Introduction to Atom Probe Tomography with Highlights in Geoscience Applications

31st of March and 1st of April, 2022

Benita Putlitz

Michelle Foley, UNIL

Dr. Elias Bloch, UNIL

Dr. Benita Putlitz (UNIL)

Dr. Stephan Gerstl, ETHZ

Prof. Steven Reddy, Curtain University, Perth, Australia

Dr. Elias Bloch, UNIL

Dr. David Saxey, Curtain University, Perth, Australia

Atom Probe Tomography (APT) is unique in its ability to provide three-dimensional chemical and isotopic information at near-atomic scales. Over the last decade, an increasing variety of mineral phases and multi-phase samples have been analyzed by APT, which has provided an unparalleled insight into the atomic scale chemical structure of geological materials. Although many of the Earth's accessible minerals are silicates, much of the early applications of atom probe for geomaterials is in non-silicate phases such as oxides, sulphides, sulphates and metals. This short course will provide an introduction to Atom Probe Tomography, with highlights in the field of geology, and the large potential for expanding the use of APT in new fields of Earth science. The course will be presented as a series of lectures, in addition to live demos of the laboratory at ETH (Zurich) and data visualization. Keynote speakers will include Steven Reddy and David Saxey of Curtin University (Perth, Australia, which houses the only geological-focused APT in the world) and Elias Bloch (UniL) on APT in diffusion studies.

The first half-day (March 31) will include online lectures that are subdivided between the invited speakers. Lectures will cover a variety of topics, including (but not limited to): (1) An introduction into the physics of the APT method, (2) Sample preparation and correlation to other methods (e.g., TEM, STEM, EBSD, SIMS), (3) APT parameter space and final data reconstruction, and (4) APT case studies.

The second day (April 1) includes travel to ScopeM (ETH, Hönggerberg, Zurich) for in person activities, including: (1) sample preparation demos using the FIB-SEM, (2) APT demo, (3) An introduction to the data reconstruction & analysis software with exercises evaluating mass spectra, and (4) ScopeM facilities tour to demonstrate correlation options with the APT method.

One half day online (Thursday, 31.03.22)

One full day with travel to Zurich (Friday, 01.04.22)

Zoom, ETHZ

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