Direct AMS 14C Analysis of Carbonate

Radiocarbon ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
pp. 1431-1440
Author(s):  
Quan Hua ◽  
Vladimir A Levchenko ◽  
Matthew A Kosnik

ABSTRACTWe have investigated the possibility of direct accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS 14C) measurement of carbonate samples at ANSTO using the STAR 2 MV tandem accelerator. Each carbonate sample was powdered, mixed with metal powder and pressed into an aluminum cathode for direct carbonate measurement by AMS 14C. Of the three high-purity metal powders (Fe, Nb, and Ag) used in our investigation, Nb was found to be the best metal, which delivered higher carbon beam currents and lower background. Beam currents for targets containing the optimal carbonate mass of 1.5–2.0 mg were ∼8% of those obtained from graphite targets of standard size (>0.5 mg C). Typical measured blank for Carrara marble (IAEA-C1) of ∼40 ka was obtained. Background-corrected 14C values of carbonate targets agreed well with their associated values obtained from high-precision analysis of graphite targets within 2σ uncertainties. Typical precision of this rapid AMS analysis was ∼1% for samples <8 ka. Despite lower precision for carbonate target ages (compared to standard graphite target ages), these ages are useful for palaeobiological applications where a large number of dates are required, such as time-averaging studies.

JOM ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 14-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo V. M. Antony ◽  
Ramana G. Reddy

Radiocarbon ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 775-784 ◽  
Author(s):  
J S Vogel ◽  
I G Nowikow ◽  
J R Southon ◽  
D E Nelson

We present a survey of carbon beam yields from 20 simple carbon compounds using a caesium sputter source and the McMaster University tandem accelerator. The carbon yield was measured as a 35MeV 12C4+ beam. We found that the beam intensities could be related to a grouping of the carbides according to the chemical bonding of the compounds. The usefulness of the compounds for accelerator 14C dating was further related to their preparation chemistries. Strontium carbide was the equal of graphite in negative carbon ion beam production and aluminum carbide was found to be a good candidate for further tests because of its good sputter yield and preparation chemistry. Charcoal was also tested with varying amounts of silver added as a heat conduction aid.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 251
Author(s):  
A. Theodorou ◽  
Z. Kotsina ◽  
M. Axiotis ◽  
G. Apostolopoulos

As an important part of fusion materials research, evaluation of radiation damage in fusion materials has been emphasized more than a half century. In order to improve our understanding of radiation damage in fusion materials, an upgrade has been performed of the materials irradiation facility IR2, which is located at the NCSR “Demokritos” 5.5 MV TANDEM accelerator. The upgraded facility allows irradiation at higher ion beam currents while ensuring that the target temperature remains below 10 K. It provides in-situ electrical resistivity measurements on several samples for real-time monitoring of radiation damage as well as in-situ post-irradiation annealing up to 300 K. The upgraded IR2 facility has been successfully employed in radiation damage and recovery studies of metallic materials with applications in fusion research.


Author(s):  
Anders Weibert ◽  
Bengt Erlandsson ◽  
Ragnar Hellborg ◽  
Kristina Stenström ◽  
Göran Skog

Author(s):  
S. Edith Taylor ◽  
Patrick Echlin ◽  
May McKoon ◽  
Thomas L. Hayes

Low temperature x-ray microanalysis (LTXM) of solid biological materials has been documented for Lemna minor L. root tips. This discussion will be limited to a demonstration of LTXM for measuring relative elemental distributions of P,S,Cl and K species within whole cells of tobacco leaves.Mature Wisconsin-38 tobacco was grown in the greenhouse at the University of California, Berkeley and picked daily from the mid-stalk position (leaf #9). The tissue was excised from the right of the mid rib and rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen slush. It was then placed into an Amray biochamber and maintained at 103K. Fracture faces of the tissue were prepared and carbon-coated in the biochamber. The prepared sample was transferred from the biochamber to the Amray 1000A SEM equipped with a cold stage to maintain low temperatures at 103K. Analyses were performed using a tungsten source with accelerating voltages of 17.5 to 20 KV and beam currents from 1-2nA.


Author(s):  
William Krakow ◽  
Benjamin Siegel

Unwin has used a metallized non-conducting thread in the back focal plane of the objective lens that stops out a portion of the unscattered beam, takes on a localized positive charge and thus produces an additional phase shift to give a different transfer function of the lens. Under the particular conditions Unwin used, the phase contrast image was shifted to bright phase contrast for optimum focus.We have investigated the characteristics of this type of electrostatic phase plate, both analytically and experimentally, as functions of the magnitude of charge and defocus. Phase plates have been constructed by using Wollaston wire to mount 0.25μ diameter platinum wires across apertures ranging from 50 to 200μ diameter and vapor depositing SiO and gold on the mounted wires to give them the desired charging characteristics. The net charge was varied by adjusting only the bias on the Wehnelt shield of the gun, and hence the beam currents and effective size of the source.


