Category Archives: SCOUT

BREIN, CODE, SCOUT

Special computations

If you overlay several ‘special computation objects’ in a view (like a bunch of parameter variation graphs) and you have de-activated their option ‘Automatic re-computation’, the view update requires many mouse clicks.

Not any more: You can now use a script to update all objects with a single click. Define a script and pass the object command ‘update’ to all objects. Here is an example showing how to re-compute 3 special computation objects named sc1, sc2, and sc3:

object command, sc1,update

object command, sc2, update

object command, sc3,update

update plot

BREIN, CODE, SCOUT

Fit parameter factors

The definition of fit parameters in the list of fit parameters allows you to specify a factor. This number multiplies the original value in such a way that the value displayed in the first column of the list is the product of the original value and the factor. However, fit parameter values written to the batch control tables or extracted by OLE automation did not take into account the factor.

The behaviour has been improved in the following way: The dialog for fit options (File/Options/Fit) now allows you to check the option ‘Apply factor in fit parameter transfers’. If active, the factor is used in the batch control and for OLE automation transfers (in both directions, i.e. setting or reading values). If the option is unchecked, the program behaves as before.

The option is not stored as part of the configuration, but is stored for each user as default setting. Once switched on it stays on until you switch it off.

In addition, you can check or uncheck this option by new OLE automation methods called ‘apply_factor_in_fit_parameter_transfers’ and ‘do_no_apply_factor_in_fit_parameter_transfers’.

CODE, SCOUT

New hardware controllers

We have added some new hardware controllers which operate components used in optical setups. Together with the built-in spectrometer controls you can now automate optical measurements. All hardware controllers are objects in the list of spectrometers.

These are the new controllers:

  • WOSP shutter: Controls the motion of a servo motor through a TinkerForge servo brick. Can be used to control a mechanical shutter to block a light source. Or move something else …
  • WOSP traverse: Controls a stepper motor through a TinkerForge stepper brick. Can be used to control the motion of a traverse system driven by a stepper motor. Or some other kind of motion …
  • WOSP color sensor: Operates a TinkerForge color sensor for rapid measurements of brightness and color. This device does not record color coordinates L*, a* and b* correctly, but does rather rough measurements of RGB values. Very useful in combination with triggers (see below) …
  • WOSP camera: Connects to any webcam of your Windows system and shows the image in real time
  • MINT traverse: Controls the motion of a traverse system addressing a MINT controller.

In addition, objects called ‘WOSP triggers’ can automatically start scripts if a pre-defined condition becomes true. Triggers are used together with the automation timer. You can, for example, record a reflectance spectrum at each timer event. The average reflectance will be almost zero when there is no sample and higher once a sample is present. A trigger can now use the average reflectance value to verify the presence of a sample and execute a sample measurement with automatic saving of the recorded spectrum.

CODE, SCOUT

Batch fit of Optoplex NGQ and Von Ardenne exsitu files

The Zeiss Optoplex NGQ software can create *.csv files which contain all measured spectra of an exsitu traverse scan. Von Ardenne exsitu files have a similar content.

You can now easily fit the spectra of all probehead positions using the batch control window. Once you have a good fit routine, you can execute the batch control menu command “Prepare/New batch fit”, followed by the command “Prepare/New results page for Optoplex NGQ file” or “Prepare/New results page for Von Ardenne exsitu file”. Then press “Go”.

CODE will fit all spectra and write the fit results to the page “Results”. Using view objects of type “Batch control graph (rows)” you can visualize obtained  thickness profiles, for example.