HELGES – UV Femtosecond Laser Ablation
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The UV fs laser ablation lab at HELGES is a state-of-the-art facility for the in situ micro-scale analysis of isotope ratios and element concentrations in a wide range of solid geological and environmental materials (such as rocks, minerals, soils, meteorites, biogenic silica (phytoliths) and calcium carbonate-producing organisms, etc).
Femtosecond lasers ablate with minimal thermal heating to the surrounding area of the crater due to the short laser pulse length compared to the photon relaxation time, i.e., the laser energy can be deposited into the material before it can thermally equilibrate. This predominantly non-thermal ablation minimises laser-induced fractionation and matrix dependence.
Our laser system can be coupled with the (mass) spectrometers (Thermo Neptune MC-ICP-MS, iCAP-qMS) to simultaneously measure both isotope ratios and element concentrations. Currently, the methods are established for analysing stable metal(loid) isotopes of B, Mg, Si, S, and Fe, and element concentrations in a wide range of matrices.
Laser ablation split stream (LASS)-ICP-MS for simultaneous stable isotope ratio and major, minor and trace element analysis: We have developed analytical routines to obtain stable isotope ratios (B, Mg, Si, S, Fe) with simultaneous determination of element concentrations from a single area of typically 20 to 100 µm. The laser ablation system is simultaneously coupled to a multi collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS, Thermo Neptune) for isotope ratio analysis and to an inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometer (ICP-qMS, Thermo iCAP Q) for element concentration measurements.
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Laboratory instrumentation
Instrument
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Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer
The Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is a technique used for the in situ analysis of trace elements in solid samples. It can determine many elements in the periodic table to high degrees of accuracy and precision. The technique complements electron microprobe analysis, typically measuring trace elements at a lower concentration range (1 ppb - 100 ppm). Solid particles are physically ablated due to the interaction of a high power (> 1 x 1010 Wcm-2) laser beam with the surface of the sample. The particles are carried in a stream of inert gas (helium or argon) into an argon plasma where they are ionized before measurement in a quadruple mass spectrometer. Isotopes are measured to determine elemental concentrations. Additional information available at "http://www.geo.uu.nl/Research/Petrology/what.htm" [Summary provided by Universiteit Utrecht] (Source: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects pision, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords)
Links
Data Publication
Key Publication
- Schuessler, J.A. & von Blanckenburg, F. (2014) Testing the limits of micro-scale analyses of Si stable isotopes by femtosecond laser ablation ... Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy, 98, 1-18.
- Frick, D.A., et al. (2016) Development of routines for simultaneous in situ chemical composition and stable Si isotope ratio analysis by femtosecond laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Analytica Chimica Acta, 938, 33-43.
- Frick, D.A., et al. (2018) Laser Ablation In Situ Silicon Stable Isotope Analysis of Phytoliths. Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research, 43, 1, 77-91.
- Kadlag, Y., et al. (2019) The origin of unequilibrated EH chondrites – Constraints from in situ analysis of Si isotopes, major and trace elements in silicates and metal. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 267, 300-321.