Electron Microprobe Laboratory
Cameca SX-100
Electron Microprobe Laboratory Cameca SX-100
The electron microprobe is used to analyze the composition of meteorites,
Lunar rocks and terrestrial samples. The electron microprobe sends an
electron beam in situ on a flat cm-size thin slab of rock to analyze a
small spot of less than 1 micrometer size. It uses the generated X-rays
to provide a quantitative analysis of the major and minor chemical elements
of minerals and glasses composing the sample. The electron microprobe can
also produce maps of the elements showing their distribution in the sample.
Purpose: Quantitative chemical analyses of major elements in solids
- Spot analyzes < 1 micrometer
- Element maps
- Material analyzed:
- Meteorites: from primitive solar nebula materials to more evolved asteroid chunks
- Mars rocks (meteorites)
- Moon rocks (meteorites, & Apollo rocks & soils)
- Earth rocks
- Experimentally made or altered rocks
- High temperature and pressure samples simulating planetary interiors
- Impacted samples simulating planetary collisions
- Exobiology: samples altered in the lab simulating erosion and alteration
- Moon and Mars simulants
Characteristics
- Manufacturer: Cameca
- Type: SX100
- 5 wavelength dispersive spectrometers (WDS)
- 1 Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) by iXRF
- Tungstene filament
- Automated stage down to < 3 micrometer precision
- Analysis down to several 100 ppm weight for selected elements
- Analysis of Boron to Bismuth
- Sample should be flat, polished and, carbon coated
- Large variety of natural and synthetic standards
Supported Labs & Research Programs
- Meteorite curation: identification of new meteorites
- Lunar rock & soil curation
- Exobiology research
- Isotope geochemistry
- Experimental Impact lab
- Experimental petrology
- Gas mixing high temperature lab
- High-pressure and high-temperature lab
- Primitive materials (early solar system research)
- Mars research
- Lunar research
- Meteorite research
Laboratory Leads
|
Lindsay Keller
NASA 281-483-6090 |
Laboratory Leads
|
Lindsay Keller
NASA 281-483-6090 |
Electron Beam Laboratory Suite
The Electron Beam Laboratory Suite includes two scanning electron microscopes (SEM),
two transmission electron microscopes (TEM), two electron microprobes, one dual-beam
focused ion beam (FIB) instrument, one NanoSIMS 50L, and a one-of-a-kind laser microprobe.
These workhorse instruments are used to characterize all types of materials studied
within ARES, and virtually every research group makes frequent use of one or more
of these instruments while conducting research in support of the ARES mission.
Electron Beam Laboratories
Electron Beam Laboratories
Inside the Electron Microprobe Laboratory: Planetary scientist Jordyn-Marie
Dudley analyzes Martian meteorites with the Cameca SX100 electron microprobe.