About Atom Probe Tomography

This sample was first analysed by EBSD and a low angle boundary was selected as a region of interest. Transmission EBSD of the atom probe needle shows a 2 degree low-angle boundary. Atom probe tomography shows compositional variations associated with the boundary. Specimen width is ~50 nm.

Atom probe tomography is an advanced materials characterisation technique that is renowned for high spatial resolution and analytical sensitivity, and provides 3D imaging and compositional data measurement at sub-nm resolutions. The technique relies on laser-induced evaporation and ionisation of atoms from a finely milled tip of material, coupled with time-of-flight mass analysis to build a 3D picture of atom distribution in the volume of interest. Such an approach has potential applications to a broad range of disciplines. However recent advances in the technique now allow atom probe tomography to be applied to geological materials. 

The application of atom probe tomography to geological materials is a relatively new innovation. However the development of the Geoscience Atom Probe, housed in the John de Laeter Centre at Curtin University, provides a unique focus on the development and application of this exciting technique to the Earth and planetary sciences. 

For details see: Reddy, S. M., Saxey, D. W., Rickard, W. D. A., Fougerouse, D., Montalvo, S. D., Verberne, R., & Riessen, A. (2020). Atom Probe Tomography: Development and Application to the Geosciences. Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research, 44(1), 5–50. https://doi.org/10.1111/ggr.12313

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Meet the Team

John Curtin Distinguished Professor Steven Reddy - Geoscience Atom Probe Science Director & Dean of Research, Science and Engineering
A/Prof. David Saxey - Geoscience Atom Probe Facility Manager
A/Prof. Will Rickard - Deputy Director, John de Laeter Centre
Dr. Denis Fougerouse - Research Fellow
Dr. Xiao Sun - Research Fellow

Publications

Geoscience Atom Probe Facility
​A full list of facility publications can be found here.

Research group members
Steven Reddy:  ResearchGate; ORCID; Google Scholar
David Saxey: ResearchGate; ORCID; Google Scholar
William Rickard: ResearchGate; ORCID; Google Scholar
​Denis Fougerouse: ResearchGate; ORCID; Google Scholar
​Xiao Sun: Researchgate; ORCID; Google Scholar

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Our History

Cameca LEAP 4000X HR commissioned August 2015
Geoscience Atom Probe staff appointed September 2015
​Tescan Lyra FIB SEM with TOF-SIMS installed September 2015