New Wave Research, Inc. - GLITTER - Data Reduction Software for the Laser Ablation Microprobe

The technology has been licensed to New Wave Research (California) who offer the GLITTER package as an option with their new instruments, as well as in an unbundled format to provide access for users of existing instruments.

Services and Applications

• GLITTER provides the first real-time interactive data reduction for LAM-ICPMS analysis; it allows inspection and evaluation of each result before the next analysis spot is chosen.

Key benefits:

• GLITTER enables rapid selection of the best intervals for background and signal measurement. Time-resolved data for each analyte mass are displayed in a unique pixel-row display to allow quick recognition of inclusions and data spikes. Results in tables and plots change automatically when different integration intervals are selected.

• With online analysis it provides calculation of the results for each analysis during the run. The first results are calculated as soon as one standard and one sample have been analysed. With each additional standard analysis, the data are instantaneously adjusted to take account of changes in the analytical conditions such as instrumental drift; no off-line reprocessing is required.

• GLITTER also provides a variety of plotting and diagnostic options allowing the user to evaluate the quality and significance of each analysis during the run.

GLITTER is written in the IDL programming language and provides cross-platform support for a number of environments, including Windows 98 and NT, MacOS, and Unix. The current release supports the Perkin Elmer ELAN 5100, 6000, 6100 and HP4500, Agilent 7500, Micromass, ThermoFinnigan Element, ThermoFinnigan Element II and VG-PQ2, utilising the time-resolved data output option. It can be readily adapted to other LA-ICPMS systems which can produce time-resolved signals.

GLITTER consists of five main interactive user interfaces ("windows"):

• The GLITTER "Main Window", containing the main menu options and the table of results.
• The "Standards" window, calling for the user to input the identity and values of the internal standard.
• The "Review" window, where the time-resolved laser signals are viewed and integration intervals are selected by the user.
• The "Plot" window(s), where data are visualised in various ways.
• The "Options" window, where the user can control the yield interpolation options, background fitting, magnitude of uncertainty estimates etc.

The "GLITTER", "Review" and "Plot" windows typically remain on the screen during a session, whereas "Standards" and "Options" only appears when needed or when called by the user. The size of datasets is unrestricted. Movement within a dataset also is unrestricted and all windows are dynamically linked. This means that:

• If marker positions are changed in the "Review" window, the table of results and all dataplots on the screen at the time are automatically updated to reflect these changes.
• The selected (highlighted) analysis number in "GLITTER" is also the selected analysis number in "Review" and "Plot", and vice versa.

Data can be written to disk as ASCII text at any time, for further off-line analysis in spreadsheet programs.