PNNL

Abstract

A growing field of mass spectrometry research has been the development of novel array detectors capable of acquiring complete mass spectra in a simultaneous manner. Several benefits are realized through simultaneous detection, such as improved duty cycle, reduced analysis time and sample consumption, and the elimination of correlated noise through ratioing techniques. One such device, termed the focal plane camera (FPC), has recently been developed and fitted to a Mattauch-Herzog geometry mass spectrograph (MHMS).1 A key feature of the MHMS is the presence of a flat focal plane along which all m/z are focused simultaneously, allowing the use of a planar array detector. This instrument has been coupled with a laser ablation (LA) sampleintroduction system and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ionization source. Laser ablation has several benefits: minimal sample preparation is necessary, it is applicable to many sample matrices, and it provides three dimensions of spatial resolution for analyte concentration. The combination of these techniques creates a powerful tool for solid-sample analysis.