Secondary neutral mass spectrometry using three-color resonance ionization: Osmium detection at the p. p. b. level and iron detection in silicon at the lt 200 p. p. t. level

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Physical Sciences and Engineering; (United Kingdom)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.1990.0143· OSTI ID:7039106

Pellin, M J; Young, C E; Calaway, W F; Whitten, J E; Gruen, D M ^[1]; Blum, J D; Hutcheon, I D; Wasserburg, G J ^[2]

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1. Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
2. California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena (United States)

The authors have demonstrated the ability of three-color resonant SNMS to detect and separate Os and Re in Ni samples at the 4 p.p.b. level. In situ analysis of Os in iron meteorites demonstrates an elemental selectivity of Os over Re of greater than 10{sup 3} without prior chemical separation. Measurements on a suite of samples with Os concentration varying from 10% down to 100 p.p.b. show a linear correlation between concentration and signal with a precision of better than {plus minus}13% and a useful yield in excess of 1%. Iron impurity atoms form deep level traps in Si, changing bulk electrical properties even at concentrations approaching 1 p.p.t. In this case, normal mass spectrometry of impurity atoms is complicated by the isobaric interference of {sup 56}Fe and {sup 28}Si{sub 2} molecule. Resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) has now been successfully used to separately ionize the impurity atoms of interest. Three-color REMPI dramatically reduces the residual non-resonant ionization of the isobarically interfering ion, allowing SNMS measurements at levels below 100 p.p.t. This result is accomplished without significant reduction in the fraction of containment atoms ionized, and, therefore, in useful yield. These results demonstrate the potential for three-color resonant ionization to detect and selectively ionize most high IP elements, including all of the Pt group elements, with good sensitivity, accuracy, and precision.

• OSTI ID: 7039106
• Journal Information: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Physical Sciences and Engineering; (United Kingdom), Journal Name: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Physical Sciences and Engineering; (United Kingdom) Vol. 333; ISSN 0962-8428; ISSN PTRMA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400102* -- Chemical & Spectral Procedures
ABSORPTION
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DYNAMIC MASS SPECTROMETERS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY ANALYSIS
IONIZATION
IRON
MASS SPECTROMETERS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
OSMIUM
PHOTOIONIZATION
PLATINUM METALS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RESONANCE ABSORPTION
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SORPTION
SPECTROMETERS
SPECTROSCOPY
TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETERS
TIME-OF-FLIGHT SPECTROMETERS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS