High-sensitivity isobar-free AMS measurements and reference materials for 55Fe, 68Ge and 202gPb

Isobaric interference represents one of the major limitations in mass spectrometry. For a few cases in AMS with tandem accelerators, isobaric interference is completely excluded like the well-known major isotopes 14C, 26Al, 129I. Additional isotopes are 55Fe (t1/2=2.74years), 68Ge (t1/2=270.9days) and 202Pb (t1/2=52.5kyr), with 68Ge and 202Pb never been used in AMS so far. Their respective stable isobars, 55Mn, 68Zn and 202Hg do not form stable negative ions. The exceptional sensitivity of AMS for 55Fe, 68Ge and 202gPb offers important insights into such different fields like nuclear astrophysics, fundamental nuclear physics and technological applications. VERA, a dedicated AMS facility is well suited for developing procedures for new and non-standard isotopes. AMS measurements at the VERA facility established low backgrounds for these radionuclides in natural samples. Limits for isotope ratios of <10−15,