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Design and characterization of an optical-fiber-coupled laser-induced desorption source for gas-phase dynamics
Dennis Milešević1, Divya Popat1, Paul Gellersen1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, 12 Mansfield Rd., Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|November 21, 2023
Summary
A new laser-based thermal desorption source efficiently prepares intact neutral molecules in the gas phase. This fiber-coupled system simplifies experiments, offering high molecular densities for chemical dynamics and mass spectrometry.
Area of Science:
- Physical Chemistry
- Spectroscopy
- Molecular Dynamics
Background:
- Preparing intact neutral molecules in the gas phase is crucial but challenging for mass spectrometry and chemical dynamics.
- Existing methods often struggle with certain molecule classes or require complex setups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and characterize a novel fiber-coupled laser-based thermal desorption source.
- To enable the preparation of intact neutral molecules at high densities for gas-phase experiments.
Main Methods:
- A fiber-coupled laser system irradiates a tantalum foil coated with the sample.
- Localized heating induces thermal desorption of intact neutral molecules into the gas phase.
- 118 nm photoionization and velocity-map imaging were used for characterization.
Main Results:
- The source successfully desorbed intact neutral molecules (uracil, adenine, phenylalanine) in the gas phase.
- Performance was characterized by varying interaction region size, laser power, and heating time.
- Signal levels were comparable to pulsed supersonic molecular beams.
Conclusions:
- The developed laser-based thermal desorption source is effective for preparing intact neutral molecules.
- Its fiber-coupled design simplifies alignment and sample refreshing under vacuum.
- The source shows significant potential for chemical dynamics and mass spectrometry applications.
