Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Analysis of Volatile and Oxidation Sensitive Compounds Using a Cold Inlet System and Electron Impact Mass Spectrometry
Published on: September 5, 2014
Nondestructive identification of cold and extremely localized single molecular ions
M Drewsen1, A Mortensen, R Martinussen
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, QUANTOP-Danish National Research Foundation Centre for Quantum Optics, Ny Munkegade, Building 520, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. drewsen@phys.au.dk
Abstract:
We demonstrate a simple and nondestructive method for identification of a single molecular ion sympathetically cooled by a single laser cooled atomic ion in a linear Paul trap. The technique is based on a precise nondestructive determination of the molecular ion mass through a measurement of the eigenfrequency of a common motional mode of the two ions. The demonstrated mass resolution is sufficiently high that molecular ion mass doublets can potentially be distinguished from each other. The obtained results represent an important step towards single molecule gas phase chemical physics.
Related Concept Videos
Chemical Ionization (CI) Mass Spectrometry
High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS)
Electrospray Ionization (ESI) Mass Spectrometry
ESI utilizes electrical energy to transfer ions from the liquid phase of the sample into the...
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry
Mass Analyzers: Overview

