Laser desorption/resonant laser ablation-trace analysis of solid matrices
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States); and others
Laser desorption (LD) and ablation (LA) have been recognized for some time as potentially useful methods for chemical analysis, in particular as methods for sample introduction for both organic and inorganic mass spectrometry (MS). Quadrupole ion trap MS is well suited to pulsed ionization sources, such as LD and LA, making it a suitable mass analyzer for this type of experiment. LD-MS frequently involves sample desorption from a matrix material or a solid sampling support, with the intent of providing quantitative and qualitative information about the content and structure of a sample. LA-MS typically ablates material from a native solid sample in order to provide elemental or isotopic information from the analysis. Although most LA has utilized fixed frequency lasers operating at relatively high irradiance ({approximately}10{sup 9} W-cm{sup -2}), there has been some recent interest in the use of resonant laser ablation (RLA) which typically uses modest intensity laser pulses tuned to a one- or two-photon resonant transition in the analyte to enhance the ionization yield. To obtain useful mass spectrometric information about trace analytes in solid analytical samples, the chemical form of the analyte must be considered. The author`s approach to trace MS analysis of solid samples uses LD to generate intact molecular ions for analytes on a solid support matrix, and RLA to create atomic species from solid materials, either of which can then be analyzed by quadruple ion trap mass spectrometry.
- OSTI ID:
- 210691
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9505261--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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