Title: Atom probe tomography analysis of the reference zircon gj-1: An interlaboratory study

Abstract

In recent years, atom probe tomography (APT) has been increasingly used to study minerals, and in particular the mineral zircon. Zircon (ZrSiO4) is ideally suited for geochronology by utilising the U-Th-Pb isotope systems, and trace element compositions are also widely used to constrain petrogenetic processes. However, while standard geoanalytical techniques provide information at micrometer scale lengths, the unique combination of chemical/isotopic sensitivity and spatial resolution of APT allows compositional and textural measurements at the nanoscale. This interlaboratory study aims to define the reproducibility of APT data across research facilities and assess the role of different aspects of the atom probe workflow on reproducibility. This is essential to allow correct evaluation of APT results and full utilization of this emerging technique within the geoscience community. In this study, nine samples from the same homogeneous, GJ-1/87 zircon reference grain were sent to nine APT institutes in Germany, the UK, USA, Canada and Australia. After preparing the sample out of a selectioned slab, each institute conducted three different rounds of APT analyses: using (i) unconstrained analysis parameters, (ii) pre-defined analysis parameters, and (iii) interpreting and quantifying a provided dataset. Data such as the measured elemental composition, acquisition parameters, or mass spectrum peak identifications,more » were recorded and analyzed. We observe a significant variation in the measured composition across this interlaboratory study as well as the number of trace elements identified. These differences are thought to directly result from the user's choice of atom probe data analysis parameters. The type of instrument does not seem to be a critical factor. Furthermore, comparison of absolute trace element concentrations on zircon using APT between laboratories is only valid if the same workflow has been ensured.« less

Authors:

Exertier, F. ^[1]; La Fontaine, Alex ^[1]; Corcoran, C. ^[2]; Piazolo, S. ^[3]; Belousova, E. ^[4]; Peng, Z. ^[5]; Gault, B. ^[5]; Saxey, D. W. ^[6]; Fougerouse, D. ^[6]; Reddy, S. M. ^[6]; Pedrazzini, S. ^[7]; Bagot, P. A. J. ^[8]; Moody, M. P. ^[8]; Langelier, B. ^[9]; Moser, D. E. ^[10]; Botton, G. A. ^[9]; Vogel, F. ^[11]; Thompson, G. B. ^[11]; Blanchard, P. T. ^[12]; Chiaramonti, A. N. ^[12] more »; Reinhard, D. A. ^[13]; Rice, K. P. ^[13]; Schreiber, D. K. ^[14]; Kruska, K. ^[14]; Wang, J. ^[14]; Cairney, J. M. ^[1] « less

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Univ. of Sydney, NSW (Australia)
2. Macquarie Univ., NSW (Australia)
3. Macquarie Univ., NSW (Australia); Univ. of Leeds (United Kingdom)
4. Univ. of Leeds (United Kingdom)
5. Max-Planck-Institut fur Eisenforschung GmbH, Dusseldorf (Germany)
6. Curtin Univ., Perth (Australia)
7. Univ. of Cambridge, Cambridge (United Kingdom)
8. Univ. of Oxford, Oxford (United Kingdom)
9. McMaster Univ., Hamilton, ON (Canada)
10. Univ. of Western Ontario, London, ON (Canada)
11. Univ. of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (United States)
12. National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, CO (United States)
13. CAMECA Instruments, Inc., Madison, WI (United States)
14. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Publication Date:

Sun Jul 29 00:00:00 EDT 2018

Research Org.:

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1464490

Report Number(s):

PNNL-SA-130160
Journal ID: ISSN 0009-2541; PII: S0009254118303723; TRN: US1902393

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC05-76RL01830

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Chemical Geology

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 495; Journal ID: ISSN 0009-2541

Publisher:

Elsevier

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

58 GEOSCIENCES; Interlaboratory; Round robin; Atom probe tomography; Reference zircon GJ-1; Nanoscale composition; Analysis parameters