Low-Cost, Compact Quadrupole Mass Filters with Unity Mass Resolution via Ceramic Resin Vat Photopolymerization.

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Instrumentation Science
• Materials Science

Background:

• Miniaturization of mass spectrometry instruments is crucial for portable and in-situ analysis.
• Traditional quadrupole mass filters are often bulky and expensive, limiting their widespread application.
• Additive manufacturing offers potential for creating complex, integrated micro-devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize novel, compact, additively manufactured quadrupole mass filters (QMFs).
• To evaluate the filtering performance, resolution, sensitivity, and mass range of the 3D-printed QMFs.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of using these devices for practical mass spectrometry applications.

Main Methods:

• Monolithic fabrication of QMFs using vat photopolymerization of glass-ceramic resin with 57 µm × 57 µm × 100 µm voxels.
• Selective electroless plating of nickel-boron for electrode formation.
• Experimental characterization using FC-43 at 1.74 MHz to assess performance metrics.

Main Results:

• Achieved 131 Da peaks with 0.50 Da full width at half maximum (260 resolution).
• Demonstrated resolution comparable to commercial, non-miniaturized devices and superior to other miniaturized counterparts.
• Estimated sensitivity of 0.13 mA Torr⁻¹ and a mass range up to 250 Da.

Conclusions:

• Additively manufactured QMFs provide adequate filtering performance for practical mass spectrometry.
• These compact, 3D-printed devices represent a significant advancement for low-cost, capable mass spectrometry.
• The technology is suitable for in-space manufacturing of complex instrumentation and portable analytical devices.