{"id":7886,"date":"2022-03-09T10:30:44","date_gmt":"2022-03-09T09:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/geoblog\/2022\/03\/les-multiples-facettes-de-la-sims-en-suisse\/"},"modified":"2022-03-09T11:24:24","modified_gmt":"2022-03-09T10:24:24","slug":"the-multiple-facets-of-sims-in-switzerland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/geoblog\/en\/2022\/03\/the-multiple-facets-of-sims-in-switzerland\/","title":{"rendered":"The multiple facets of SIMS in Switzerland"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Prof. Marin-Carbonne, Prof. Meibom, Prof. Rubatto, Prof. Baumgartner, Dr Bouvier, Dr Escrig, Dr Bovay, and M. Plane in front of the SwissSIMS in the Center for Advanced Surface analysis (CASA)<\/em><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A recent publication by Johanna Marin Carbonne et al.<\/a> provides an overview of three Swiss SIMS laboratories and perspectives on their use.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What is SIMS or Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry? In a nutshell, it is a quasi non-destructive technique that reveals the properties of a solid surface. A finely focused primary ion beam (called primary) sputters the surface to be analyzed. The resulting mass spectrum of ionized particles (called secondary) provides information on the chemical, elemental or isotopic properties of the sample.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Switzerland, several large laboratories offer SIMS instruments. The article details the functioning of three of these instruments and their applications. A TOF-SIMS is located at the University of Geneva. The Center for Advanced Surface analysis (CASA), a joint UNIL-EPFL center, hosts a NanoSIMS and a dynamic SIMS. Optimized differently, these instruments have their own spatial resolution and sensitivity. They are therefore of complementary use. The range of their applications has greatly expanded in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n