High precision 14C measurements with the HVEE Tandetron AMS system at Nagoya University

In 1996/1997, a C-14-AMS system (model 4130-AMS) manufactured by High Voltage Engineering Europe (HVEE), B.V., The Netherlands, was installed at the Center for Chronological Research (CCR), Nagoya University. The system provides highly precise and accurate C-14 determinations as well as delta(13)C values for graphite targets (1.5 mg carbon and 3 mg iron powder) prepared from standards and samples. One sigma errors in C-14 ages typically range from +/-20 to +/-40 yr for materials younger than 8000 BP, depending on absolute C-14 ages or C-14 counting uncertainties. Standard deviations of C-13/C-12 ratios range from +/-0.1parts per thousand to +/-0.9parts per thousand. For relatively young samples, accuracies of less than 10parts per thousand are obtained using IAEA reference materials and FIRI test samples. Background levels on the C-14-AMS system range from 52 to 54 ka BP for a pure graphite powder. The HVEE C-14-AMS system at the CCR has been used routinely to date samples with a variety of research applications. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.