Stage

Stage Control Panel Click on the image (when the cursor is a hand) to jump to a topic.

The Stage Control Panel displays and allows control over specimen-stage positions. The positions stored can be saved to (or loaded) from file using the Stage File control panel in the Stage Control panel flap-out.

 
To top      Position list

The position list displays the specimen-stage positions stored. The list shows columns with X, Y, Z, a and b values (the latter only in case of a double-tilt holder). Positions can be added, deleted, saved in or reloaded fro file, and moved to. Positions are selected by clicking with the mouse (or, if the list has the Windows focus - that is, it is the last Windows item used - the arrow keys of the keyboard can also be used to step through the list).

 
To top      Move to

Instructs the specimen stage to move to the position currently highlighted in the position list.

Specimen-stage Move To's and Go To's

There are two different types of specimen-stage movements (apart from the ones initiated by the trackball) : Move To's and Go To's. The difference between these two is in the procedure followed by the specimen-stage to reach the new position. With Go To's the specimen stage will move on all axes (as far as necessary) at the same time. This is the mode of movement used when the  Go To or Undo buttons are pressed. The Go To is more direct and therefore faster than the recall.

With Move To's a fixed procedure is used to enhance safety during movement (to remove the possibility altogether of a high-speed collision between the moving stage and a fixed part of the microscope). This fixed procedure consists of the following steps:

Some of these steps may be absent. For example if a single-tilt holder is used, the b tilt steps are omitted. Or if no new values for X and Y are entered, only a Z go to is done in the third step.

Note: The Move To method is strongly advised if large specimen-stage movements are made.

 
To top      Go to

Instructs the specimen stage to go to the position currently highlighted in the position list.

Specimen-stage Move To's and Go To's

There are two different types of specimen-stage movements (apart from the ones initiated by the trackball) : Move To's and Go To's. The difference between these two is in the procedure followed by the specimen stage to reach the new position. With Go To's the specimen stage will move on all axes (as far as necessary) at the same time. This is the mode of movement used when the  Go To or Undo buttons are pressed. The Go To is more direct and therefore faster than the recall.

With Move To's a fixed procedure is used to enhance safety during movement (to remove the possibility altogether of a high-speed collision between the moving stage and a fixed part of the microscope). This fixed procedure consists of the following steps:

Some of these steps may be absent. For example if a single-tilt holder is used, the b tilt steps are omitted. Or if no new values for X and Y are entered, only a Z go to is done in the third step.

Note: The Move To method is strongly advised if large specimen-stage movements are made.

 
To top      Add

Adds the current specimen-stage position to the position list.

 
To top      Delete

Deletes the currently highlighted position in the position list.

 
To top      Delete All

Deletes all positions in the position list. Requires confirmation.

 
To top      XY only

Move To's and Go To's can be done for all five axes together or only for XY. The check box XY only defines which of these methods will be used (XY only on means that only X and Y will be changed). An example of the use of the all-axes method would be tilting to different zone axes on a single crystal, whereas XY only could be used to move to different X-Y positions stored at the currently active tilt settings.

 
To top      Stage flap-out

Pressing the arrow button displays the flap-out containing the Control, Set,  File and Enable control panels.

Page last modified on 11/13/00