The Helium-Ion-Microscope Secondary-Ion-Mass-Spectrometer: A New Tool for Earth and Materials Science

Abstract

The Helium-Ion-Microscope Secondary-Ion-Mass-Spectrometer: A New Tool for Earth and Materials Science - Matthew Ball Geological materials are exceptionally complex, with heterogeneity across all lengthscales. Likewise, the history of these materials is complex, experiencing extremes of pressure and temperature from nanosecond shock events to the slow action of plate collision over millions of years. Due to this, the key to unlocking the true history and importance of these materials has increasingly been due to accurate measurements at the micro-to-nano-scale, with microscopy and microanalysis at the forefront of this movement. The Helium-Ion-Microscope Secondary-Ion-Mass-Spectrometer is a new tool which allows for the measurement of elements and isotopes at nanoscale resolution, the capabilities of which have yet to be explored on geological materials. Here we explore the limits of this instrument on geological materials for the first time, from light element measurements, through isotopic analysis to heavy platinum group elements in meteorites, with discussion on how best to use novel clustering methods on large field of view datasets for correlative approaches.