AMS techniques

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) is a highly sensitive technique used to measure rare isotopes, like radiocarbon, in small samples. It works by converting the sample into ions, then using a powerful accelerator to boost these ions to very high energies. As they pass through magnetic and electric fields, ions of different isotopes are separated based on their mass and charge. AMS counts the number of rare isotopes directly, allowing precise dating or tracing of materials at incredibly low concentrations. This method is invaluable in fields like archaeology, environmental science, and biomedicine for accurate isotope analysis.