We provide two basic methods of Ar gas extraction from samples: resistance furnace heating and laser heating/ablation.

Resistance Furnace:
The resistance furnace (described in detail below) allows us to heat samples (usually larger than about 1 mg) to various well controlled temperatures. With this apparatus we carry out standard incremental heating analyses, multi-domain diffusion (MDD) studies and total fusions of samples up to about 500 mg in size. Actual sample size depends on the mineral, its age and the type of analysis. A typical incremental heating experiment comprises 8 to 12 increments but this can vary depending on the investigator's needs, the sample type and age.

Laser heating/ablation:
For samples too small for the resistance furnace or for samples used for other kinds of studies lasers are used as the heating medium. Individual mineral grains can be incrementally heated or fused completely using our diode laser (all of our lasers are described below). This is useful where sample sizes are too small for the furnace. Individual grains can be incrementally heated akin to the resistance furnace to give similar data. Alternatively, a large number of individual grains can be melted to give total fusion ages. This is useful for studies of detrital mineral age patterns for example. Using an excimer laser operating at 193nm it is possible to carry out high resolution (down to 10 microns) spot analyses of individual grains. These are total fusion ages that provide data for contouring ages in individual mineral grains for diffusion studies. It also allows in situ analyses of mineral grains in sections.