Reference

Capabilities reference

Complete overview of Semphony capabilities exposed through the Python SDK, control-server REST API, and MCP agent tools. Use the vendor columns to see what is implemented on TESCAN Mira 3 (SharkSEM) vs ZEISS Gemini (SmartSEM).

✓ Supported on this vendor — Not available (command will fail or is not mapped) SDK — wrapped in semphony REST — POST .../commands/{command} or system quick-control route

Imaging — acquisition & orchestration

High-level imaging workflows. Orchestrations run in the SDK; single-frame acquire is a blocking device command.

Capability	SDK method	TESCAN	ZEISS	Notes
`imaging.acquire`	`device.acquire()`	✓	✓	Blocks until image uploaded. ZEISS: optional `grab_immediately` freeze-then-grab.
`imaging.live.start` / `.stop`	REST only	✓	✓	`POST /api/systems/{system}/live/start\|stop`
`imaging.sample_map`	`device.sample_map()`	✓	✓	SDK snake-grid orchestration. ZEISS resolution must match `DP_IMAGE_STORE`.
`imaging.save_roi`	`imaging.save_roi()`	✓	✓	`l0_fov_um="max"` needs `get_view_field_limits` (ZEISS).
`imaging.find_roi`	`imaging.find_roi()`	✓	✓	Requires `semphony[find-roi]`. Coordinate defaults differ by vendor.
`feed_snap`	`client.feed_snap()` / `imaging.feed_snap()`	✓	✓	PiKVM live-view JPEG; system-level, not SEM SDK. Requires display feed configured.

Chamber & stage

Stage coordinates at the SDK boundary are canonical µm (x/y/z) and degrees (r/t). Device clients convert from vendor-native units.

Capability	SDK method	TESCAN	ZEISS	Notes
`vacuum.vent`	`chamber.vent()`	✓	✓	Guardrails require beam off before vent.
`vacuum.pump`	`chamber.pump()`	✓	✓
`stage.get_pos`	`stage.get_pos()`	✓	✓	Live SDK query (sync).
`stage.get_latest_pos`	`stage.get_latest_pos()`	✓	✓	Cached metrics; 409 if stale (>5 s).
`stage.move_to`	`stage.move_to()`	✓	✓	Async (202 + correlation_id).
`stage.move_delta`	`stage.move_delta()`	✓	✓	ZEISS: frame-relative motion. Relative guardrails limit move to % of FOV.

Focus, beam & field of view

Capability	SDK method	TESCAN	ZEISS	Notes
`imaging.get_focus_params`	`imaging.get_focus_params()`	✓	✓	WD (mm) + stigmation X/Y.
`imaging.set_focus_params`	`imaging.set_focus_params()`	✓	✓	Omitted parameters are left unchanged.
`imaging.vendor_autofocus`	`imaging.vendor_autofocus()`	—	✓	SmartSEM fine/coarse autofocus. `imaging.autofocus()` with no config delegates here on ZEISS.
`imaging.vendor_auto_stigmation`	`imaging.vendor_auto_stigmation()`	—	✓	SmartSEM auto-stigmation.
DeepFocus ML autofocus	`imaging.autofocus(AutofocusConfig)`	✓	✓	Requires `semphony[autofocus]`. See DeepFocus guide.
`imaging.toggle_beam`	`imaging.set_beam()`	✓	✓	Also via `POST .../beam/on\|off`.
`imaging.set_hv`	`imaging.set_hv()`	✓	✓	TESCAN: `HVSetVoltage`. ZEISS: `AP_MANUALKV`.
`imaging.set_view_field`	`imaging.set_view_field()`	✓	✓	Horizontal FOV in µm.
`imaging.get_view_field_limits`	`imaging.get_view_field_limits()`	—	✓	SmartSEM `GetLimits("AP_WIDTH")`.
`get_metrics`	`imaging.get_metrics()`	✓	✓	Beam, stage, vacuum, FOV, stigmator, etc. Also `GET .../sem-metrics`.

Scan control, detector, blanker & freeze

Capability	SDK method	TESCAN	ZEISS	Notes
`imaging.get_scan_speed` / `.set_scan_speed`	`imaging.get_scan_speed()` / `set_scan_speed()`	✓	✓	TESCAN: `ScGet/SetSpeed`. ZEISS: `DP_SCANRATE` 0–21.
`imaging.get_scan_rotation` / `.set_scan_rotation`	`imaging.get_scan_rotation()` / `rotate_scan()`	—	✓	`AP_SCANROTATION` / `DP_SCAN_ROT`.
`imaging.rotate_scan_delta`	`imaging.rotate_scan_delta()`	—	✓	Used by `find_roi` when rotation correction is enabled.
`imaging.disable_scan_rotation`	`imaging.disable_scan_rotation()`	—	✓
`imaging.get/set_blanker`	`imaging.get_blanker()` / `set_blanker()`	✓	✓	Also `POST .../blank/on\|off`.
`imaging.get/set_freeze`	`imaging.get_freeze()` / `set_freeze()`	—	✓	`DP_FROZEN`. Also `POST .../freeze/on\|off`.
`imaging.get/set_detector`	`imaging.get_detector()` / `set_detector()`	—	✓	`DP_DETECTOR_TYPE`.
`imaging.list_detectors`	`imaging.list_detectors()`	—	✓	Probes available detector options.
`imaging.get/set_brightness`	REST only	✓	✓	Use `client.invoke_capability(..., "imaging.set_brightness", {"pct": ...})`.
`imaging.get/set_contrast`	REST only	✓	✓	Same pattern as brightness via `invoke_capability`.
`imaging.fix_beam`	`imaging.fix_beam_at()`	✓	✓	Point scan for EDS. Always call `stop_scan()` after.
`imaging.stop_scan`	`imaging.stop_scan()`	✓	✓	TESCAN `ScStopScan`; ZEISS leave `DP_SPOT`.
`imaging.scan_window`	`imaging.scan_window()`	✓	—	Rectangular scan region in scan space.

