Development of a Microfabricated, Coded Aperture Mass Spectrometer

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Objective:The goal of this proposal is to develop a ?Coded Aperture Micro Mass Spectrometer? for ubiquitous real-time detection of environmental hazards, chemical warfare agents and biochemical markers. This will be accomplished by combining novel microfabrication technologies for ion sources and detectors with coded aperture optics and algorithms. Achievement of such a micro mass spectrometer will enable a new paradigm of sensing which simultaneously provides high sensitivity and the ability to detect a broad range of species.Intellectual Merit:The intellectual merit of the proposed work includes advancing the state of the art of coded aperture spectroscopy by confirming its value in ion-based systems and developing algorithms for magnetic sector mass spectrometry. Determining the interaction of ions with coded apertures and optimizing the algorithms for such an ion-based system also holds scientific interest for future work in computational sensing in ion based systems. Broader Impact:This research will have broad impact on future generations of ion-based instruments which desire throughput and S/N enhancements. The ion coding concepts are not limited to any one form of spectrometry and apply to all particles with mass and/or charge. The educational impact of this proposed research will also be very high for both graduate and undergraduate students. It is a truly multidisciplinary effort requiring an understanding of electrical engineering, physics, materials science and chemistry; thus, it is excellent training for future scientists. It will leverage the Pratt fellows program at Duke to bring research experiences to undergraduate students.