Resonant laser ablation ion trap mass spectrometry -- Recent applications for chemical analysis
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States). Chemical Science and Technology Div.
Resonant Laser Ablation (RLA) is a useful ionization process for selectively producing gas phase ions from a solid sample. Recent use of RLA for mass spectrometry by this group and by others has produced a wealth of knowledge and useful analytical techniques. The method relies upon the focusing of modest intensity laser pulses ({le} 10{sup 7} W {center_dot} Cm{sup {minus}2}) upon a sample surface. A small quantity of material is vaporized, and atoms of desired analyte are subsequently ionized by (n + m) photon processes in the gas phase (where n = number of photons to a resonant transition and m = number of photons to exceed the ionization limit). The authors have been using (2 + 1) resonant ionization schemes for this work. Quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry is realizing a very prominent role in current mass spectrometric research. Ion traps are versatile, powerful and extremely sensitive mass spectrometers, capable of a variety of ionization modes, MS{sup n} type experiments, high mass ranges and high resolution, all for a fraction of the cost of other instrumentation with similar capabilities. Quadrupole ion traps are ideally suited to pulsed ionization sources such as laser ionization methods, since their normal operational method (Mass Selective Instability) relies upon the storage of ions from a finite ionization period followed by ejection and detection of these ions based upon their mass to charge ratios. The paper describes selective ionization for trace atomic analysis, selective reagent ion source for ion chemistry investigations, and the analysis of ``difficult`` environmental contaminants, i.e., TBP.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 188556
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR--95-3888; CONF-960391--2; ON: DE96005354
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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