Acquisition of a Neodymium YAG Laser For Use With ICP-MS

该奖项为激光探测源的开发提供资金，该探测源将与电感耦合等离子体质谱仪系统(ICP-MS)结合使用，用于地球科学的应用。亚利桑那大学正在提供一个新的电感耦合等离子体质谱仪、翻新的实验室和技术支持人员。激光探测器将由亚利桑那大学地球科学系研发。目前，电感耦合等离子体质谱在地球科学研究中被用作岩石和矿物样品的一种快速、准确的定量批量分析方法，这些样品必须首先进入溶液中，然后才能被引入到质谱仪单元的等离子体流动中。开发一种可直接烧蚀固体样品的小直径激光光源将提供一种非常强大的原位显微分析方法，其良好的空间分辨率低于100微米。

This award provides funding for the development of a laser probe source to be used in conjunction with an inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometer system (ICP-MS) for applications in the earth sciences. A new ICP-MS unit, renovated laboratory in which to house it, and technical support staff are being provided by the University of Arizona. The laser probe will be developed in the University of Arizona's Department of Geosciences. ICP-MS is currently utilized in earth sciences research as a rapid and accurate method of quantitative bulk analysis for rock and mineral samples which must first be put in solution phase before being introduced into the plasma flow to the mass spectrometer unit. The development of a small diameter laser beam source that would directly ablate solid samples will provide an extremely powerful method of in situ microanalysis with good spatial resolution of less than 100 microns.