Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T14:30:11.504Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Parallel Monte Carlo Simulation Using Desktop Computers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2018

John Henry J. Scott
Affiliation:
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Robert L. Myklebust
Affiliation:
Myklebust Consulting
Dale E. Newbury
Affiliation:
National Institute of Standards and Technology

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Monte Carlo simulation of electron scattering in solids has proven valuable to electron microscopists for many years. The electron trajectories, x-ray generation volumes, and scattered electron signals produced by these simulations are used in quantitative x-ray microanalysis, image interpretation, experimental design, and hypothesis testing. Unfortunately, these simulations are often computationally expensive, especially when used to simulate an image or survey a multidimensional region of parameter space.

Here we present techniques for performing Monte Carlo simulations in parallel on a cluster of existing desktop computers. The simulation of multiple, independent electron trajectories in a sample and the collateral calculation of detected xray and electron signals fall into a class of computational problems termed “embarrassingly parallel”, since no information needs to be exchanged between parallel threads of execution during the calculation.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2000

References

1. Joy, D.C., Monte Carlo Modeling for Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis, Oxford (1995).Google Scholar
2. Romig, A. D. Jr., et al, in Michael, J. R. et al, Eds, Microbeam Analysis - 1990, San Francisco Press (1990) 275.Google Scholar
3. Michael, J. R. et al., Ultramicroscopy 51 (1993)160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Romig, A. D. et al., in Bailey, G. W. et al., Eds., Proc. 52nd Ann. Mtg. MSA/29'hAnn. Mtg. MAS (1994)910.Google Scholar
5. PVM is free, and can be obtained from http://www.erjm.ornl. qov/pvm/.Google Scholar
6. Myklebust, R. L. et al., in Use of Monte Carlo Calculations in Electron Probe Microanalysis and Scanning Electron Microscopy, Washington, D.C, NBS Special Pub 460 (1975)105. JHS gratefully acknowledges the help and advice of Judy Devaney, Michael Indovina, and Carl Spangler of the NIST High Performance Systems and Services Division.Google Scholar