Instrument Development: High Performance Electrostatic Linear Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry and Tandem Mass Spectrometry

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Mass spectrometry plays a major role in many areas where molecular measurements are critical, such as the life sciences, the environmental sciences, energy, security, etc. Important characteristics of a mass spectrometer include the resolution and accuracy with which it can determine molecular masses and the range of masses accessible, as well as practical instrumental features such as size, weight, power consumption, and cost. With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Division of Chemistry, Dr. Scott McLuckey and his group at Purdue University seek to develop a conceptually new and simple means for mass analysis that combines impressive performance capabilities with potentially small size, low weight, low power consumption and relatively low cost. The work promises to make high performance mass spectrometry much more widely accessible to scientists across a wide range of fields, while providing valuable training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students.Dr. McLuckey is developing a relatively small electrostatic linear ion trap based on opposing ion mirrors. The instrument will be useful for high-performance mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry applications either as a component of larger systems or as a stand-alone device. The work targets mass resolution in the tens of thousands in analysis times well under one second, with capabilities for tandem mass spectrometry experiments using several dissociation methods. The net result will be a highly flexible and powerful tool that is simple enough to be built in academic laboratories for support of specialized experiments. It may also be attractive for commercial development to support a wide range of commonly performed experiments. Possible application areas range from field measurements (including extraterrestrial applications) to laboratory-based measurements that require high mass resolution and mass accuracy at relatively low cost. The relative ease with which dual-ion mirror devices can be fabricated will also facilitate the adoption of this technology in specialized research tools that are constructed to address research problems that cannot be addressed with commercially available instruments.