Abstract
In late March of 2017 a Cameca® NanoSIMS 50L was delivered to the Nuclear Security Advanced Technologies (NSAT) group at ORNL. This instrument occupies the cutting edge of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) technology, and will ultimately solidify the NSAT group’s position at the forefront of the nuclear security research and development community. This document describes the processes whereby the ORNL NanoSIMS 50L will be commissioned, culminating in the group’s ability to demonstrate both depth of proficiency and breadth of capability to sponsors and the broader community. Before describing the specific metrics and benchmarks defining the commissioning process, this document delves into the body of literature specific to SIMS analysis in support of nuclear forensics research. This in-depth literature review sets the stage for an explanation of how the NanoSIMS 50L platform will help address existing research questions and define new ones. Lastly, the document describes the measurements and projects that will take place as part of the instrument’s commissioning phase.