Dead Time Calibration Pane

This section describes the functions in the Dead Time Calibration pane.

 

• Toolbar
• Setup Table
• Dead Time Calibration
• Running the Dead Time Calibration
• Context Menu
• To Get Here

Toolbar

Task Settings Toolbar

 

Drag to move the toolbar.

Starts Dead Time Calibration after the signal is stabilized. To start the Dead Time Calibration, the following conditions must be met.

• [EM Setting] is completed.
• The element used for the calibration has sufficient sensitivity.

Select the acquired element from the list.

Set the vial position for the low-concentration standard solution.

Set the vial position for the high-concentration standard solution.

Setup Table

Displays the measured values for the Dead Time Calibration.

[Parameter]

Displays the parameter (Dead Time).

[Current Value]

Displays the measured values from the Dead Time Calibration.

[Unit]

Displays the unit for the measurement.

Dead Time Calibration

Dead time is the interval after an ion arrives at the detector, during which the counting of a pulse takes place. It is determined by the width of the multiple output pulse, electronic pulse widths and circuit recovery times. Other ions that arrive during this time are not recorded.

A typical value of dead time is 40 nsec.

Dead time correction is performed in the following calculation.

N = n / (1-nT)

N: Count after correction (cps)

n: Count before correction (cps)

t: Correction parameter (= Dead Time)

 

Dead time calibration needs to be done after you replace the electron multiplier.

 

Running the Dead Time Calibration

This section describes how to run the Dead Time Calibration by using erbium (Er) solution. Indium (In) can also be used for dead time calibration.

Run the Dead Time calibration as follows:

1. Perform the EM and discriminator adjustment in Startup.

2. Prepare the calibration standard solution to use for Dead Time Calibration.

Prepare two different Er (or In) standard solutions so that the concentration of one solution is more than 10 times larger than the other.

For example, 50ppb Er and 1ppm Er.

3. If the instrument is not in Analysis Mode, ignite the plasma to put the instrument in Analysis Mode.

4. Introduce the 50 ppb Er solution.

Tune the sensitivity to make the count of the major isotope ¹66Er in the range of 50,000 - 1,000,000 count / 0.1 sec.

5. Right-click the illustration of the Detector on the Dashboard Pane to display the context menu, then click [Dead Time Calibration].

6. Select "Er (164/166)" for [Element], specify the vial number of the lower concentration standard solution in [Cal Std(Lower Conc)] and the vial number of the higher concentration standard solution in [Cal Std(Upper Conc)].

7. Click on the toolbar.

   The dead-time calibration starts and a dead time is displayed.

   Typical Dead Time = 30 - 60 nano seconds

Context Menu

This section describes the commands that are available in the context menu, which is displayed when you right-click in the pane. The commands that are not listed below have the same function as their counterparts on the toolbars.

[Export Table]

Opens the [Export Table] (Entire Table) dialog box, which lets you export the entire table. This command is available when a pane that includes a table is selected.

[Print]

Opens the [Print] dialog box, which lets you print the contents of the selected pane.

To Get Here

• Click [Dashboard] from the [Hardware] group in the Task Navigator, and then select [Dead Time Calibration] from [Detector].
• Click [Dead Time Calibration] from the [Hardware] group in the Task Navigator. If the menu is not currently displayed, select the [Detector] check box on the Dashboard Pane.