The (ICP)² laboratory at UC Davis consists of two inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers: a Thermo Scientific Neptune Plus MC-ICP-MS and a Thermo Scientific Element XR HR-ICP-MS.
Both instruments are capable of solution sample introduction or using a Photon Machines Analyte 193H excimer laser ablation system. In addition to direct solution introduction using a quartz spray chamber, an ESI APEX (Element Scientific Inc.) and DSN-100 (Nu Instruments) desolvating system can be used to increase sensitivity.
Thermo Neptune Plus MC-ICPMS
The UC Davis Neptune Plus MC-ICPMS is equipped with nine Faraday cup detectors and one secondary electron multiplier. Interchangeable low noise amplifier boards (ranging from 10¹⁰ to 10¹² ohm resistors allow for a large dynamic range of signals that can be analyzed with high-precision and high-sensitivity. Elements/isotopes routinely measured using the Neptune Plus include:
B, Li, Mg, Ca, Cr, Ti, Hf, Lu, W, Pb, and U.
Thermo Element XR HR-ICPMS
The UC Davis Element XR HR-ICPMS is a high-resolution magnetic sector-field ICPMS with a dual mode SEM and Faraday detector capable of a large dynamic range of signal intensity (up to 10¹² orders of magnitude). Used for both ultra trace element and major element analyses, the Element XR has three fixed resolutions modes (with mass resolving power >300, >4000, and >10,000 for low-, medium-, and high-resolution, respectively).
Photon Machines Analyte 193H Laser Ablation
The Analyte 193H is a new generation ultra-short pulse excimer laser ablation system manufactured by Photon Machines Inc. (now Teledyne Photon Machines). The key features of the Analyte 193H are:
-Short pulse duration (4 ns) for less elemental fractionation and less thermal effect on the target material
-Dual volume sample ablation cell (HelEx) that can accommodate large, irregularly shaped samples
-Independent laser and optical imaging paths