Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 113306 |
| Journal | Review of Scientific Instruments |
| Volume | 90 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| Publication status | Published - 7 Nov 2019 |
Abstract
Ion mobility spectrometers (IMSs) are well-known instruments for fast and ultrasensitive trace gas detection. In recent years, we introduced a compact nonradioactive electron source providing a defined current of free electrons with high kinetic energy at atmospheric pressure for initiating a chemical gas phase ionization of the analytes identical to radioactive sources. Besides its nonradioactivity, one major advantage of this electron source is its controlled electron emission current even in pulsed mode. By optimizing the geometric parameters and developing faster control electronics, we now achieve electron pulses with extremely short pulse widths down to 23 ns. This allows us to kinetically control the formation of reactants and analyte ions by chemical gas phase ionization (e.g., reducing discrimination processes caused by competing ionization), enhancing the analytical performance of the IMS. However, this paper concentrates on the pulsed electron source. For its characterization, we developed a measurement setup, which allows the detection of nanosecond electron pulses with amplitudes of only a few nanoamperes. Furthermore, we investigated the spatial ion distribution in the ionization region depending on several operating parameters, such as the kinetic electron energy or the ionization time.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Instrumentation
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In: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 90, No. 11, 113306, 07.11.2019.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Non-radioactive electron source with nanosecond pulse modulation for atmospheric pressure chemical ionization
AU - Bunert, Erik
AU - Berger, Marc
AU - Kirk, Ansgar
AU - Zimmermann, Stefan
PY - 2019/11/7
Y1 - 2019/11/7
N2 - Ion mobility spectrometers (IMSs) are well-known instruments for fast and ultrasensitive trace gas detection. In recent years, we introduced a compact nonradioactive electron source providing a defined current of free electrons with high kinetic energy at atmospheric pressure for initiating a chemical gas phase ionization of the analytes identical to radioactive sources. Besides its nonradioactivity, one major advantage of this electron source is its controlled electron emission current even in pulsed mode. By optimizing the geometric parameters and developing faster control electronics, we now achieve electron pulses with extremely short pulse widths down to 23 ns. This allows us to kinetically control the formation of reactants and analyte ions by chemical gas phase ionization (e.g., reducing discrimination processes caused by competing ionization), enhancing the analytical performance of the IMS. However, this paper concentrates on the pulsed electron source. For its characterization, we developed a measurement setup, which allows the detection of nanosecond electron pulses with amplitudes of only a few nanoamperes. Furthermore, we investigated the spatial ion distribution in the ionization region depending on several operating parameters, such as the kinetic electron energy or the ionization time.
AB - Ion mobility spectrometers (IMSs) are well-known instruments for fast and ultrasensitive trace gas detection. In recent years, we introduced a compact nonradioactive electron source providing a defined current of free electrons with high kinetic energy at atmospheric pressure for initiating a chemical gas phase ionization of the analytes identical to radioactive sources. Besides its nonradioactivity, one major advantage of this electron source is its controlled electron emission current even in pulsed mode. By optimizing the geometric parameters and developing faster control electronics, we now achieve electron pulses with extremely short pulse widths down to 23 ns. This allows us to kinetically control the formation of reactants and analyte ions by chemical gas phase ionization (e.g., reducing discrimination processes caused by competing ionization), enhancing the analytical performance of the IMS. However, this paper concentrates on the pulsed electron source. For its characterization, we developed a measurement setup, which allows the detection of nanosecond electron pulses with amplitudes of only a few nanoamperes. Furthermore, we investigated the spatial ion distribution in the ionization region depending on several operating parameters, such as the kinetic electron energy or the ionization time.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85074869754&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1063/1.5126507
DO - 10.1063/1.5126507
M3 - Article
C2 - 31779458
AN - SCOPUS:85074869754
VL - 90
JO - Review of Scientific Instruments
JF - Review of Scientific Instruments
SN - 0034-6748
IS - 11
M1 - 113306
ER -