MRI: Development of a high precision ion microscope for geosciences applications

该提案的资金将支持开发一种新的高分辨率，高灵敏度的离子显微镜，作为UCLA/NSF国家多用户设施的主要仪器，用于地球科学中的二次离子质谱（西姆斯）研究。加州大学洛杉矶分校实验室作为世界一流的设施，在18年的地质材料原位微量同位素分析。主要研究人员将继续他们的研究培训计划的研究生（无论是在加州大学洛杉矶分校和其他地方）和年轻的博士后学者。此外，他们还将继续开展广受欢迎的有效外联和深入研讨会，为下一代地球科学家提供西姆斯培训。主要研究人员和加州大学洛杉矶分校的科学家和学生继续参与当地和全国的协同活动，包括专业活动和K-12教育和公共宣传。加州大学洛杉矶分校国家离子微探针设施的中心研究工具是CAMECA ims 1270，这是23年前CAMECA仪器与加州大学洛杉矶分校科学家协商建造的第一个商业大半径西姆斯。 尽管ims 1270在过去几年中不断升级，但它已不再是最先进的，而且在几个重要的研究领域，创新和开展新型研究的能力受到仪器技术能力的限制。 PI建议与两家仪器制造商合作（CAMECA，俄勒冈州物理学）开发一种新的离子显微镜，其将具有（1）高亮度离子源，（2）改进的横向空间分辨率，（3）改进的质量分辨能力，（4）改进的吞吐速度和样品容量，（5）改进的检测器灵敏度和线性度，导致同位素分析的更高精度和准确度，（6）提高了可靠性。虽然这项开发将与两个商业实体合作完成，但加州大学洛杉矶分校的科学家和工程师将完成整体设计和实施。

The funding of this proposal will support the development of a new high-resolution, high-sensitivity ion microscope to serve as the prime instrument of the UCLA/NSF national, multi-user facility for secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) research in the geosciences. The UCLA laboratory has served as a world-class facility for in situ microscale isotopic analyses of geologic materials for 18 years. The Principal Investigators will continue their programs of research training for graduate students (both at UCLA and elsewhere) and young postdoctoral scholars. In addition, they will continue their popular and effective outreach and inreach workshops for SIMS training of the next generation of geoscientists. The Principal Investigators and UCLA scientists and students continue to be involved in synergistic activities both locally and nationally, including professional activities and K-12 education and public outreach.The central research tool of the UCLA National Ion Microprobe Facility has been the CAMECA ims 1270, the first commercial large-radius SIMS built by CAMECA instruments in consultation with UCLA scientists 23 years ago. Although the ims 1270 has been upgraded over the years, it is no longer state-of-the-art, and in several important research areas the ability to innovate and to undertake new types of investigations is limited by the instrument's technical capabilities. The PIs propose to partner with two instrument manufacturers (CAMECA, Oregon Physics) to develop a new ion microscope that will have (1) high brightness ion sources, (2) improved lateral spatial resolution, (3) improved mass resolving power, (4) improved throughput speed and sample capacity, (5) improved detector sensitivity and linearity leading to higher precision and accuracy in isotopic analyses, and (6) improved reliability. Although this development will be done cooperatively with two commercial entities, UCLA scientists and engineers will accomplish the overall design and implementation.