An overview of NRL's NAUTILUS: a combination SIMS-AMS for spatially resolved trace isotope analysis

• Published in: Journal of analytical atomic spectrometry 2020-03, Vol.35 (3), p.6-625
• Main Authors: Groopman, Evan E, Willingham, David G, Fahey, Albert J, Grabowski, Kenneth S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cosmochemistry; Geochemistry; Isotopes; Laboratories; Mass spectrometry; Nuclear engineering; Scientific imaging; Secondary ion mass spectrometry; Spectroscopy; Trace elements
• ISSN: 0267-9477; 1364-5544
• DOI: 10.1039/c9ja00344d

We present a description of the capabilities and performance of the NAval Ultra-Trace Isotope Laboratory's Universal Spectrometer (NAUTILUS) at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. The NAUTILUS combines secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and single-stage accelerator mass spectrometry (SSAMS) into a single unified instrument for spatially resolved trace element and isotope analysis. The NAUTILUS instrument is essentially a fully functional SIMS instrument with an additional molecule-filtering detector, the SSAMS. The combination of these two techniques mitigates the drawbacks of each and enables new measurement paradigms for SIMS-like microanalysis. Highlighted capabilities include molecule-free raster ion imaging for direct spatially resolved analysis of heterogeneous materials with or without perturbed isotopic compositions. The NAUTILUS' sensitivity to trace elements is at least 10× better than commercial SIMS instruments due to near-zero background conditions. We describe the design and construction of the NAUTILUS, and its performance applied to topics in nuclear materials analysis, cosmochemistry, and geochemistry. We present a description of the capabilities and performance of the NAval Ultra-Trace Isotope Laboratory's Universal Spectrometer (NAUTILUS) at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, a combination SIMS-AMS for trace, in situ analyses.