| ASPEX provides a powerful way of determining the composition of a product in a fast and nondestructive manner. By simply pointing and clicking at a feature of interest, its compositional data is immediately displayed, providing elemental information. Compositional Analysis Compositional information can also be acquired from large areas of a sample, making it easier to relate the data to the entire specimen and not one particular area. Acquired X-ray maps show how the composition changes across the surface of the sample. Perception enhanced with AFA (Automatic Feature Analysis) provides accurate, quick, compositional analysis in a production or laboratory environment.  Figure 1. Slag Point and Click ASPEX tightly integrates compositional analysis and imaging with "point-and-click" simplicity. Analysis and documentation are fast and easy. The display in Figure 2 illustrates a typical operation. The image on the right is the "zoomed up" area outlined on the left view. By clicking a point on the right image (yellow cross), the X-ray spectrum is collected. The relative abundance of individual elements is instantly registered on a graph below the image. All of this information is on one screen, and available as a report.  Figure 2. Point and click for compositional analysis and imaging Qualitative Imagine the power to visualize microscopic features and structures while characterizing elemental makeup in a matter of seconds. Simple "point-and-click" selection of a feature on the display screen initiates the collection of an X-ray spectrum from that point on the object. Because the spectral signature of each element is unique, regardless of the physical state or chemical compound in which it is found, "reading" the presence of elements or combinations of elements from a spectrum is usually simple and direct. Elemental marker lines can be superimposed on the spectrum to indicate the location and relative amplitudes of characteristic X-ray emissions, and peak labels can be added as quick visual markers of major elemental lines. Quantitative Chemical composition of materials and features can be accurately assessed as weight–percent composition by element when required. State-of-the-art programs and training are available to perform such analysis. Under favorable circumstances, accuracy of a few weight–percent is attainable. For the majority of situations, even novices can obtain reliable answers with "one-button" analysis. For difficult cases where identifications can be ambiguous and simplistic approaches misleading, ASPEX provides special training with diagnostic and checking aids that greatly facilitate thorough results.  Figure 3. Real-time overlay and comparison  Figure 4. Automatic identification capabilities Elemental Distribution Maps ASPEX with Perception provides powerful applets for visualizing the spatial distribution of elemental species. Multiple-element maps are easily set up and rapidly acquired with flexible options for display. |