Almelo, the Netherlands: PANalytical, one of the world’s leading suppliers of analytical X-ray equipment and software has launched a new version of HighScore (Plus), their proven powder diffraction analysis software. A number of major changes have been introduced and provide users with several brand-new functions, making their lives a lot easier.

HighScore covers qualitative and quantitative XRD phase determinations, crystallographic analysis, all kinds of profile and phase fits up to charge flipping structure analysis, as well as statistical methods to evaluate very large numbers of scans. All functionality is in one consistent graphical user interface, and is supported with extensive online help and tutorials, making the software unique in its kind. HighScore can read virtually all powder diffraction data, including formats from all major diffractometer brands and beamline formats. For these reasons, HighScore has become the software of choice for many X-ray laboratories in universities and industries alike.

The new software version contains a number of new functions such as: partial least squares (PLS) regression to predict data from observed scan variations (data mining), calculation of element or oxide concentrations from phase quantities and the use of spherical harmonics to describe complex preferred orientations. A unique bitmap-to-scan converter and the unrivalled scripting functionality contribute to HighScore’s excellence.

Product marketing manager XRD Martijn Fransen says: ”Due to the completely rebuilt refinement engine (the Rietveld kernel), previous limitations for the number of atoms, peaks, phases or data points and for overlapping peaks, have been eliminated completely. It is now possible to fit asymmetric peaks (via split-peaks) and to mix structure fits and profile fits in one refinement. HKL phases and automatic fitting batches are supported and last but not least the profile fit is very fast and stable. HighScore 4.0 is now ready for the future.”

HighScore version 4.0 is now available with the former HighScore Plus functionality as ‘Plus’ option on top of the more basic HighScore package.

About PANalytical

PANalytical is the world’s leading supplier of analytical instrumentation and software for X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). The materials characterization equipment is used for scientific research and development, for industrial process control applications and for semiconductor metrology.

During the last decade PANalytical has added a variety of other analysis techniques to their product portfolio. Optical emission spectrometry (OBLF GmbH, Germany), pulsed fast thermal neutron activation (Sodern, France) and near-infrared (ASD Inc.) capabilities together with XRD and XRF can provide customers with tailor-made analytical solutions for the characterization of a wide range of products such as cement, metals, nanomaterials, polymers and many more.

PANalytical’s headquarters are in Almelo, the Netherlands. Fully equipped application laboratories are established in Japan, China, the USA, Brazil, and the Netherlands. PANalytical’s research activities are based in Almelo (NL) and on the campus of the University of Sussex in Brighton (UK). Supply and competence centers are located on two sites in the Netherlands: Almelo (development and production of X-ray instruments) and Eindhoven (development and production of X-ray tubes) and in Boulder, USA (development and production of near-infrared instruments). PANalytical is active in all but a few countries of the world. This worldwide sales and service network ensures unrivalled levels of customer support.

The company is certified in accordance with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

Visit www.panalytical.com for more information about our activities.

PANalytical is part of Spectris plc, the productivity-enhancing instrumentation and controls company.

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PANalytical

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