I work closely with Dr. Peter Williams in order to improve NanoSIMS instrumentation, e.g., we tested a new cesium ion source design on our NanoSIMS that has tiny 25nm spot sizes. We have a patent on this source design. Currently we are testing new duoplasmatron designs, and have been able to achieve 75 nm oxygen beam sizes.
I have developed key measurement protocols for nanoscale imaging and high-precision isotopic data using the NanoSIMS. I have considerable experience in a variety of other NanoSIMS applications in collaboration with ASU faculty and researchers elsewhere.
Geochemistry—
- Lithium diffusion in zircons, olivine
- Aluminum contents in experimental zircons
- Rare earth element diffusion in pyroxenes, sanidines, zircons
- H contents in silicate inclusions within mantle diamonds
Environmental—
- Elemental and isotopic heterogeneities in foram shells
- Sulfur isotopes in individual aerosol particles
- Trace element reconnaissance study on black oil shale
Microbiology—
- Characteristics of the blood-brain barrier in honeybees
- Carbon isotopic labeling of cyanobacteria boring into calcite and dolomite
- Labeled ciliate (bacteria) and prymnesium (flagellated algae) to understand nutrient intake
- Clay-microbial interactions using trace metals
- Nitrogen cycling in extreme environments, e.g., the hotsprings in Yellowstone National Park
- The process of formation of thylakoid membranes in cyanobacteria
- Mapping phosphorus in biomagnetite
Material Science—
- Characterization of materials such as doped Si wafers and textured solar cells
- Mapping inter-grain boron in steel
Maitrayee Bose 