Clicking on “search” produces the X-ray Database Search window. This is the heart of the database utility. The search capability was designed to be as powerful and flexible as possible, and therefore has the capacity to search according to keywords, best fit, composition, date, classification, or type of spectra in any combination, and spectra obtained by microanalysis, or XRF, or both may be utilized in the search. The unique “Intelli-Search” may also be utilized to enhance and accelerate the search. “Search Templates” can be saved, and utilized at a later date to assure that the same conditions are being used in subsequent searches, and to automate the search setup
Text
(words, phrases, numbers) may be searched within the Notes, Material, Lab, and
Manufacturer text fields associated with a spectrum. Check By keyword
to make the keyword search active. Enter the phrase to be searched. All selected
text fields will be searched. If several keywords are used, select Match
all or Match any for a match based on all of the keywords
or any of the keywords. If the keyword is to be matched exactly,
select Exact. If a keyword could be a portion of a longer word, select
Sub-string. A phrase may be entered as a keyword by enclosing it with
quotation marks. When using By keyword search, one or more Search
in categories must also be selected. If Instrument is checked, only Accelerating
voltage and Detector type parameters are searched, not the whole instrument
pane.
In the example, the Lab information window is searched for “JEOL” and “FBI”. Because Match any is selected, either “JEOL” or “FBI”, or “JEOL” and “FBI” will result in a hit. Because Sub-string is selected either expression could be part of a longer expression and still result in a hit. Results are displayed in the search results window.
A best fit search will compare the similarity of a questioned spectrum to all
spectra within a selected set. The selected set may be derived from any combination
of the other search criteria (keyword, classification, composition, date, etc.),
or from the entire database. The entire spectrum or a portion of the spectrum
may be compared to the selected set. To select a portion of the spectrum, choose
"Selected range" and enter the low energy and high energy in the search
panel. In the example, a selected range search will be performed between 5 and
10 kev. Results are displayed on the search results window.
The database may be searched for spectra that satisfy particular compositional
criteria. Elements of interest and a concentration range are individually selected.
In the example, only spectra having Pb greater or equal to 10% and Cr greater
or equal to 10% will be searched. The results will be displayed in the search
results window.
The date that spectra were analyzed may be used to limit the search. The database
may be searched for spectra that have been analyzed before a particular date,
after a particular date, or between two dates. The date used in the search is
the Date Analyzed. In the example, only spectra collected (analyzed) between
1/1/1998 and 7/22/2003 will be included in the search. Results are displayed
in the search results window.
By selecting Instrument parameters, SLICE uses the values that are checked in
the current "unknown" spectrum and limits the search to spectra having
similar properties. For example, if the current "unknown" spectrum
was acquired at an accelerating potential of 15 kev, and "Accelerating
Voltage" is checked, then only spectra in the database that were acquired
at an accelerating voltage of 15 kev will be evaluated for a match. The behavior
of this search type is different from the keyword instrument search, in that
the value here is determined by the unknown, where as in the keyword search,
any accelerating voltage could be entered.
When a materials category is selected, a search is limited to spectra within
that category. If multiple categories are selected, all spectra in all categories
are included in the search. In the example, all spectra in the “examples” category
and the “manufactured:alloys” category are returned. Results are displayed in
the search results window.
Search Criteria permit you to Save or Load Search Templates. Once you have
established a successful search, saving the template in a convenient location
will assure that future searches will be done exactly the same way. For example
you may set up the search to use Best Fit from 2 kev to 10 kev, and with composition,
for Ba > 0.1, Pb > .1, and Sb > .1, Micro Spectra, and Intelli-Search checked.
You can then Save search... as “GSR”. On subsequent searches, you can
choose to Load search... “GSR” and press OK.
By checking or unchecking the Alternate colors box, you control whether
the spectra are drawn in alternating red and blue lines in the Overlap Window,
or only red. In general, alternate colors ease the visible comparison of the
search results.
The database may be searched in a more intelligent manner, which speeds up the
search, by intelligently limiting the search to spectra that more closely resemble
the unknown spectrum. Intelli-Search is only enabled when doing a by
By Best fit search. Match & Points are in turn enabled
when Intelli-Search is checked. The greater the number of points (1 -
9), the faster the search, but if the number is set too high, no matches may
be found. In general, it is strongly suggested that Intelli-Search remain
selected, especially if the database is being searched for spectra acquired
by XRF.
The database may contain spectra from both microanalysis and XRF. SLICE gives
the user the option of searching only one type, or both types. Although the
algorithms do permit searching of mixed spectra, it is suggested that better
results might be obtained by searching only spectra of like type.
It should be obvious that utilizing any search criteria other than Best Fit over the entire range, in effect serves to limit the possibilities of successfully identifying the material being analyzed by excluding spectra. It is best therefore to use the broadest possible criteria for the initial search, and refine the results in subsequent searches. If a search has previously been completed with very loose criteria (e.g. Best Fit over the entire range with no other search criteria), pressing the Search last results button instead of the OK button, limits a subsequent search to the results of the previous search with more stringent search criteria (e.g. Selected Range, limited compositions and keywords). This in effect refines subsequent searches in a more cautious and directed approach.
