Mass spectrometers development

Probably the simplest mass spectrometer is the time-of-fiight (TOP) instrument [36]. Aside from magnetic deflection instruments, these were among the first mass spectrometers developed. The mass range is theoretically infinite, though in practice there are upper limits that are governed by electronics and ion source considerations. In chemical physics and physical chemistry, TOP instniments often are operated at lower resolving power than analytical instniments. Because of their simplicity, they have been used in many spectroscopic apparatus as detectors for electrons and ions. Many of these teclmiques are included as chapters unto themselves in this book, and they will only be briefly described here. 

All the above considerations were taken into account in the coupling of the Soviet-made type EG-IOOA electron diffraction apparatus and type NZ-850 quadm-pole mass spectrometer developed and built in the Institute of Nuclear Research (ATOMKI), Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Debrecen Fig. 9 illustrates the combined experimental setup. 

Hager, J. W. (2004). Recent trends in mass spectrometer development. Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 378 845-850. 

The first mass spectrometer, developed in the 1920s by the English physicist F. W. Aston,1 was crude by today s standards. Nevertheless, it provided indisputable evidence of the existence of isotopes—neon-20 (atomic mass 19.9924 amu and natural abundance 90.92 percent) and neon-22 (atomic mass 21.9914 amu and natural abundance 8.82 percent). When more sophisticated and sensitive mass spectrometers became available, scientists were surprised to discover that neon has a third stable isotope with an atomic mass of 20.9940 amu and natural abundance 0.257 percent (Figure 3.4). This example illustrates how very important experimental accuracy is to a quantitative science like chemistry. Early experiments failed to detect neon-21 because its natural abundance is just 0.257 percent. In other words, only 26 in 10,000 Ne atoms are neon-21. The masses of molecules can be determined in a similar manner by the mass spectrometer. 

Luderwald, I., Thermal degradation of polyesters in the mass spectrometer. Developments in Polymer degradation, Vol. 2, Grassie, N., Ed. Applied Science Publisher, London, 1979. 

Ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) mass spectrometers have become increasingly popular with the use of Fourier transform (FT) techniques, the development of superconducting magnets, and the importance of pulsed desorption ionization methods and are now in the forefront of mass spectrometer development. 

Mahaffy, P.R. (1999) Mass spectrometers developed for planetary missions. In Laboratory Astrophysics and Space Research, edited by Efrenfreund, P, et al. Dordrecht, The Netherlands Kluwer Academic Publishing, pp. 355-376. 

Nonetheless, electrostatic energy analyzers have played a significant role in time-of-flight design. One approach, exemplified by the ETOF mass spectrometer developed at... 

Hager, J.W. Recent Trends in Mass Spectrometer Development. Anal. Bio-anal. Chem. 2004,378, 845-850. 

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