We have two instruments. One is equipped with a laser ablation source and is primarily used for vibrational and electronic spectroscopy. The second instrument has laser ablation, electric discharge, and electrospray ion sources and is used for electronic spectroscopy and for photofragment imaging studies.

Reflectron Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer with Laser Ablation Source

• Ions are formed by laser ablation
  A pulsed laser (A) is focused onto a rotating and translating metal rod (B) to produce metal ions. They react with gas introduced through a pulsed valve (C). The resulting ions expand into vacuum and cool. A skimmer (D) selects the central portion of the ion beam.
• Ions are accelerated and mass selected
  Ions are extracted and accelerated in a collinear Wiley-McLaren configuration (E), re-referenced to ground potential (F), focused (G) and deflected (H) through the mass spectrometer. A mass gate (I) deflects selected ions into the reflectron (K).
• Ions are dissociated and the masses of fragment ions are measured
  At the turning point of the reflectron, a tunable laser, in the IR, visible, or UV (J,K) dissociates the ions. The masses of resulting ions are determined by their flight times to a microchannel plate detector (L).

• Ions are formed by laser ablation, electrospray, or electric discharge (shown)
  In the electric discharge source, a gas is introduced through a pulsed valve (A) and travels through charged plates. The resulting electric discharge produces ions. The ions expand into vacuum and cool. A skimmer (B) selects the central portion of the ion beam.
• Ions are collected and thermalized
  The ions travel through octopole ion guides (C) and into a radio-frequency ion trap (D), where they are thermalized by collisions with helium gas.
• Ions are extracted and mass selected
  Ions are extracted and accelerated in a collinear Wiley-McLaren configuration (E) and re-referenced to ground potential (F).
• Electronic Spectroscopy
  A mass gate (G) deflects selected ions (shown in red) into the reflectron (J).At the turning point of the reflectron, a tunable laser, in the visible, or UV dissociates the ions. The masses of resulting ions are determined by their flight times to a microchannel plate detector (K).
• Photofragment Imaging Studies
  A mass gate (G,H) deflects selected ions (shown in blue) through the reflectron (J) which is now grounded. Irises (I,L) collimate the ion beam. A tunable laser in the visible or UV dissociates the ions. Fragment ions are accelerated in a velocity map imaging configuration (L,M,N) and are collected on a gated imaging detector (O). The resulting image (far right) is collected by a CCD camera.