SHRIMP is an acronym for Sensitive High Resolution Ion MicroProbe

The SHRIMP essentially is a Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer or SIMS, with large turning radius and a double focusing setup, applying both an electrostatic analyser and a large radius magnet to separate mass species in the secondary beam.

The SHRIMP was developed in the 1970s to serve the need of geologists to be able to conduct in situ U-Th-Pb geochronology on terrestrial and extra-terrestrial samples. The small primary beam sputters material from an area of 30 micrometer on the sample, making it a microprobe technique. The amount of target that is sampled is minute, making it a non-destructive method.

Minerals commonly analysed and dated on the SHRIMP include zircon, titanite , rutile, xenothime , monazite , zirconalite and badelleyite .

The use of a primary beam of oxygen (for sputtering ), precludes analyses of lighter elements, but application of a Cs (Cesium) source allows isotopic analysis of elements such as sulphur, oxygen and nitrogen.--202.72.148.102 05:07, 2 Jan 2005 (UTC)