Development of Thermal Flash Heating/Rapid Cooling System Using a Heated Needle Coupled with an Alternating Current...

In previous work, a flash desorption/rapid-cooling system for the analysis of nonvolatile samples was developed using a heated needle. The needle was moved down to the sample surface using a linear actuator. In this system, it was necessary to adjust the lowest position of the needle manually. In the present work, a flash-heating system that requires no manual adjustment was implemented and combined with an alternating current (AC) corona discharge ion source. By using a movable needle inserted into a heated ceramic tube, the needle stops and remains on the sample surface at the moment the needle tip touches it, thereby preventing deep penetration. After contact for 200 ms, the needle was lifted up, enabling rapid cooling of the heated sample. Thus, the movable needle in the ceramic tube acts as a soft-touch sensor. This system, coupled with an AC corona discharge ion source, was successfully applied to the analysis of industrial polymers.