Getting Started
Spectra Acquisition Tutorial
ABB Bomem Inc.
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April 2011
AA004414-01 Rev. D
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 - Spectra Acquisition
Spectra Acquisition Tutorial..............................................................................................1
Launching the Horizon MBTM FTIR Software ....................................................1
Connecting to the Instrument .................................................................................2
Record a background or a reference spectrum ..................................................................2
Set the Instrument for Background Spectrum Acquisition ....................................3
Adjusting the Detector Gain Parameter .................................................................6
Collect the Background Spectrum .........................................................................7
Record a sample spectrum.................................................................................................9
Set the instrument for sample spectrum acquisition ..............................................9
Collect a sample spectrum .....................................................................................9
Collect a Kinetic Sample Spectrum ....................................................................10
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Table of Contents
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Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
Spectra Acquisition Tutorial
Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
Spectra Acquisition Tutorial
This guide describes the basic steps to acquire a spectrum with the MB3000 Series
Spectrometer using the Horizon MBTM FTIR software.
Launching the Horizon MBTM FTIR Software
Double click the Horizon MBTM FTIR software desktop icon to launch the
software.
STEP 1
Figure 1- 1. Horizon MBTM FTIR desktop Icon.
STEP 2
If the User Identification dialog box appears,
1.
Enter the required information.
2.
Click OK.
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Connecting to the Instrument
Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
Connecting to the Instrument
STEP 1
In the Instrument Menu, choose Acquisition.
Figure 1- 2. Instrument menu
Wait for the software to detect available instruments. It may take a few seconds.
STEP 2
Select your instrument from the Instrument drop-down menu.
Figure 1- 3. Instrument drop-down menu
Record a background or a reference spectrum
Remove any sample from the sampling accessory (cell, sample holder etc.).
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Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
Set the Instrument for Background Spectrum Acquisition
Set the Instrument for Background Spectrum Acquisition
STEP 1
Click Live.
Figure 1- 4. Live spectrum button
STEP 2
Set the Acquisition and Detector parameters (with the exception of the
Resolution field) as shown in Figure 1- 5.
Figure 1- 5. Acquisition and Detector parameters
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Set the Instrument for Background Spectrum Acquisition
STEP 3
Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
Set the Resolution to an appropriated value for the type of application or of
samples to be analyzed.
Figure 1- 6. Resolution drop down menu.
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Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
Set the Instrument for Background Spectrum Acquisition
Examine the Health Monitoring status and the Signal Strength value located in the
top right corner of the Acquisition window. The Health Monitoring status should
not show any error. Typically, the Signal Strength value should be between 25 and
90%. Optimize the detector gain by following the procedure described in section
Adjusting the Detector Gain Parameter on page 6.
Figure 1- 7. Signal Strength
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Adjusting the Detector Gain Parameter
Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
Adjusting the Detector Gain Parameter
This procedure serves to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by optimizing
the signal treatment inside the detector assembly using the gain value.
STEP 1
Increase by one level the Detector Gain value
Figure 1- 8. Adjusting Detector Gain
6
STEP 2
Observe the Health Monitoring tab title and the Signal Strength value. If the
Health Monitoring tab title is not highlighted and all Health Monitoring status
are OK proceed with Step 3. If this is the case, the Signal Strength (%) should
be below 90%. If Health Monitoring is highlighted in RED and the detector
status shows an error, proceed with Step 4.
STEP 3
Repeat Steps 1 and 2 until the Health Monitoring tab title is highlighted in RED
and the detector status shows an error. Signal Strength value displayed should
be higher than 90%.
STEP 4
Decrease the Detector Gain value by one level.
STEP 5
Click Stop when the Detector Gain parameter is set properly.
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Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
Collect the Background Spectrum
Collect the Background Spectrum
STEP 1
Set the Acquisition Parameters (with the exception of the Resolution and
Scans field) as shown in Figure 1-9.
