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Updated: May 10, 2026
08:36
An Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Setup to Investigate the Reactive Species Formation
Published on: November 3, 2016
Atmospheric pressure ion source development: experimental validation of simulated ion trajectories within complex
Walter Wissdorf1, Matthias Lorenz, Thorsten Pöhler
1Institute for Pure an Applied Mass Spectrometry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Wuppertal, 42119, Wuppertal, Germany, wissdorf@uni-wuppertal.de.
Summary
This study models ion trajectories in atmospheric pressure ion sources, validating computational fluid dynamics with experimental data. The results show SIMION/SDS can accurately predict ion acceptance, aiding future instrument design.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Chemical Physics
- Instrument Design
Background:
- Ion trajectory modeling is crucial for understanding atmospheric pressure ion (API) sources.
- Distribution of Ion Acceptance (DIA) is sensitive to source parameters like gas flow, temperature, and electrode potentials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model 3D ion trajectories within API sources using validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) velocity fields.
- To validate modeling results against spatially resolved experimental DIA measurements.
- To assess the capability of SIMION/SDS for modeling API source operational points.
Main Methods:
- 3D ion trajectory calculations using SIMION/SDS.
- Input of validated 3D-velocity fields from CFD simulations.
- Custom software for data analysis and parameter processing.
- Validation against spatially resolved experimental DIA measurements.
Main Results:
- Computational modeling successfully reproduced experimentally derived DIA patterns.
- DIA shapes and signal strengths were found to be highly dependent on source operational parameters.
- Distinct and reproducible DIA patterns were observed across various operational modes.
Conclusions:
- SIMION/SDS, coupled with accurate CFD data and analysis software, can successfully model API source operational points.
- This computational approach is valuable for the computer-aided design of future API sources.
- The study demonstrates the utility of integrated modeling and experimental validation for instrument optimization.
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