Established in 2010 the LA-ICP-MS (laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) lab analyses a large variety of solid samples (silicates, sulfides, carbonates etc.) for their respective major, minor, trace and ultra-trace elemental concentrations. Using a laser beam focused to a spot of typically 10-100µm diameter sample material is vaporized from the sample surface, condensates as a sample aerosol in the Helium atmosphere of the sample-hosting chamber and is transferred into the Argon plasma of the ICP-MS. Within the Argon plasma the sample aerosol is vaporized again, atomized and ionized. The ions produced are transferred into the high vacuum of the mass spectrometer and separated into a mass spectrum by a magnetic sector field according to their ion’s mass/charge ratios.

We are equipped with a 193nm excimer laser system (Coherent “GEOLAS”, Göttingen, Germany) coupled to a single-collector HR-ICP-MS (Nu Instruments “AttoM”, Wrexham, UK). In the same lab we operate the MC-ICP-MS "AXIOM" and the New Wave "UP193fx" laser ablation system of RD2-MG.

Feel free to reach out to us with your analytical requests, we are keen to support you in your analytical demands.