Mass sector field

Apart from the quadrupole and TOP analyzers described in Sect. 3.2.2, the most important types of mass analyzer used in common dynamic SIMS instruments employ a magnetic-sector field. 

The direct imaging magnetic sector mass analyzer (Fig. 3.19) has the unique property that all parts (lenses, electrostatic analyzer and magnetic sector field) of the secondary ion optics are stigmatic (comparable with light microscopes). This means that all points of the surface are simultaneously projected into the analyzer. 

Magnetic sector field instruments have mass resolutions up to m/Am = 20000 quad-rupole instruments are limited to a mass resolution of approximately m/Am = 500. For both types of instrument the a mass range extends to 500. 

Reduction of the measurement time for element distributions is possible by simultaneous detection of several masses. This can be achieved only by use of a magnetic sector field spectrometer with Mattauch-Herzog geometry [3.49] (Fig. 3.20) and parallel detection of up to five masses by mechanically adjusted electron multipliers. 

In both electron post-ionization techniques mass analysis is performed by means of a quadrupole mass analyzer (Sect. 3.1.2.2), and pulse counting by means of a dynode multiplier. In contrast with a magnetic sector field, a quadrupole enables swift switching between mass settings, thus enabling continuous data acquisition for many elements even at high sputter rates within thin layers. 

Multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) combines sector-field ICPMS with a multiple collector detector system and has recently emerged as an alternative to TIMS for precise U-Th isotope measurement. The full potential of MC-ICPMS has yet to be realized. Yet despite this, its performance in high precision isotope measurement already challenges and, in some cases, surpasses that ever achieved by TIMS (e.g., Lee and Halliday 1995 Blichert-Toft and Albarede 1997). 

A Thermo Finnigan Element 2 Inductively Coupled Plasma Sector-Field Mass Spectrometer (ICP-SF-MS) with guard electrode was employed for trace element analyses. RSD values derived from internal check standard never exceeded 10%. Accuracy was better than 15% for all elements as determined by analyzing the certified reference standard NWRI TM-RAIN 95 trace metal fortified rainwater, every 5 to 8 samples. 

In addition to the diversity of ionisation techniques available, mass spectrometers offer a selection of mass analyser configurations. Of note are single (MS) and triple quadrupole (MS—MS) instruments, ion trap analysers (MS)n, time-of-flight (ToF) analysers, sector field analysers, and Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) instruments. 

The recent and meteoric development of plasma source mass spectrometers equipped with high stability sector-field magnets and multiple collectors (MC-ICP-MS) has lead to a... 

Bensimon M, Bourquin J, Parriaux A (2000) Determination of ultra-trace elements in snow samples by inductively-coupled plasma source sector field mass spectrometry using ultrasonic nebulization. J Anal Atom Spectrom 15 731-734... 

Morgan, R.P. Porter, C.J. Beynon, J.H. On the Formation of Artefact Peaks in Linked Scans of the Magnet and Electric Sector Fields in a Mass Spectrometer. Org. Mass Spectrom. 1977,12, 735-738. 

The most commonly used mass separators are quadrupoles, ions traps and time-of-flight analyzers, for which the principle of mass separation is discussed below. Additionally, other types such as magnetic sector field or Fourier-trans-form cyclotron-resonance instruments are available. 

Magnetic sector field (B) Combination of magnetic (B) and electric sector fields (E) Quadrupole mass analyzer (Q) Time-of-flight mass analyzer (ToF)... 

Figure 1.2 Principle of the operation of a mass spectrometer including sample introduction system, ion source, mass separator (e.g., a magnetic sector field) and ion detector system (e.g., double ion collectors for simultaneous measurements of two separated ion beams).

A quite different type of mass spectrometer - the first 180° magnetic sector field mass spectrometer (see Figure 1.7), with directional focusing of ions for isotope analysis, was constructed by Dempster, independently of other instrumental developments in mass spectrometry, in 1918. 

Double-focusing mass spectrometers with high mass resolution are rather bulky and expensive instruments so that the development of single magnetic sector field mass spectrometers was of significance in the following years. 

Figure 1.14 Schematic of a 60° magnetic sector field mass spectrometer (Nier s mass spectrometer, 1940) 5, - entrance slit S2 - exit slit (H.Kienitz (ed.), Massenspektrometrie (1968), Verlag Chemie, Weinheim. Reproduced by permission of Wiley-VCH.)...

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