Preliminary Results from a New 157 nm Laser Ablation ICP-MS Instrument: New Opportunities in the Analysis of Solid Samples

International audiencePreliminary results are given from an excimer 157nm laser ablation multiple-collector inductivelycoupled plasma-mass spectrometer (LA-MC-ICP-MS),used for the isotopic measurements of solidmaterials. Elements of geological interest withdifferent volatilities such as pb and U (e.g. zircongeochronology) and Cu and Zn (as examples ofgeochemical/biochemical tracers) were analysed.The range of ablation rates of 20-150 nm 5-1enabled us to ablate the sample down to a depthof 45 f!m for a 50 f!m diameter pit. The Cu and Znisotopic measurements gave values that were verystable with, on average, a 0.01% standard error,comparable with that achieved in liquidmode measurements