Physics (Internal)

Enabling mass spectrometer miniaturization using microfabrication and aperture coding

This event is part of the Biophysics/Condensed Matter Seminar Series.

Abstract: Miniaturizing instruments for spectroscopic applications requires the designer to confront a tradeoff between instrument resolution and instrument throughput (and associated signal-to-background-ratio (SBR)). In particular, mass spectrometers based on magnetic sector mass analyzers—while noted for their high mass accuracy and resolution—have historically required large size and weight to achieve this performance, thereby limiting their use outside of the laboratory. We have recently demonstrated a solution to the resolution/throughput tradeoff in sector mass spectrometry by integrating spatially coded apertures and corresponding reconstruction algorithms with the conventional ion optics and processing approaches. This presentation will show how the application of spatially coded apertures to magnetic sector mass spectrometry has enabled throughput and signal to background improvements of greater than one order of magnitude with no loss of resolution. Furthermore, this presentation will explore how combining these advances with microfabriation of the ion source and detector array can enable instrument miniaturization without sacrificing the throughput or resolution found in a traditional laboratory-size system.

Jason J. Amsden 1, Evan X. Chen 1, Zachary E. Russell 1, Scott D. Wolter 1,2, Ryan M. Danell 3, Charles B. Parker 1, Mitch Wells 4, Brian R. Stoner 4, Michael E. Gehm 1, David J. Brady 1, Jeffrey T. Glass 1

1 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 2 Department of Physics, Elon University, Elon, NC 27278 3 Danell Consulting, Winterville, NC 28590 4 FLIR Systems, West Lafayette, IN 47906 4 Discovery-Science-Technology Division, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709