MICADAS

AMS system optimized for radiocarbon dating and isotope analysis. Features helium stripping for high transmission, a hybrid cesium sputter ion source, and outstanding measurement stability. Widely regarded as the standard for precision in ¹⁴C-AMS applications.

• Status: Active
• Country: Switzerland
• Isotopic: Yes
• Type of measurable elements: Radiocarbon and cosmogenic nuclides
• Measurable isotopes/elements: Radiocarbon (¹⁴C)
• Analyzer type : Accelerator MS
• Ion source type: Hybrid cesium negative sputter ion source for solid and gas samples
• Inlet types: Solid and gas sample handling, with a 40-position random-access sample changer
• Mass range : Optimized for radiocarbon isotopes
• High Resolution : Yes
• Sensitivity : High sensitivity with up to 47% helium stripping transmission
• Abundance sensitivity : High, capable of resolving small variations in isotopic ratios
• Detection limits : Blanks older than 50,000 radiocarbon years, with a machine blank up to 68,000 radiocarbon years
• Precision : 0.2% or better for ¹⁴C/¹²C and ¹³C/¹²C ratios
• Detector type : Low-noise gas ionization detector with virtually no degradation.
• Primary beam : Negative cesium sputter beam
• Accelerator voltage : 200 kV
• Geometry type : Tandem geometry with vacuum-insulated accelerator terminal
• Focusing type : Electrostatic focusing
• Magnetic sector radius/ angle : 90° high and low energy magnetic sector with ion beam angle
• Electric sector radius/ angle : 90° electrostatic analyzer with ±40 kV voltage
• Cooling system : Fully air-cooled; no cooling water or SF₆ required
• Vacuum system : Powerful high vacuum system (4 × 700 l, 3 × 300 l, 1 × 80 l Pfeiffer) and fore vacuum system
• Gas supply: Helium stripping gas
• Power Requirements and Consumption : 2.5 kW average power consumption
• Dimensions and Weight: 3.2 m × 2.6 m × 2.2 m; 4,500 kg