Trace Elements

Super-SIMS (SIMS = Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) is an ultrasensitive analytical method for the determination of stable elements at the ultra-trace level. It combines a dynamical SIMS with an existing AMS-setup (DREAMS) to suppress molecular isobaric background, while keeping its lateral resolution.

AMS determines ratios of a radionuclide to a stable one, Super-SIMS can be used to measure stable isotope ratios. As stable elements are universally present, already shown by Ida Noddak, 1936, this task is challenging at ultratrace levels.

Every matrix and element is its own case. The figure on the right shows the special case of SIMS and Super-SIMS (ETHZ) detection limits in a silicon matrix (C. Maden, PhD thesis, ETH Zurich, 2003).

Applications

Metallurgy of rare strategic metals in WEEE. Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) contains critical metals inhomogeneously distributed in often very low concentrations. In order to enable an energy-efficient recovery of these raw materials, a fundamental understanding of the metallurgical processes, in particular the mass balance, is required. Spatially resolved investigations of the element distribution between slag and metal phases down to very low concentration ranges form an important potential application area of Super-SIMS.

Traceability through fingerprinting of critical raw materials. In recent years many national and international regulations demand certified supply chains. As elemental (or isotopic) patterns can be a unique fingerprint, Super-SIMS could allow the analysis of the raw materials and intermediate products involved. This method could be used to certify sustainable supply chains in special cases. See e.g. the European law Regulation (EU) 2017/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017

Fluid chemistry - mirror of the genesis of ore deposits. Hydrothermal ore forming fluids cannot be directly sampled. But the analysis of halogens in ore minerals at the ultratrace element level (≤0.01 µg/g) could help to understand the genesis of ore deposits.

Technical Details

Technical Specifications SIMS-source (Cameca IMS 7fauto) connected to a 6 MV tandem accelerator 2 to 3 orders of magnitude lower detection limits (up to 10 ppt or 0.00001 μg/g, highly depending on analyte and matrix as conventional SIMS) Future Applications Ultratrace elements in minerals for the geochemical exploration of deep-seated ore deposits Provenance analysis and forensics Sample Requirements Extremely well polished and flat samples with a maximum diameter of 1 inch (25.4 mm) Limitations Only solid and vacuum-stable samples Destructive Standard/reference materials needed

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User Information

see here

Projects and Collaborations

Michael Wiedenbeck (Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum, Potsdam, Germany), Super-SIMS for specific geological applications Axel D. Renno, Reference materials with HIF Daniel Hiller (TU Dresden), C, N, O in float-zone silicon wafers Pavol Noga (Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Faculty of Materials Science and Technology in Trnava, Advanced Technologies Research Institute, Trnava, Slovakia) Simulations of Super-SIMS injection to the accelerator system

Further Reading

Fundamentals

Matteson S. (2008) Issues and opportunities in accelerator mass spectrometry for stable isotopes. Mass Spectrom Rev. 27(5):470-84. https://doi.org/10.1002/mas.20174. PMID: 18553556. von Wartburg E.J., Messung von Isotopenverhältnissen stabiler Spurenelemente mit Beschleuniger-Sekundärionen-Massenspektrometrie, Dissertation, ETH Zürich (2007). Groopman, Evan E., Grabowski, Kenneth S., Fahey, Albert J., Kööp, Levkeet (2017) Rapid, molecule-free, in situ rare earth element abundances by SIMS-SSAMS, Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 32 (2017) 2153-2163. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7JA00294G

Own publications (see also here)

Rugel, G., Ziegenrücker, R., Lachner, J., Vivo Vilches, C., Renno, A., Wallner, A., Wiedenbeck, M. (2021) Super-SIMS @ DREAMS: status of a challenging initiative The 15th International Conference on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS-15), 15.-19.11.2021, Sydney, Australia Renno, A.D., Akhmadaliev, S., Belokonov, G., Böttger, R., Borany, J., Kaever, P., Meyer, M., Noga, P., Rugel, G., Tiessen, C.J., Wagner, N., Wiedenbeck, M., Wu, H., Ziegenrücker, R. (2019) Halogen analysis at the ultratrace level – first applications of the Dresden Super-SIMS GOLDSCHMIDT 2019, 18.-23.08.2019, Barcelona, Spanien Rugel, G., Renno, A.D., Akhmadaliev, S., Belokonov, G., Böttger, R., von Borany, J., Gutzmer, J., Kaever, P., Meyer, M., Noga, P., Tiessen, C.J., Voigtländer, J., Wagner, N., Wiedenbeck, M., Winter, A., Wu, H., Ziegenrücker, R. (2018) Super-SIMS at HZDR - first steps. Deutsche Tagung für Forschung mit Synchrotronstrahlung, Neutronen und Ionenstrahlen an Großgeräten (SNI2018), 17.-19.09.2018, München, Deutschland