Author(s):  
Edward G. Bartick ◽  
John A. Reffner

Since the introduction of commercial Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microscopic systems in 1983, IR microscopy has developed as an important analytical tool in research, industry and forensic analysis. Because of the frequent encounter of small quantities of physical evidence found at crime scenes, spectroscopic IR microscopes have proven particularly valuable for forensic applications. Transmittance and reflectance measurements have proven very useful. Reflection-absorption, specular reflection, and diffuse reflection have all been applied. However, it has been only very recently that an internal reflection (IRS) objective has been commercially introduced.The IRS method, also known as attenuated total reflection (ATR), has proven very useful for IR analysis of standard size samples. The method has been applied to adhesive tapes, plastic explosives, and general applications in the analysis of opaque materials found as evidence. The small quantities or uncontaminated areas of specimens frequently found requiring forensic analysis will often be directly applicable to microscopic IRS analysis.


Author(s):  
S.J. Krause ◽  
W.W. Adams

Over the past decade low voltage scanning electron microscopy (LVSEM) of polymers has evolved from an interesting curiosity to a powerful analytical technique. This development has been driven by improved instrumentation and in particular, reliable field emission gun (FEG) SEMs. The usefulness of LVSEM has also grown because of an improved theoretical and experimental understanding of sample-beam interactions and by advances in sample preparation and operating techniques. This paper will review progress in polymer LVSEM and present recent results and developments in the field.In the early 1980s a new generation of SEMs produced beam currents that were sufficient to allow imaging at low voltages from 5keV to 0.5 keV. Thus, for the first time, it became possible to routinely image uncoated polymers at voltages below their negative charging threshold, the "second crossover", E2 (Fig. 1). LVSEM also improved contrast and reduced beam damage in sputter metal coated polymers. Unfortunately, resolution was limited to a few tenths of a micron due to the low brightness and chromatic aberration of thermal electron emission sources.


Author(s):  
Marie-Thérèse Nicolas

An alternative to aqueous chemical fixation consists in immobilizing physically the specimen by freezing it as fast as possible without using any cryoprotectant. This Fast Freeze Fixation (FFF) followed by Freeze Substitution (FS) avoids osmotic artefacts due to the slow penetration of liquid chemical fixative. Associated with Immuno-Gold labeling (IGS), FFF-FS allows a more precise localization of antigens.Using the bioluminescent bacteria Vibrio harveyi, a comparison of IGS with an antibody directed against its luciferase (enzyme of the luminescent reaction) has been done after liquid chemical fixation versus FFFFS. This later technique, beside an expected improvement of the ultrastructure always shows a better preservation of antigenicity and a lower background. In the case of FFF-FS technique (Figure 3):–labeling in acrylic resin (LRWhite) is 2 to 4 fold more intense than in epoxy resin (Epon),–but the ultrastructure is always better in Epon.–but the ultrastructure is always better in Epon.–The addition of fixatives in the substitution medium, results in a decrease of labeling which is more important in the case of a mixture of fixatives than with osmium tetroxide alone; with one exception: the substitution with glutaraldehyde which produces a dramatic increase in the density of the labeling but also, at the same time, a swelling of the cells of about 30%.


Author(s):  
Galen Powers ◽  
Ray Cochran

The capability to obtain symmetrical images at voltages as low as 200 eV and beam currents less than 9 pico amps is believed to be advantageous for metrology and study of dielectric or biological samples. Symmetrical images should allow more precise and accurate line width measurements than currently achievable by traditional secondary electron detectors. The low voltage and current capability should allow imaging of samples which traditionally have been difficult because of charging or electron beam damage.The detector system consists of a lens mounted dual anode MicroChannel Plate (MCP) detector, vacuum interface, power supplies, and signal conditioning to interface directly to the video card of the SEM. The detector has been miniaturized so that it does not interfere with normal operation of the SEM sample handling and alternate detector operation. Biasing of the detector collection face will either add secondaries to the backscatter signal or reject secondaries yielding only a backscatter image. The dual anode design allows A−B signal processing to provide topological information as well as symmetrical A+B images.Photomicrographs will show some of the system capabilities. Resolution will be documented with gold on carbon. Variation of voltage, beam current, and working distance on dielectric samples such as glass and photoresist will demonstrate effects of common parameter changes.


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