Investigation of the relative sensitivity factor for the quantification of ion microprobe results for Nd isotopes in simulated nuclear fuel

. We have investigated whether simulated nuclear fuel (SIMFUEL) can be used as a reference material for the quantification of fission products in irradiated nuclear fuels measured by SIMS. Two samples simulating burn-ups of 3 and 8 at% were analysed in order to calculate relative sensitivity factors (RSFs) for neodymium in UO 2 . Comparison of these RSFs clearly showed that the composition of the two materials tested had a major effect on the sputtering and ionization yields of the studied species and hence on the RSF values. The results did not allow the quantification of one sample using the other as reference. It is concluded that quantification of the local concentration of Nd in irradiated fuel will require a standard simulating a burn-up close to the local one in the sample.