Isochronous mass spectrometry in an electrostatic storage ring

Area of Science:

• Atomic and Molecular Physics
• Analytical Chemistry
• Accelerator Physics

Background:

• Accurate isobaric composition of molecular ion beams is crucial for sensitive studies in electrostatic storage rings.
• Traditional mass-filtering methods struggle to resolve complex beam components efficiently.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and demonstrate the first application of isochronous mass spectrometry within an electrostatic storage ring.
• To achieve high-resolution mass analysis for heavy molecular ions and uncooled beams.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of isochronous mass spectrometry in an electrostatic storage ring.
• Analysis of molecular ion beams with masses greater than 100 atomic mass units (u).
• Utilizing high mass resolution (Δm/m < 1 × 10^-5) for contaminant detection.

Main Results:

• Achieved unprecedented mass resolution for heavy molecular ions and uncooled beams.
• Successfully resolved and identified mass contaminations down to relative fractions of 0.02%.
• Demonstrated the efficacy of isochronous mass spectrometry in electrostatic storage rings.

Conclusions:

• Isochronous mass spectrometry in electrostatic storage rings provides essential high-resolution analysis for molecular ion beams.
• This technique significantly enhances the ability to identify and quantify beam contaminants, crucial for sensitive experiments.