| Abstract Scope |
This presentation describes an innovative mass spectrometer and its application for high-sensitivity, high-throughput elemental characterization of metals. Addressing many limitations of other techniques, Laser Ablation Laser Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer (LALI-TOF-MS) combines a dual-laser ionization source with a TOF mass analyzer into a compact, desktop package. The first laser ablates, or liberates, material from the sample’s surface, and then the second laser ionizes that liberated material. Directly analyzing solids eliminates the complicated sample preparation procedures required by other mass spectrometry techniques. After ionization, the particles move through the ion optics to the TOF mass analyzer, which measures the time required for ions of different masses to impact a detector. This results in a full mass spectrum, facilitating multielement quantification. Not only are its detection limits comparable with those of traditional mass spectrometry, LALI-TOF-MS also measures low-mass elements (e.g., carbon, oxygen, etc.) that other techniques fail to detect. |