Counting individual 41Ca atoms with a magneto-optical trap.
Atom trap trace analysis, a novel method based upon laser trapping and cooling, is used to count individual atoms of 41Ca present in biomedical samples with isotopic abundance levels between 10(-8) and 10(-10). The method is calibrated against resonance ionization mass spectrometry, demonstrating good agreement between the two methods. The present system has a counting efficiency of 2x10(-7). Within 1 h of observation time, its 3-sigma detection limit on the isotopic abundance of 41Ca reaches 4.5x10(-10).
Moore
I D
ID
Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA. iain.moore@phys.jyu.fi
Bailey
K
K
Greene
J
J
Lu
Z-T
ZT
Müller
P
P
O'Connor
T P
TP
Geppert
Ch
Ch
Wendt
K D A
KD
Young
L
L
D002132:Calcium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D005453:Fluorescence; D008280:Magnetics; D055095:Optics and Photonics
D002132:Calcium Radioisotopes