their mass/charge ratio according to the principles of the Lorentz force. Essentially, the path of a less massive ion will have a greater curvature through the magnetic field than the path of a more massive ion. Thus, altering the current in the electromagnet focuses a particular mass species at the detector. Detectors The ions pass through a collector slit in the focal plane of the magnetic sector and the collector assembly can be moved along an axis to optimise the focus of a given isotopic species. In typical U-Pb zircon analysis, a single secondary electron multiplier is used for ion counting. Vacuum system Turbomolecular pumps evacuate the entire beam path of the SHRIMP to maximise transmission and reduce contamination. The sample chamber also employs a cryopump to trap contaminants, especially water. Typical pressures inside the SHRIMP are between ~7 x 10−9 mbar in the detector and ~1 x 10−6 mbar in the primary column. Mass resolution and sensitivity In normal operations, the SHRIMP achieves mass resolution of 5000 with sensitivity >20 counts/sec/ppm/nA for lead from zircon. Applications Isotope dating For U-Th-Pb geochronology a beam of primary ions (O2)1− are accelerated and collimated towards the target where it sputters "secondary" ions from the sample. These secondary ions are accelerated along the instrument where the various isotopes of uranium, lead and thorium are measured successively, along with reference peaks for Zr2O+, ThO+ and UO+. Since the sputtering yield differs between ion species and relative sputtering yield increases or decreases with time depending on the ion species (due to increasing crater depth, charging effects and other factors), the measured relative isotopic abundances do not relate to the real relative isotopic abundances in the target. Corrections are determined by analysing unknowns and reference material (matrix-matched material of known isotopic composition), and determining an analytical-session specific calibration factor. SHRIMP instruments around the world References External links Founding SHRIMP Lab at Australian National University Australian Scientific Instruments Geochronological dating methods Mass spectrometry