The facility supports in-house research, as well as academic and commercial services in Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) analysis for the chemical analysis of small volumes of material. Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) is used for the chemical and isotopic analysis of small volumes of solid material down to parts per billion for many elements.The facility is supported by the School of GeoSciences and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), under its National Capability portfolio.The Ion Micro-Probe is run in conjunction with:Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) FacilityScanning Electron Microscope (SEM) Facility Together, they form a unique suite of analytical instruments within the Edinburgh Materials and Micro-Analysis Centre (EMMAC). The facilities are located within the School of GeoSciences, at the University of Edinburgh. Access and costs Contact details and guidance on access to the facility for staff, students and visitors including costs and application information. Instrument specification and virtual tours Find technical information including instrument specification and support equipment available. You can also access 360 virtual views. Publications, reports and projects Explore publications and theses which used facility data, as well as NERC-approved projects and scientific reports from the EIMF. User guide Information on the SIMS technique and guidance on how to prepare and submit samples for analysis at the NERC Ion Micro-Probe facility. Contact and location ContactEnquiries and requests: ionprobe@ed.ac.ukAddress: Ionprobe Facility, The University of Edinburgh, School of GeoSciences, Grant Institute, King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FE, UK.Cameca IMS 1300 Laboratory: +44 (0)131 650 7864Cameca 7f-Geo Laboratory: +44 (0)131 650 5825Dr Jens BaroschJens.Barosch@ed.ac.ukIon Micro-Probe SpecialistDr Cees-Jan De Hoogceesjan.dehoog@ed.ac.ukIon Micro-Probe SpecialistDr Cristina TalaveraCristina.Talavera@ed.ac.ukIon Micro-Probe SpecialistDr Alan HastieAlan.Hastie@ed.ac.ukCo-PI and NERC IMF Committee MemberProf Linda Kirsteinlinda.kirstein@ed.ac.ukPI and NERC IMF Committee MemberFollow us on Bluesky: @eimf.bsky.socialLocationThe NERC Ion Micro-Probe Facility (SIMS) is located in Room 112/113 of the Grant Institute, King's Buildings campus at The University of Edinburgh.Please note that parking on campus is strictly by permit only, and parking spaces are subject to availability. Commercial and external users should contact our staff about parking arrangements. Campus maps and travel information This article was published on 2026-02-18
