Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help

MS: Massenspektrometrie

MS 9: Posterbeiträge

MS 9.6: Poster

Thursday, March 16, 2006, 16:30–18:30, Labsaal

Laser Desorption and Resonance Enhanced Photoionization of Uranium for the Determination of Isotopic Ratios of Solid Samples at Trace Levels — •I. Strachnov¹, J. Maul¹, K. Eberhardt², G. Huber¹, S. Karpuk¹, G. Passler¹, N. Trautmann², and K. Wendt¹ — ¹Institut für Physik , Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, D-55099 Mainz; — ²Institut für Kernchemie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, D-55099 Mainz;

At present time moderately enriched uranium is used in nuclear power plants but highly enriched material is needed for nuclear weapons. The determination of uranium isotopic composition is important task that helps to obtain the information concerning the sources, history, nature and intensity of migration processes of uranium in environment.

We present a highly sensitive and selective method with spatial resolution for determination of uranium isotopic compositions. It is based on combination of laser desorption of a sample (337 nm or 1064 nm, pulsed lasers) with resonant photoionization of atoms by dye lasers. Selectively produced ions are analysed by a TOF MS (BRUKER).

Isotopic ratios of depleted as well as natural and moderately enriched uranium samples can be measured for concentrations down to several femto-grams.

1. J.Maul, T.Berg, K.Eberhardt, I.Hoog, G.Huber, S.Karpuk, G.Passler, I.Strachnov, N.Trautmann, K.Wendt A laser desorption/resonance enhanced photoionisation TOF-system for the spatially resolved trace analysis of elements, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 226 (2004) 644-650