TY - JOUR
T1 - SIMS sputtering rates in biogenic aragonite: implications for culture calibration studies for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction
AU - EIMF
AU - Allison, N.
AU - Chambers, D.
AU - Finch, A.A.
PY - 2013/9/1
Y1 - 2013/9/1
N2 - We used scanning white light interferometry to view the craters produced during secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis of the CaCO skeleton of an aragonitic coral. The dimensions and volumes of craters sputtered during trace element, δO, δC and δB analyses were determined. Sputtering rates were ∼6 μm nA min for a O primary beam and ranged from ∼12 μm nA min (for δO analyses) to ∼19 μm nA (for δC analyses) using a Cs primary beam. Sputter yields (atoms sputtered/impinging primary ions) ranged from 1.3 to 1.4 for a O primary beam and from 2.5 to 4.5 using a Cs primary beam. Useful ion yields (ions detected/atoms sputtered), using instrument conditions typically used in geoscience applications, were of the order of 10 for B, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and C and 10 for O. The maximum lengths of the SIMS craters, at the sample surface, range from ∼17 μm (δC analyses) to ∼36 μm (δB analyses) and crater depths range from ≤3 μm (δO analyses) to >20 μm (δB analyses). These dimensions are significant in relation to accretion rates in a range of biogenic carbonates and SIMS analyses typically sample carbonate deposited over time periods of days to months depending on the organism and structure analysed. In culture calibration studies, accurate determination of the temporal resolution of the analysed volume is crucial to ensure that the entire volume reflects the culture conditions and does not include carbonate deposited prior to introduction of the organism to the culture system.
AB - We used scanning white light interferometry to view the craters produced during secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis of the CaCO skeleton of an aragonitic coral. The dimensions and volumes of craters sputtered during trace element, δO, δC and δB analyses were determined. Sputtering rates were ∼6 μm nA min for a O primary beam and ranged from ∼12 μm nA min (for δO analyses) to ∼19 μm nA (for δC analyses) using a Cs primary beam. Sputter yields (atoms sputtered/impinging primary ions) ranged from 1.3 to 1.4 for a O primary beam and from 2.5 to 4.5 using a Cs primary beam. Useful ion yields (ions detected/atoms sputtered), using instrument conditions typically used in geoscience applications, were of the order of 10 for B, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and C and 10 for O. The maximum lengths of the SIMS craters, at the sample surface, range from ∼17 μm (δC analyses) to ∼36 μm (δB analyses) and crater depths range from ≤3 μm (δO analyses) to >20 μm (δB analyses). These dimensions are significant in relation to accretion rates in a range of biogenic carbonates and SIMS analyses typically sample carbonate deposited over time periods of days to months depending on the organism and structure analysed. In culture calibration studies, accurate determination of the temporal resolution of the analysed volume is crucial to ensure that the entire volume reflects the culture conditions and does not include carbonate deposited prior to introduction of the organism to the culture system.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84881373191&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/sia.5297
DO - 10.1002/sia.5297
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84881373191
SN - 0142-2421
VL - 45
SP - 1389
EP - 1394
JO - Surface and Interface Analysis
JF - Surface and Interface Analysis
IS - 9
ER -