a printout.
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Select File / Next SSD
Navigate to Specplus\Libraries\Measmethods\Recalibration
4-13
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
Press Open
Click on OXIDES
Click on OK
If your values are way off refer to the section recalibration of the line library in the tutorial
manual.
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
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The difference between the previous evaluations and this are that yoy have to select an adequate
preparation first to prepare the sample and secondly this type of preparation should be entered also into
the database so you can use it in XRF Evaluation.
The sample to be evaluated was prepared using 5g of dried sample material and 1g of Boric Acid. The
binder was mixed thouroughly with the sample and it was pressed to 40mm disk.
The preparation of pressed pellets with Boric Acid is already included in the database of Spectraplus.
Select Oxides
Check Mass 6g
Press OK
4-16
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
Since only one line was measured per element we can not compare the concentrations from
different lines of the same element.
Select View Line1 from the View Menu or press the View Line1 button
Click on the topmost element and press update on the view line 1 window
Press OK
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To get the sum to a 100% press the scale button
4-17
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
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There are the several ways you can define the order of the compounds/elements in the printout:
$OSDEHWLFDOO\E\FRPSRXQGIRUPXOD
Click on the column header Compound Formula
A small arrow will appear facing up or down symbolizing the sort order
Clicking again on the column header will toggle the order from A-Z to Z-A
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Click on the compound header nZ
A small arrow will appear facing up or down symbolizing the sort order
A small arrow will appear facing up or down symbolizing the sort order
8VHUGHILQHGRUIL[HG
A Userdefined order can be selected by double-clciking on each element and entering the
Line Order number:
You can also choose to make the element non printable, removing the tick in the box after
Element is printable !
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This sample contains some Carbonate (CO3) which is determined using the LOI.
Select OK
4-19
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
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In this example we used a new preparation which is not yet in the database:The sample was
dried nd then fused using 1.5002 of original sample and 7.5 g of a flux calles A1000.
Press File/New
Click on Preparation icon on the left hand side of the Quantification window
4-21
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
Select 1.5 g as Value for original Material, 7.5 g as value for the additive
4-22
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
Press Next
4-23
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
Press Next
With this procedure you entered this preparation into the database (fluo.mdb). All other
programs retrieve the preparations from there.
4-24
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
Press OK
4-25
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
Otherwise you would have to press an recalculate every time you change something.
Press Scale/Normalize
Press Scale/Normalize
4-26
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
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The button clipboard copy will move the entire view of the area where the results and lines are
displayed to the windows clipboard.
4-27
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
Decide which columns you want to see and transfer to the clipboard:
Remove columns you do not want by clicking on them and press the remove button
To change the sequence click on the column you want to move and either press the MOVE UP
or the MOVE DOWN button.
Press ClipboardCopy
Open up EXCEL
4-28
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
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In the Methods used up to now, all elements were included which can be measured. The
average time of a 10 sec per range HS scan is 20 minutes.
To scale down the time and to increase accuracy at the same time you might want to
measure just the 10 or 11 most likely elements:
You get a plastic sample and the question if there is Cd, Pb, Cr, Sb and As present.
You do also not know if there are Flame retardants present (Br) and if it is possibly PVC (so
Cl has to be there)
The elements we would like to measure are Cl, Br, Cd, Pb,Cr,Sb, As and the Compton Peak
for matrix correction. Included could be Ti if you also want to know if the Polymer is filled
Press New
Select Compton
Make sure to have always the HS and the HR line of the selected Element
4-29
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
Make a mixed method, where the background is measured as scan and the peak as fixed
position:
4-30
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
The Optimized Tab is for the Peak Measurement: select 1% and 30 sec
For the scan select 30s and 10 times the collimatore aperture.
Select the Parameters for that sampel using the Parameters TAB
4-31
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
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Intensity Graphite
[kcps] LiF 100
KA-Compton
Compton
KB-Compton
2 Theta
15,6 17,5
Rh KB1 Rh KA1
Rayleigh - scattering
The non measured elements impact in the quality of the matrix correction since Hydrogen , carbon and
oxygen greatly influence the matrix correction.
The characteristic radiation of B,C,N and O is absorbed by any supporting foil material or the He in
Liquids, wet samples or loose powders.Meticulous lengthy sample preparation is required for solid
samples where these elements are of interest.
By compound definition a chemical fomula like SiO2 or CaCO3 allows the program to calculate
carbon or oxygen using the measured concentrations of Si and Ca.
By balance to 100%: - a chemical can be defined as a balance to 100, e.g. CH2 in oil or
polymers or H2O in water where C(matrix) = 100 % - C(measured elements)
The concentrations are calculated itteratively when using these options, recalculating the matrix correction
for each step.
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
i.e. the inelastically scattered characterstic tube lines Rh KA1,2 and Rh KB1 and comparsion with the
calculated theoretical intensities:
The ratio displayed will show a value around 1 (+/- 10% rel) when the matrix correction is resonable.
The intensity of the compton peaks is very sensitive to the concentrations of the elements from H to O.
These peaks can be measured on all samples.Theoretical Intensities can be predicted for the Compton
Peaks based on the concentrations of the light elements.
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
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Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements SPECTRA Tutorial Manual
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SPECTRA Tutorial Manual Tutorial in XRF Standardless Measurements
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