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Atom‐probe analyses of nanodiamonds from Allende
Author(s) -
Heck Philipp R.,
Stadermann Frank J.,
Isheim Dieter,
Auciello Orlando,
Daulton Tyrone L.,
Davis Andrew M.,
Elam Jeffrey W.,
Floss Christine,
Hiller Jon,
Larson David J.,
Lewis Josiah B.,
Mane Anil,
Pellin Michael J.,
Savina Michael R.,
Seidman David N.,
Stephan Thomas
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
meteoritics and planetary science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.09
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1945-5100
pISSN - 1086-9379
DOI - 10.1111/maps.12265
Subject(s) - allende meteorite , presolar grains , isotope , atom probe , diamond , carbon fibers , murchison meteorite , isotopes of carbon , resolution (logic) , materials science , meteorite , analytical chemistry (journal) , nanotechnology , astrobiology , chemistry , physics , chondrite , nuclear physics , computer science , environmental chemistry , composite material , artificial intelligence , transmission electron microscopy , composite number
Atom‐probe tomography ( APT ) is currently the only analytical technique that, due to its spatial resolution and detection efficiency, has the potential to measure the carbon isotope ratios of individual nanodiamonds. We describe three different sample preparation protocols that we developed for the APT analysis of meteoritic nanodiamonds at sub‐nm resolution and present carbon isotope peak ratios of meteoritic and synthetic nanodiamonds. The results demonstrate an instrumental bias associated with APT that needs to be quantified and corrected to obtain accurate isotope ratios. After this correction is applied, this technique should allow determination of the distribution of 12 C/ 13 C ratios in individual diamond grains, solving the decades‐old question of the origin of meteoritic nanodiamonds: what fraction, if any, formed in the solar system and in presolar environments? Furthermore, APT could help us identify the stellar sources of any presolar nanodiamonds that are detected.