TESCAN SharkSEM — geometries & centerings

SharkSEM-style alignment parameters. Access via device.imaging.geometric_transformations and device.imaging.centerings.

Capability	SDK method	TESCAN	ZEISS
`imaging.geometric_transformations.list`	`.geometric_transformations.list()`	✓	—
`imaging.geometric_transformations.get`	`.geometric_transformations.get()`	✓	—
`imaging.geometric_transformations.set`	`.geometric_transformations.set()`	✓	—
`imaging.geometric_transformations.reset`	`.geometric_transformations.reset()`	✓	—
`imaging.centerings.list`	`.centerings.list()`	✓	—
`imaging.centerings.get`	`.centerings.get()`	✓	—
`imaging.centerings.set`	`.centerings.set()`	✓	—

EDS

Attach an EdsDevice (system_type="eds"). Vendor column shows EDAX-style EDS devices, not SEM vendor.

Capability	SDK method	EDS device	Notes
`eds.acquire_spectrum`	`EdsDevice.acquire_spectrum()`	✓	Blocking sync command. Download via `client.download_file()`.
`eds.collect_maps`	`EdsDevice.collect_maps()`	✓	Implementation-dependent; some devices return not implemented.

Runs, sessions & operator workflow

Feature	SDK	REST endpoint
Create / resume run	`client.run()`	`POST /api/runs`
Open session	`run.session().start()`	`POST /api/runs/{run}/sessions`
Set guardrails	`ImagingGuardrails on session`	`PUT .../guardrails`
Attach device	`device.attach(session)`	`POST .../attach`
Checkpoint	`session.checkpoint(name)`	`POST .../checkpoint`
Control handoff	`session.checkpoint() blocks`	`GET/POST .../control-state, request-control, release-control`
Await human	`imaging.await_human(message)`	`POST .../await-human`
Close session	`session.close()`	`POST .../close`
Download artifact	`client.download_image()`	`GET /api/artifacts/{id}`
Download file (EDS)	`client.download_file()`	`GET /api/files/{id}`

REST quick controls (no run/session)

Dashboard and mobile app routes that dispatch directly to the first SEM on a system.

Route	TESCAN	ZEISS	Maps to
`POST .../beam/on\|off`	✓	✓	`imaging.toggle_beam`
`POST .../blank/on\|off`	✓	✓	`imaging.set_blanker`
`POST .../freeze/on\|off`	—	✓	`imaging.set_freeze`
`POST .../hv`	✓	✓	`imaging.set_hv`
`POST .../working-distance`	✓	✓	`imaging.set_focus_params`
`POST .../field-of-view`	✓	✓	`imaging.set_view_field`
`POST .../live/acquire`	✓	✓	`imaging.acquire`
`GET .../live/latest.jpg`	✓	✓	`Latest live JPEG stream`
`POST .../display-feed/feed-snap`	✓	✓	`PiKVM crop snapshot`
`GET .../sem-metrics`	✓	✓	`Cached SEM metrics`

MCP agent tools

The Semphony MCP server (python -m semphony.mcp) wraps the REST API for AI agents. Mutating tools require a unique idempotency_key. Long jobs return a job ID — poll with get_job.

Lifecycle

list_systems, list_devices
start_run, open_session, attach_device
checkpoint, await_human, close_session
get_control_state, request_control, release_control

Read-only getters

get_stage_pos, get_latest_stage_pos
get_focus_params, get_metrics, get_sem_metrics
get_view_field, get_scan_speed, get_scan_rotation
get_detector, get_blanker, get_latest_image
list_geometric_transformations, list_centerings (TESCAN)

Control (idempotency_key)

move_stage_to, move_stage_delta
set_focus_params, vendor_autofocus (ZEISS)
set_field_of_view, set_high_voltage, set_beam
set_blanker, set_scan_speed, set_scan_rotation
chamber_vent, chamber_pump
set_geometric_transformation, set_centering (TESCAN)
stop_scan

Long-running jobs

start_acquire
start_sample_map
start_find_roi
start_eds_spectrum, start_eds_maps
deepfocus_autofocus (SDK-side ML)
get_job — poll status/result

Server capabilities without SDK wrappers

Defined in the control server but not yet exposed as typed Python SDK methods. Call via client.invoke_capability() or extend the SDK.

imaging.set_magnification, imaging.set_view, imaging.set_beam_params
imaging.trigger_auto_beam_align
stage.set_limits, stage.set_unsafe_override
actuation.push_in_rbse, actuation.pull_out_rbse (TESCAN GUI automation)
kammweiss.start_displacement, kammweiss.stop_displacement, kammweiss.save_dds, kammweiss.set_limits