Measuring Pb, Th, and U inter-element ratios in geological materials using extreme ultraviolet laser ablation and ionization mass spectrometry

Abstract

Extreme ultraviolet laser ablation and ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (EUV TOF), using a laser that operates at a wavelength of 46.9 nm (26.4 eV photon energy), is a relatively new...

Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in atomic spectrometry and related techniques

“…However, the data acquisition was extremely rapid without the need for purication and the ability to target the analytical regions of interest, i.e., those areas of the sample where detrital 232 Th had not accumulated, was seen as being of great interest. The U-Th-Pb system was also investigated by Rush et al 162 who utilised a new extreme UV LA system in conjunction with a TOFMS spectrometer. The aim of their study was to see if matrix effects from geological specimens were reduced when determining 206 Pb/ 238 U and 232 Th/ 238 U.…”

Reduction of surface charging effects in laser ablation ionisation mass spectrometry through gold coating

“…Surface charging is also a common problem in Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and the standard technique to reduce it is to sputter coat nonconductive samples with a thin conductive layer, usually with high-purity gold or carbon in the case of geological samples. 5,6 Gold coating of non-conductive samples has also been applied in Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), 7 extreme ultraviolet laser ablation ionisation mass spectrometry (EUV-TOF-MS) 8 and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS). 9 In this contribution, two techniques for reducing surface charging occurring when studying non-conductive samples with a fs-LIMS system were investigated; rst, the time available for charge dissipation between laser shots was increased, and second, the sample was sputter coated with a thin gold layer.…”