Instrument/ServiceType:
Electron microprobe analysis with EDS, WDS and BSE/SE/CL detectors
Make/ Model:
JEOL JXA-8230
Instrument Description:
Electron microprobe analysis is a sensitive technique for non-destructive quantification of the chemical composition of in situ micrometer volumes of solid material (minerals, alloys, ceramics, glass, etc.). The department of Geological Sciences was awarded a Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant by NSF in Summer 2014 to purchase a new electron microprobe, a JEOL JXA-8230 equipped with LaB6 electron gun (PIs K.H. Mahan, J.M. Allaz, and G.L. Farmer). This new instrument will replace the aging JEOL JXA-8600 installed in 1988, and will offer superior quality analysis, both in term of precision and accuracy. This new 5-spectrometer instrument will considerably enhance our spatial resolution (beam size ca. 0.2-0.7 µm) and our analytical capabilities, notably in term of trace element analysis, thanks to many large-area monochromators.
We expect to reach 1-10 ppm range for detection limit for most elements, which will for instance allow us to perform trace element analysis in sulfide for rare and precious elements (Au, Ag, Te...), trace element analysis in beam sensitive material, including carbonate, titanium analysis in quartz for thermometry, U-Th-Pb dating of monazite, etc. The new instrument will also permit analysis of glasses, ceramics, alloys, metals, and virtually any other solid material stable under (high) vacuum. We will also have the ability to analyze thin film for determining thin film(s) thickness and/or composition, using multiple-voltage analysis technique.
Instrument Website URL:
Primary Contact:
Julien M. Allaz
Email Id: julien.allaz@colorado.edu
Number: (303) 735 2413
Instrument Location:
Benson Earth Sciences, Room 125A