Development of "position-charge-time" tagged spectrometry for ion beam microanalysis

During sample analysis in scanning mode, our PC-based data acquisition system (MPA/PCT) is able to record eight parameter events in a list data file. The system can acquire simultaneously collected energies from up to four detectors (X and gamma ray detectors, charged particle detectors). Each event is tagged with beam position, integrated charge and a time-code. Beam scanning control is currently upgraded. Until now, beam position tagging required a double conversion (digital-analog and analog-digital) generating supplementary dead time. The new system allows direct digital transfer with high-resolution maps and large scanning rate capabilities. RISMIN, an home made software, is used to extract maps, spectra, profiles, etc. from generated list data files. This software is developed under LabVIEW(TM) and IMAQ(TM). Beyond the classical elemental mapping capabilities, the software allows any ID or 2D multi-filtering parameter representations and filtered events list data file generation. Map processing (standard operations and image filtering) is also integrated. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.