NERC Ion Micro-Probe (SIMS) Facility
The facility supports in-house research, as well as academic and commercial services in Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) analysis for the chemical analysis of small volumes of material.

Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) is used for the chemical and isotopic analysis of small volumes of solid material down to parts per billion for many elements.
The facility is supported by the School of GeoSciences and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), under its National Capability portfolio.
The Ion Micro-Probe is run in conjunction with:
Together, they form a unique suite of analytical instruments within the Edinburgh Materials and Micro-Analysis Centre (EMMAC). The facilities are located within the School of GeoSciences, at the University of Edinburgh.
The Edinburgh Materials and Micro-Analysis Centre (EMMAC)
What's new
The application deadline for facility time is 5pm Friday 13 October 2023 |
Visit NERC application information |
New 360 virtual views of the 4f, 7f-Geo and the 1270 labs. | Instrument specification and virtual tours |
New data for the Ti-Qtz standards from University of Michigan by Owen K Neill. | Recommended glass compositions |
New ion probe publication database: please test and check we have your publications. | Publication database |
Follow us on Twitter @IonProbe
Contact and access to the SIMS facility
Instruments, preparation and standards
SIMS technique
Publications
Documents, reports and projects
Small Research Facility (SRF)
Our NERC Ion Micro-Probe Facility is operated as a Small Research Facility (SRF).
A Small Research Facility (SRF) is a facility or service provided by the School and used for research and teaching. They are also available for use by the wider community such as external academic or commercial use. Our SRF's are available for hire or on a consultancy basis. These charges are recognised by grant funders and can therefore form part of a grant submission.