Contact

Prof. Dr. Jens Gutzmer
Director &
Head of the Analytics Department

Phone: +49 351 260 - 4400

Dr. Axel Renno
Department of Analytics
Phone: +49 351 260 - 3274

Department of Analytics - Techniques

Geoscientists at the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology apply microanalytical methods to solve a wide range of scientific questions. They are used to determine chemical, crystallographic or structural parameters in situ and almost non-destructive at the highest possible lateral resolution.

Overview of all quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques at HIF

Techniques

Spatial resolution

Detection limits

Key features

Polarisation Microscopy

 10 - 30 µm  

fast /
preparation tool for local analytics

X-Ray Fluorescence
Analysis (XRF)

 low 2x10-5 - 1x10-6 g/g
(P - U)		 fast /
chemical analysis

Scanning Electron
Microscopy (SEM)

 10 nm   imaging technique

Mineral Liberation
Analysis (MLA)

 1 µm 10-3 g/g
(B - U)

mineral composition /
microtexture

Powder X-Ray
Diffractometry (XRD)

 low 0.2 - 3 %

mineral composition /
structural refining

Electron Probe
Micro Analysis (EPMA)

 0.5 µm 5x10-4 - 1x10-5 g/g
(Be - U)

high resolution /
chemical mapping

Laser-ICP-MS

 5 - 100 µm 10-5 - 1x10-8 g/g
(Li - U)

fast /
low detection limits /
under construction!

Super Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (Super-SIMS)

 ~ 5 x 5 µm2

~ 10-9 - 10-12 atom/ atom
(all but noble gases)

depth resolution ~ 5 nm /
for isotopes

3D X-ray Computed Tomography

 5 µm voxel size  

3D imaging technique /
in situ scans

Sample Preparation