Instrument specification and virtual tours

Find technical information including instrument specification and support equipment available. You can also access 360 virtual views.

The Ion Micro-Probe Facility is equipped with:

  1. Cameca IMS 4f
  2. Cameca 1270
  3. Cameca IMS 7f-Geo
  4. Support equipment

Please find more details on each of the instruments under the sections below.

The Cameca IMS 7f-Geo was installed in October 2018 and accepted in March 2019. It is equipped with a unique detection system combining a double Faraday cup and an Electron Multiplier. With this configuration, acquisition time is shortened and sub-permil precision for stable isotope ratio measurements can be achieved. Advances in electronics and software allows more automated analysis to be performed and the new Hyperion ion source produces a more stable O- ion beam with a higher spatial resolution.

Details include:

  • A unique detection system combining a double Faraday cup detector system and an Electron Multiplier.
  • Advances in electronics and software allows more automated analysis to be performed.
  • A Hyperion ion source that produces a more stable O- or O2- ion beam with a higher spatial resolution.
  • A six sample rapid air-lock system.
  • Pfeiffer turbo pumps as a replacement for Agilent puming system.

360 view of our IMS-7f Laboratory


***ALL NEEDS UPDATING***

 

The Cameca IMS 1270 was installed in January 2003 and provides better sensitivity and higher precision than the Cameca ims. Dramatic improvements in external repeatability of isotopic ratio measurements for stable isotopes (O, Si, C, S, Li, B.) have been achieved, while the high transmission of the 1270 at high mass resolution has enabled new areas of geochronology (U/Pb, Th/Pb, Th/U in Zircon, Monazite and Allenite) to be developed.

Details include:

  • Mass resolution up to 40,000.
  • NMR or Hall probe control of the Magnetic field.
  • Duoplasmatron ion source for either positive or negative O ion generation with pumping and gun isolation.
  • Duo-Lens Option (L1) to obtain higher density O ion beam.
  • Cs microbeam ion source with additional pumping and gun isolation for the production of Cs+ ions.
  • Four sample, fast entry air lock.
  • Oxygen flooding attachment.
  • Multi collector option installed with 3 electron multipliers and 4 Faraday cups.
  • Normal incidence electron gun for charge neutralisation while analysing insulating specimens.
  • Scanning ion image option for image collection.
  • Z-stage for adjusting the height of sample.
  • Turbo molecular pump installed on the multi collector system.

Support equipment

The facility also has the necessary support equipment:

  • Sample preparation including impregnation, cutting, grinding and polishing equipment.
  • Gold and carbon sputter coaters and a carbon evaporation coater.
  • Reflected and transmitted light microscopes with photographic facilities for specimen documentation.
  • Off-line data translation and processing computers.
  • Cathodoluminescence microscope in support of ion microprobe applications.
  • Tencor Instruments Alpha-step 200 depth profiler, for measurement of pit depths.
  • Access to the Electron Microprobe Facility and the SEM Facility in support of ion microprobe applications.
  • Access to Zygo surface structure analyser.
  • A Leybolds UL200 leak detector that is available to other NERC facilities and all Departments at the University of Edinburgh.

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