NERC Ion Micro-Probe Facility (SIMS)

The Ion Microprobe Facility (IMF) is the only UK facility enabling SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) analysis of a wide range of natural and synthetic materials. The Facility carries out in-house research and provides geochemical analysis and training for the UK Earth and Environmental Sciences sector, including Earth system science, tectonics and rock mechanics, high temperature geochemistry, palaeoclimatology, palaeontology, biogeochemical cycling and ore deposit mineralisation. It is partially funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). The Facility is located in the School of GeoSciences, Grant Institute at the University of Edinburgh. The Facility is equipped with the Cameca ims 4f, Cameca ims 1270 and Cameca imf-7f Geo ion micro-probes for SIMS analysis. They enable precise determination of the concentrations of a range of elements and isotopes, at high spatial resolution in a range of geological and environmental materials. SIMS is unique among micro-analytical geochemical techniques for the small spot size (<5 µm), sensitivity (ng/g), depth resolution (nm) and range of elements (from H to U) that may be detected at a high precision: no other instrumentation can compete with this.