Figure 1- 9. Acquisition Parameter for background collection
STEP 2
Set Scans parameter to an appropriate value for the type of application or the
samples to be analyzed
The Sample Information section contains all the saving parameters for the
spectrum to be recorded. By default, the spectrum will be named using a
nomenclature that includes the spectrum type and count and date/time stamps. By
default, the background spectrum will be saved in “C:\Documents and
Settings\user name\My Documents\Horizon MB\Reference” and the sample
spectrum will be saved under the data folder in the Measured Data project.
These parameters can be configured and edited if needed.
STEP 3
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Click Reference to start the acquisition of the background spectrum.
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Collect the Background Spectrum
Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
Once the spectral acquisition is finished, the message Measurement finished is
displayed in the bottom left corner of the Acquisition window.
Figure 1- 10. Measurement finished message
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Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
Record a sample spectrum
Record a sample spectrum
Put a sample in the sampling accessory (cell, sample holder etc.).
Set the instrument for sample spectrum acquisition
STEP 1
Click Live. Refer to Figure 1- 4.
STEP 2
Examine the Health Monitoring status and the Signal Strength value located in
the top right corner of the Acquisition window. The Health Monitoring status
should not show any error. Typically, the Signal Strength value should be
between 25 and 90%. Optimize the detector gain by following the procedure
described in section Adjusting the Detector Gain Parameter on page 6.
STEP 3
Once the Detector Gain parameter is set properly, click Stop.
Collect a sample spectrum
The Resolution parameter must be set to the same value used to record the
background spectrum.
STEP 1
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Set the Scans parameter. Refer to Step 2 of the Adjusting the Detector Gain
Parameter on page 6.
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Collect a Kinetic Sample Spectrum
STEP 2
Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
Select the desired Acquisition Mode.
Figure 1- 11. Acquisition Mode drop down menu
The Sample Information section contains all the saving parameters for the
spectrum to be recorded. By default, the spectrum will be named using a
nomenclature that includes the spectrum type and count and date/time stamps. By
default, the background spectrum will be saved in “C:\Documents and
Settings\user name\My Documents\Horizon MB\Reference” and the sample
spectrum will be saved under the data folder in the Measured Data project.
These parameters can be configured and edited if needed.
STEP 3
Click Measure to start the acquisition of the sample spectrum.
STEP 4
Once the spectral acquisition is finished, the message Measurement finished
is displayed in the bottom left corner of the Acquisition window. Refer to
Figure 1- 10.
Collect a Kinetic Sample Spectrum
The Resolution parameter must be set to the same value used to record the
background spectrum.
STEP 1
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Set the Scans parameter. Refer to Step 2 of the Collect the Background
Spectrum on page 7.
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Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
Collect a Kinetic Sample Spectrum
STEP 2
Define the number of consecutive spectra to be recorded by setting the value of
the Measurement field.
STEP 3
If required, define a time delay before the acquisition of the first spectrum by
setting the value of the Initial Delay field.
STEP 4
If required, define a time interval between consecutive spectra by setting the
value of the Interval field.
The time interval between consecutive spectra is defined as the time interval
between the beginning of the current spectrum acquisition and the beginning of
the next spectrum acquisition (i.e. the time interval between consecutive spectra
cannot be smaller than the time required to collect one spectrum).
STEP 5
Select the desired Acquisition Mode. Refer to Figure 1- 11.
The Sample Information section contains all the saving parameters for the
spectrum to be recorded. By default, the spectrum will be named using a
nomenclature that includes the spectrum type and count and date/time stamps. By
default, the background spectrum will be saved in “C:\Documents and
Settings\user name\My Documents\Horizon MB\Reference” and the sample
spectrum will be saved under the data folder in the Measured Data project.
These parameters can be configured and edited if needed.
STEP 6
Click Measure to start the acquisition of the sample spectrum acquisition.
Once the spectral acquisition is finished, the message Measurement finished is
displayed in the bottom left corner of the Acquisition window. Refer to Figure 110.
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Collect a Kinetic Sample Spectrum
Section 1 Spectra Acquisition
At the end of the acquisition the spectrum is displayed in the main software window,
ready to be processed by any Horizon MBTM FTIR tools available according to the
purchased software license.
Figure 1- 12. Recorded spectrum ready to be processed by any
Horizon MBTM FTIR tools available
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