REFLECTRON TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETER

Ions are generated via a home-built electrospray or laser ablation source which is coupled to the reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer
 

Reflectron Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer with Electrospray Source
   
  • Ions are formed by electrospray
    A spray of charged droplets is generated by flowing a solution of a metal salt in water through a needle (A) at 7 kV. Droplets desolvate and fission, forming small clusters as they pass through the desolvating capillary (B) and are focused (C) thorough the skimmer (D).
  • Ions are collected
    An octopole (E) guides the ions into a radio frequency ion trap (F). After accumulating ions for 49 ms, ions are injected into the time-of-flight mass spectrometer.
  • Ions are mass selected
         Ions are accelerated, focused (G) and deflected (H) through the mass spectrometer and into the reflectron (I).
  • Ions are dissociated and the masses of fragment ions are measured
    At the turning point of the reflectron, a tuneable laser at 20 Hz rep.rate (J) dissociates the ions. The masses of resulting ions are determined by their flight times to a microchannel plate detector (K)

Close-up view of the actual electrospray source.

The needle (at 7 kV) is on the left and the counter-electrode is on the right.

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

 
1) A metal rod is ablated with a laser to produce ions.
2) The metal ions react with the desired precursor
3) The ions are cooled to approximately 10 K

4) Ions are accelerated and mass selected
5) Desired ions are photodissociated
6) Masses of fragment ions are determined

The laser ablation source with laser optics in the center of the photo and metal rod on the top.

 

A view of the laser ablation source from the back

 
   
The end of the mas spectrometer includes the reflectron casing and the dye laser optics.