UCL Discovery Stage
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery Stage

Nanoscale imaging of Fe-rich inclusions in single-crystal zircon using X-ray ptycho-tomography

Kuppili, Venkata SC; Ball, Matthew; Batey, Darren; Dodds, Kathryn; Cipiccia, Silvia; Wanelik, Kaz; Fu, Roger; ... Harrison, Richard J; + view all (2024) Nanoscale imaging of Fe-rich inclusions in single-crystal zircon using X-ray ptycho-tomography. Scientific Reports , 14 , Article 5139. 10.1038/s41598-024-55846-4. Green open access

[thumbnail of s41598-024-55846-4.pdf]
Preview
Text
s41598-024-55846-4.pdf - Published Version

Download (7MB) | Preview

Abstract

We apply X-ray ptycho-tomography to perform high-resolution, non-destructive, three-dimensional (3D) imaging of Fe-rich inclusions in paleomagnetically relevant materials (zircon single crystals from the Bishop Tuff ignimbrite). Correlative imaging using quantum diamond magnetic microscopy combined with X-ray fluorescence mapping was used to locate regions containing potential ferromagnetic remanence carriers. Ptycho-tomographic reconstructions with voxel sizes 85 nm and 21 nm were achievable across a field-of-view > 80 µm; voxel sizes as small as 5 nm were achievable over a limited field-of-view using local ptycho-tomography. Fe-rich inclusions 300 nm in size were clearly resolved. We estimate that particles as small as 100 nm—approaching single-domain threshold for magnetite—could be resolvable using this “dual-mode” methodology. Fe-rich inclusions (likely magnetite) are closely associated with apatite inclusions that have no visible connection to the exterior surface of the zircon (e.g., via intersecting cracks). There is no evidence of radiation damage, alteration, recrystallisation or deformation in the host zircon or apatite that could provide alternative pathways for Fe infiltration, indicating that magnetite and apatite grew separately as primary phases in the magma, that magnetite adhered to the surfaces of the apatite, and that the magnetite-coated apatite was then encapsulated as primary inclusions within the growing zircon. Rarer examples of Fe-rich inclusions entirely encapsulated by zircon are also observed. These observations support the presence of primary inclusions in relatively young and pristine zircon crystals. Combining magnetic and tomography results we deduce the presence of magnetic carriers that are in the optimal size range for carrying strong and stable paleomagnetic signals but that remain below the detection limits of even the highest-resolution X-ray tomography reconstructions. We recommend the use of focused ion beam nanotomography and/or correlative transmission electron microscopy to directly confirm the presence of primary magnetite in the sub 300 nm range as a necessary step in targeted paleomagnetic workflows.

Type: Article
Title: Nanoscale imaging of Fe-rich inclusions in single-crystal zircon using X-ray ptycho-tomography
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55846-4
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-55846-4
Language: English
Additional information: This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Med Phys and Biomedical Eng
URI: https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10189133
Downloads since deposit
456Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item