Atomic laser ablation

The previous discussion has centered on how to obtain as much molecular mass and chemical structure information as possible from a given sample. However, there are many uses of mass spectrometry where precise isotope ratios are needed and total molecular mass information is unimportant. For accurate measurement of isotope ratio, the sample can be vaporized and then directed into a plasma torch. The sample can be a gas or a solution that is vaporized to form an aerosol, or it can be a solid that is vaporized to an aerosol by laser ablation. Whatever method is used to vaporize the sample, it is then swept into the flame of a plasma torch. Operating at temperatures of about 5000 K and containing large numbers of gas ions and electrons, the plasma completely fragments all substances into ionized atoms within a few milliseconds. The ionized atoms are then passed into a mass analyzer for measurement of their atomic mass and abundance of isotopes. Even intractable substances such as glass, ceramics, rock, and bone can be examined directly by this technique. 

Citra, A., Andrews, L., 1999, Reactions of Laser Ablated Rhodium Atoms With Nitrogen Atoms and Molecules. Infrared Spectra and Density Functional Calculations on Rhodium Nitrides and Dinitrogen Complexes , J. Phys. Chem. A, 103, 3410. 

LA-AES Laser ablation-atomic emission 1-NMR Liquid nuclear magnetic resonance... 

When laser-ablated Ni atoms were reacted with CS2 during cocondensation in excess argon, the C-bonded Ni( /-CS2) and side-on bonded Ni(//2-CS)S complexes were formed on annealing, whereas the inserted SNiCS was formed on photolysis. All species were characterized by IR spectroscopy and DFT calculations.2466 The reaction of low-valent [Ni(CO)J (x=2, 3) with CS2 has been studied by FT-ICR spectroscopy.2467... 

Although dimethylberyllium is a coordination polymer in the solid state,27 it has long been known to be monomeric in the gas phase.28 It has also been found to be monomeric when synthesized from the co-condensation of laser-ablated beryllium atoms and a methane/argon mixture at 10 K.11 Formed in conjunction with several other species, including hydrides (see Section 2.02.2.4), (CH3)2Be was identified from its infrared absorption bands, which were compared to DFT-calculated frequencies (DFT = density functional theory). 

For the majority of applications, the sample is taken into solution and introduced into the plasma as an aerosol in the argon stream. The sample solution is pumped by a peristaltic pump at a fixed rate and converted into an aerosol by a nebulizer (see atomic absorption spectrometry). Various designs of nebulizer are in use, each having strengths and weaknesses. The reader is directed to the more specialist texts for a detailed consideration of nebulizers. There is an obvious attraction in being able to handle a solid directly, and sample volatilization methods using electric spark ablation, laser ablation and electrothermal volatilization have also been developed. 

Gonzalez et al. 2008). Laser ablation is a direct sampling technique by which a high energy laser is focused on the surface of a material and atoms, ions, and particles are ejected. The particles, which are chemically representative of the bulk sample, are then transported into an ICPMS for analysis. In LIBS, a luminous, short-lived plasma is created on the sample surface by the focused laser beam and its emission spectra are analyzed to provide both qualitative and quantitative chemical compositional analysis (Cremers... 

Laser ablation of compounds of almost all elements in the periodic table will produce the bare ion M+. Laser ablation and other methods of producing bare metal ions have been discussed in Section II.C.5. The bare metal ion has a coordination number of 0 and for most elements these ions will aggressively seek molecules able to share or donate electrons. Thus most bare transition metal ions will increase their coordination number by reacting with any donor, this even includes the inert gas atoms such as Xe (96). 

Evans, R. D. and Outridge, P. M. (1994). Applications of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to the determination of environmental contaminants in calcified biological structures. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectroscopy 9 985-989. 

Raith, A., Hutton, R. C., Abell, I. D., and Crighton, J. (1995). Non-destructive sampling method of metals and alloys for laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectroscopy 10 591-594. 

Watling, R. J., Lynch, B. F., and Herring, D. (1997). Use of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for fingerprinting scene of crime evidence. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectroscopy 12 195-203. 

The laser ablation inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry procedure described by Arrowsmith [127] discussed in section 12.10.2.4 has been applied to the determination of down to 0.2pg gy1 of antimony in sediments. 

Uneven open shell Pn clusters are easier to ionize than even closed shell ones and the stability of the closed shell uneven P cluster cations is higher. For very large Pn+ cations with n = 25 + 8x (x — 0.1.2. 8) islands of stability were observed in the time of flight mass spectrum (TOF-MS) obtained by laser ablation of red phosphorus, suggesting that the more stable P clusters have connections with units of eight P atoms [71d]. A lot of effort has been put into the calculation of the most stable Pn+ cation structures. The respective global minimum structures of the more stable uneven P3+, Ps+, P71 and P<)h cluster cations are shown in Figure 2.6-10 [73, 74],... 

The MC-ICP-MS consists of four main parts 1) a sample introduction system that inlets the sample into the instrument as either a liquid (most common), gas, or solid (e.g., laser ablation), 2) an inductively coupled Ar plasma in which the sample is evaporated, vaporized, atomized, and ionized, 3) an ion transfer mechanism (the mass spectrometer interface) that separates the atmospheric pressure of the plasma from the vacuum of the analyzer, and 4) a mass analyzer that deals with the ion kinetic energy spread and produces a mass spectrum with flat topped peaks suitable for isotope ratio measurements. 

Wilson, S.A., Ridley, W.I., Koenig, A.E. 2002. Development of sulfide calibration standards for the laser ablation inductively-ooupled plasma mass spectrometry technique. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry 17, 406-409. 

Fabre, C., Boiron, M.-C., Dubessy, J., Moissette, a. 1999. Determination of ions in individual fluid inclusions by laser ablation optical emission spectroscopy development and applications to natural fluid inclusions. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 14(6), 913-922. 

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