Miniaturized mass spectrometry using lithographically patterned electrodes

杨百翰大学的Daniel E.Austin和Aaron R.Hawkins教授在化学系化学测量和成像(CMI)计划的支持下，探索制造高度小型化的线型离子陷阱质谱仪的可行途径。本项目的目标是开发一种低成本、制造简单、便携的质谱仪，并证明其在快速现场化学测量问题中的适用性。一个这样的应用是对大气颗粒物的监测。广泛的科学和技术领域，包括工业、环境、临床和空气质量监测，可以从现场质谱学化学分析中受益。这最终是一个仪器开发项目，与所有新的和改进的测量工具一样，它将促进依赖于这些测量的科学和技术领域的进步。拟议的研究重点是开发一种小型化的线性离子陷阱(LIT)质谱仪(MS)，使用两个平行的陶瓷板，在其上以光刻方式刻画所有必要的电极。建议的双板概念将允许电极的精确对准，这是保持可接受的MS分辨率、质量精度和小型化MS的选择性的要求。在一块板固定的情况下，只有第二块板的位置将使用机械和精细的压电对齐来改变。在板对齐后，它们将被永久地固定在环氧树脂上，以创建微型MS分析仪。一旦组装完成，该分析仪将与商业GC接口，以演示便携式GC-MS操作。仪器制造和测试任务涉及化学和电气工程专业的研究生和本科生的跨学科教育和培训，这两个领域在仪器开发方面的合作越来越多，交叉培训对这两个领域尤为重要。

Professors Daniel E. Austin and Aaron R. Hawkins of Brigham Young University are supported by the Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI) Program in the Division of Chemistry to explore viable pathways to fabricate highly miniaturized linear-type ion trap mass spectrometers. The goal of this project is to develop a low cost, simple to manufacture, portable mass spectrometer and to demonstrate its applicability to fast on-site chemical measurement problems. One such application is the monitoring of atmospheric particulates. A wide range of scientific and technical areas, including industrial, environmental, clinical, and air quality monitoring, can benefit from on-site mass spectrometric chemical analysis. This is ultimately an instrument development project, and like all new and improved measurement tools it will facilitate advances in science and technology areas that rely on these measurements.The proposed research is focused on the development of a miniaturized linear ion trap (LIT) mass spectrometer (MS), using two parallel ceramic plates onto which all necessary electrodes are lithographically patterned. The proposed two-plate concept will allow precise alignment of the electrodes, a requirement for maintaining acceptable MS resolution, mass accuracy, and selectivity with miniaturized MS. With one plate fixed, only the position of the second plate will be varied using both mechanical as well as fine piezoelectric alignments. After the plates are aligned, they will be permanently affixed with epoxy to create a miniaturized MS analyzer. Once assembled, the analyzer will be interfaced to a commercial GC to demonstrate portable GC-MS operations. The instrument construction and testing tasks involve interdisciplinary education and training of graduate and undergraduate students in chemistry and electrical engineering, two areas that increasingly work together in instrument development and for which cross-training is particularly valuable.