SLICE™ for Windows

xk's Spectral Library Identification and Classification Explorer (SLICE) is a Windows application designed to archive, query, and compare x-ray spectra and is intended to function with any existing EDS system resident on a PC.

The Power of SLICE - a revolutionary approach to sample identification using EDS

• SLICE will match an acquired spectrum against an ever-expanding database of reference materials.
• SLICE is virtually independent of accelerating voltage, take-off angle, detector resolution, and detector window material.
  • Spectra acquired at 200 kev in TEM mode (thin film), using a 156ev beryllium window detector were successfully matched to a spectrum from the same material in an SEM (bulk) at 15 kev with a 133ev thin film window detector.
    
• SLICE identifies and classifies spectra from samples unsuitable for quantitative analysis (too small, irregular, etc).
• SLICE archives your SEM/EDS results (PDF, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents, as well as images in all the standard formats), with your observations and conclusions, allowing traceability and often making future problem solving faster and easier.
• SLICE eliminates the dependence of identification results on operator uniformity.
• SLICE was developed under an FBI contract to reduce the time and improve the accuracy of evidence identification. It is now being routinely requested and successfully employed in forensic applications where virtually any material can be encountered (powders, grease, explosive residue, etc.).
  • Its success in more controlled and better-defined applications such as semiconductor defect revue, factory quality control, material tracking, or patent infringement cases is assured.

The price of SLICE has been restored to $4,500.00 for SEM/TEM EDS systems.

SLICE Features - The combination of xk's innovative design and standard Windows GUI greatly simplify the comparison and identification of spectra with SLICE

• Spectra from the EDS system are collected directly into SLICE, or converted to EMSA format, and imported into SLICE..
• SLICE accommodates TIFF and other text-based formats.
• Multiple images may be associated with each spectrum.
  • Clicking the thumbnail image displays the full-size image in a separate Browser window.
• Spectra appear in the Main window, and are processed from this window
• The Search window allows the user to select the criteria utilized in the spectral retrieval and comparison using standard SQL.
• The SLICE Results window shows the comparison of similar x-ray spectra.
• The "Degree of Fit" and "Group Membership" parameters provide a measure of to what degree the unknown spectrum is consistent with standard spectra stored in the database, and a measure of how well the spectrum fits within the grouping.
• From within the SLICE Results window, spectra can be incrementally overlapped to aid in visual verification.
  • The number of spectra can be chosen, and the spectra can be panned and zoomed to aid in the verification process.
  • A unique method of dynamically normalizing the spectra at the position of the cursor greatly aids in the comparisons.
• The cursor may be "popped" from peak to peak or smoothly scrolled through the spectrum with dynamic normalization, making comparisons even easier.
• Multiple KLM markers can be used in either the Main window or the Results window to further aid in comparing spectra.
• Spectra may be displayed in the log, square root, or linear mode.

The price of SLICE has been restored to $4,500.00 for SEM/TEM EDS systems.

SLICE requirements*

• PC with Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP or VISTA operating system
• Any standard processor
• 256 Mbytes of RAM
• 40 Mbytes minimum free disk space

* More disk space will permit larger spectral databases, and more RAM and a fast processor will reduce the time for analysis. Typical search times are approximately 100 spectra per second, with a 400 MHz Pentium and 132 Mbytes of RAM. With a 1400 MHz processor, and 1Gbyte of RAM, search times are closer to 800 spectra per second.

FLAME EDS for Windows

Copyright ©1993-2010 by xk, Inc.
Last updated: March 4, 2010