NanoSIMS and more: New tools in nuclear astrophysics

Primitive Solar System materials contain nm- to μm-sized presolar grains that formed in the winds of evolved stars and in the ejecta of stellar explosions. These samples of stardust can be analysed in terrestrial laboratories with sophisticated analytical instrumentation in great detail. Of particular importance are coordinated studies of individual grains by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry (RIMS) and Focused Ion Beam/Transmission Electron Microscopy (FIB/TEM) from which detailed information on isotopic compositions and mineralogies can be obtained. A key tool is the NanoSIMS 50 ion probe which permits to do isotope measurements of light and many intermediate-mass elements with spatial resolutions of <100 nm. A new type of RIMS instrument, "CHILI", is currently under construction and is aimed to provide <100 nm resolution for isotope studies of intermediate-mass and heavy elements. Another promising analysis technique for future studies is Atom Probe Tomography (APT) which might be useful to create 3D-elemental and isotopic maps of presolar grains at the nanometer scale. (paper)