Applications of custom scripting and digital micrograph: microscope control and custom stem probe generation

Full text: Modern analytical microscopes fitted with a serial interface, permit control of the instrument via an external computer. Gatan's Digital Micrograph software is typically used to control a CCD camera, and to subsequently manipulate, images from it. This software is readily customisable via a scripting language, with custom scripts being easily integrated into the pull down menus of the software. Use has been made of the serial interface on a JEOL 2010F to enable external control of the microscope via custom scripts running under Digital Micrograph. The aim has been to enable convergent beam probe configurations (from standard TEM mode) to be recreated in STEM mode. Such custom probes can be tailored in terms of beam current/size and convergence angle for use in STEM-based x-ray microanalysis and EELS, nanobeam diffraction and high angle annular dark field microscopy. The Digital Micrograph interface is simple to use, and custom STEM probes (once saved) can be configured with a single mouse click. Some other applications of scripting to microscope control will be given. Copyright (2002) Australian Society for Electron Microscopy Inc