Facility / Resources

EPS Department Shared Instrument and Sample Preparation Room

Guide

EPS Department maintains instruments such as analytical devices with especially high commonality. These were introduced into the department through a large budget shared by the department or through transfers from laboratories. As of January 2024, we possess the following 6 analytical devices (detailed descriptions are given under each item) and two preparation devices. Contact the manager of the respective device for details.

MarkInstrumentManagerExtensionShared on campus*1Email*2
XX-ray Powder Diffractometer (XRD)Koji Ichimura24557ichimura
S-1Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM)Koji Ichimura24557ichimura
S-2Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM)Hideto Yoshida24528yoshida
EElectron Probe Micro Analyzer (FE-EPMA)Koji Ichimura24557ichimura
FFocused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope (FIB-SEM)Koji Ichimura24557(〇)
in prep.
ichimura
MLaser Ablation-Plasma Ion Source Mass SpectrometerICP-MS groupicpms-admin
P-1Carbon coaterKoji Ichimura24557Ichimura
P-2Ion sputter coaterKoji Ichimura24557Ichimura
*1: Registration of the University of Tokyo shared research equipment system
*2 Add @eps.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp after “Email”.

Eligibility for Use

Students (including both undergraduate courses), faculty members and researchers belonging to the EPS Department  are eligible for using the following devices. Before using, it is necessary to attend a user training course for each instrument. (However, some instruments are difficult for students and researchers to use on their own).

Researchers of other departments can also be temporarily eligible for using them though processes such as acceptance of our faculty members. Some of the instruments are registered in the shared research facility system of the University of Tokyo and open for use within the university.

As a general rule, in all cases, the use is limited to the education and research of the EPS department.

Cost for Use

Fee is incurred on either individuals or laboratories for using EPS Department shared equipment and requesting managers for operation. If students and researchers are to use shared equipment, ensure that they consult with faculty of each laboratory. Contact equipment managers for the fee or cost of using each device.

X-ray Powder Diffractometer for Multi-sample Measurement (XRD)

Mark: X

Instrument: X-ray Powder Diffractometer, Rigaku RINT-2100
Features: This is an analytical device that measures X-ray diffraction patterns of minerals, and enables following analyses.
(1) Identifies materials by comparing known X-ray diffraction pattern
(2) Differentiates materials with the same chemical composition but different structure
(3) Analyses constituent phase
(4) Identifies structure of unknown substance by combining Rietveld Method and Direct Method
This system possesses an X-ray powder database of natural and synthesized material (ICDD PDF-2, 2023), and enables computer searching from X-ray diffraction patterns obtained from experiments.
Related classes: global environmental chemistry practice, instrumental analysis practice

High Resolution Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM)

Mark: S-1

Instrument: High Resolution Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope, Hitachi S-4500
Features: This is a field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with cold (cathode) field-emission electron gun, and is capable of capturing images with resolution of ~5 nm thanks to high-brightness beam and low energy band. This SEM can obtain various information from samples. (1) upper secondary electron detector (2) lower secondary electron detector (3) high sensitivity backscattered electron (BSE) detector (4) Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDS) detector (5) two dimensional electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) detector (6) forescatter electron (FSE) detector
Related classes: earth and planetary materials analysis, instrumental analysis practice, crystallography practice, solid state instrumental analysis

Analytical Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM)

Mark: S-2

Instrument: Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope, JEOL JSM-7000F
Features: This is a field emission scanning electron microscope that can observe the surface state of a sample with a resolution of several tens of nanometers. By using the attached energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) detector together, it is possible to analyze the elemental composition in a minute area of the sample surface. In the EPS department, it is used as follows: in order to obtain chemical, petrological, and mineralogical information in micro-regions from natural samples such as rocks, minerals, and asteroids; to understand the structural and chemical characteristics of materials synthesized in the laboratory for understanding the earth and planetary systems.

Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (FE-EPMA)

Mark: E

Equipment: Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (FE-EPMA), JEOL JXA-8530F
Features: This system is equipped with a field emission (FE) electron gun, which enables analysis in the sub-micrometer range. This instrument has the following detectors arranging around the sample chamber, and various information can be obtained. (1) Secondary electron detector (2) Backscattered electron (BSE) detector (3) 5-channel Wavelength dispersive X-ray (WDS) detector (1ch LDE2H/TAPH, 2ch LDE1/TAP, 3ch PET/LIF, 4ch PET/LIF, 5ch PETH/LIFH) (4) Energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) detector (4) Cathodoluminescence (CL) detector (Panchromatic/3-color filter can be attached) (5) Cathodoluminescence spectroscopy
Related classes: instrumental analysis practice, solid state instrumental analysis

Dual beam for processing and observation (FIB-SEM)

Mark: F

Equipment: Thermo Fisher Scientific K.K., Versa 3D DualBeam
Features: In addition to the scanning electron microscope (SEM) function equipped with a field emission electron gun, focused ion beam processing (FIB) with a Ga ion gun and manipulator work with a probe are available. This instrument has a large sample chamber and can insert a sample several centimeters in height. The following detectors are placed around the sample chamber to obtain various information from the sample: (1) secondary electron detector (ET detector) (2) concentric backscatter (CBS) detector (3) energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) detector.

Laser Ablation-Plasma Ion Source Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICPMS)

Mark: M

Instrument: Thermo Fisher Scientific iCAP Q and Neptune Plus and Agilent 8900
Features: ICPMS is a mass spectrometer that ionizes elements with high-temperature argon plasma and divides the ions by mass by electric or magnetic field to determine the element concentration and isotope composition. Argon plasma has a very high temperature and can efficiently ionize most elements (other than rare gasses and halogens). Furthermore, since the plasma ion source is under atmospheric pressure, this device can be combined with various sample injection methods. By combining with the laser ablation method, trace element concentrations and isotope composition of solid samples such as minerals and glass can be determined with high spatial resolution (~ 10 µm).
Related classes: instrumental analysis practice, earth and planetary environmental science and practice

Carbon coater and ion sputter coater

Mark: P-1, P-2

Instrument: Quick carbon coater (Sanyu, SC-701C), Ion sputter (Hitachi, E-1030)
Features: Carbon is coated on the surface of observation/analysis samples for scanning electron microscope and EPMA (P-1). Metal (PtPd/Pt) is coated on the surface of the sample for scanning electron microscope observation (P-2).

Rock processing and thin section preparation room

A large oil cutter for cutting rocks, an automatic polishing table, and a work table for manual polishing can be used to prepare thin sections from rocks collected in the field for optical microscope observation (rock processing room and student thin section production room). In addition, precision cutting of small rock fragments, resin embedding, processing in a vacuum oven, and preparation of thin sections for analysis for electron microscopy and EPMA can be performed (thin section preparation room).
Contact: Shingo Ishihara shingo.ishihara [@]eps.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Related class: field research excursion, field research practice

Sample and Material

Conservation and restoration

From 2015 to 2018, our department received a grant from the Grant Program of The Sumitomo Foundation to repair seven Ino Middle Maps owned by the University of Tokyo. (Conservation and Restoration Project: Eastern Hokkaido and Western Hokkaido in 2015, Tohoku and Central Japan in 2016, Chugoku-Shikoku in 2017, and Northern and Southern Kyushu in 2018).