NanoSIMS

The Cameca NanoSIMS 50 is a new generation of ion-microprobe that combines high lateral and spectral resolution together with high sensitivity. The coaxial lens design allows the primary beam to be focused to sub-50 nm for Cs+ primary ions and sub-150 nm for O- primary ions. As the ion beam rasters across the surface secondary ions are sputtered from the sample and extracted to a double focusing mass spectrometer. Parallel detectors allow the mapping of up to five ion species simultaneously. Isotope ratios can be determined with a precision of up to 1 per mil from small micro-volumes or sub-micron grains. Visit the Cameca NanoSIMS website.

The UWA NanoSIMS, the first and only in the southern hemisphere, was opened in December 2003. Applications are diverse, encompassing material science, biology and biomedicine, and geology. The high-resolution ion-imaging capability is a powerful and unique feature of the instrument, and is particularly suitable for experiments involving trace element tagging or isotopic tracers. In addition to mapping, depth-profiles and line-scans can also be performed.

Anyone who has an interest in potentially using the NanoSIMS for their research, should contact Dr Matt Kilburn in the first instance.