Introduction

The Bruker Tracer 5 is a fully portable analyzer based on energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technology. When X-ray radiation from the handheld XRF instruments' X-ray tube (source) excites the atoms in a sample, the atoms release low-energy fluorescent X-rays detected by device's detector. The energy level of each fluorescent X-ray is characteristic of the element excited. As a result, one can tell what elements are present based on the emitted energy patterns of the X-rays. The Bruker Tracer5 portable XRF (pXRF) allows for elemental measurements on section halves, discrete samples and prepared powder mounts. It is standard for the onboard technician to train one or more scientists in pXRF operation and sample prep. The scientists are then responsible for the work flow during the expedition. The Tracer5 pXRF can be run either independently or through an attached pc laptop. The Bruker RemoteCtrl software mirrors what is present on the screen of the Tracer5 and all functions are the same. If the connection between the device and the laptop is interrupted, there is no loss of data.

Before you begin: The instrument generates X-rays and should only be operated by users trained in radiation safety. Do not expose any part of your body to X-rays!

Theory of Operation

X-ray fluorescence is the production of X-rays in the electron orbits. The handheld XRF functions by bombarding the atoms of the target sample with X-rays. Some of the photons collide with K (and L) shell electrons of the sample, dislodging them from their orbits. This leaves a vacant space in the K (L) shell, which is immediately filled by an electron from the L, M, or N (M or N) shell. This is accompanied by a decrease in the atom's energy, and an X-ray photon is emitted with energy equal to this decrease. Since the energy change is uniquely defined for atoms of a given element, it is possible to predict definite frequencies for the emitted X-rays. This means that when electrons are dislodged from atoms, the emitted X-rays are always identical. These X-rays are analyzed with an X-ray detector and the quantity of K shell and/or L shell X-rays detected will be proportional to the number of atoms of the particular element or elements present in the sample.

Instrument and Accessories

• Bruker Tracer 5i portable XRF (pXRF) with 5 application calibrations:
  • GeoExploration
  • Limestone
  • Mudrock (Air)
  • Mudrock (He)
  • Precious Metals 2
• Desktop stand
• Benchtop stand
• Remote trigger cable
• 3mm and 8mm collimators
• Filters for Cu, 200µm/Ti, 25µm/Al, 300µm (black) and Al, 76µm  (orange)
• Prolene exam windows

1. Login to the computer using the login information on top of the computer keyboard.
2. First, turn on the instrument. To do this press the button on top of the device screen and hold it for a few seconds (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Bruker pXRF Handheld instrument

         3. Click on Bruker RemoteCtrl in the computer screen (Figure 2). You will use this program to control the device from the computer while measuring your samples. 

Figure 2. Bruker Remote Ctrl program

4. Go to File Connect. A window will appear that will show the device number Ex.  900G7838. Select it  and click Ok (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Connecting the device to the computer.

5. A login window will appear on the screen, login using the info on top of the computer keyboard (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Login screen in Bruker Remote Control

6. A pop up message will appear after logging in that tells you the gun's configuration just click OK (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Configuration window when initializing the device.

7. When the device is connected, your screen should look like Figure 6. The device will say Not Armed when the x-ray is not active and the device will say Ready to Test when the x-ray is active.

Figure 6. pXRF initial screen. Left: X-ray is not active. Right: X-ray is active

Exporting Data

1. Click on   in the bottom left of the main screen. After you click on Utilities the following window will appear on the screen (Figure 7). 

Figure 7. Utilities Window.

2. Click on Backup Data.

Then make sure Copy  is selected. 

IMPORTANT: Never select Move as that will move the data from the internal memory into the computer, therefore deleting it from the device. 

3. Save to Archive instead of USB by changing the following (Figure 8).

4. Click the blue down arrow and change the selected file from \USB to \ARCHIVE

Your Data File Destination Location should look like Figure 8.

Data File Destination Location: \ARCHIVE\Data\Backup-dd-mm-yyyy

Figure 8. Backup Data.

5. After you have selected the file destination folder click on 

6. Close Bruker RemoteCtrl.

Bruker Instrument Tools

After you backup the data go to Bruker Instrument Tools icon in the computer's initial window (Figure 9).

Figure 9. Bruker Instrument Tools program

Figure 10. Connect the device to Bruker Instrument Tools.

1. Go to Device  Connect   Select 900G7838   and click Connect (Figure 10 & Figure 11).

Figure 11. Connect window.

2. After you are connected in Bruker instrument tools on the left side of the screen you will see a folder that says ARCHIVE

3. Open the ARCHIVE folder and you will see a screen like figure 12.

Figure 12. Archive folder

4. Go to Data  Open the most recent backup (Figure 13).

Figure 13. Data folder 

5. Select the file called GeoExploration.tsv (Figure 14)

Figure 14. GeoExploration file inside the backup folder.

6. Copy the GeoExploration.tsv file by right-clicking the file name and selecting copy from the dropdown menu. 

7. Without exiting the program find the folder you want to place the data in the bottom window (Figure 15).

\\CLEAVELAND\VOL4\ scratch BCV

8. After you find the folder right-click the selected folder and select Paste  from the dropdown menu.                  

Figure 15. Copy GeoExploration file and paste in to a folder in Windows(C:/)

Opening the file in Excel

1. Open Excel.
2. Open a new workbook and go to the Data tab and select  (Figure 16).

Figure 16. Excel Data window → Select From Text in the left.

You will be prompted to your computer saved folders and you can select the folder where you saved the GeoExploration.tsv file.

3. Once you find the folder select All Files in the bottom right (Figure 17).

4. Then select the GeoExploration.tsv file and click Import. (Figure 17).

Figure 17. Finding the GeoExploration file

5. A window will open showing you a preview of the file and you have to click Load. (Figure 18)

Figure 18. Data Preview

6. Click load and the data will be exported to excel and should look like Figure 19.

Figure 19. Exported file from pXRF gun.

7. Go to Uservol  K_Inorganic_Geochemistry  pXRF 393 Raw Data (Figure 20).

8. Open the most recent data and check the latest sample taken under File #  EX. last file # was 209.

9. Go back to your new exported data file and delete all the samples before that last File # EX. total file number is from 1 to 309. Then delete 1 to 209. Only save sample 210 to 309. 

Figure 20. Save the data to Uservol under the following folders.

10. Save the data in the format mm-dd-yyyy (month-day-year)  

11. Save the file to Uservol  K_Inorganic_Geochemistry  pXRF 393 Raw Data (Figure 20) for Exp 393.

LIMS Component Table

ARCHIVE

LN-BrukerpXRFHandheld-270922-1259-68.pdf - September 27, 2022