Low-Pressure, Field-Ionizing Mass Spectrometer

A small mass spectrometer utilizing a miniature field ionization source is now undergoing development. It is designed for use in a variety of applications in which there are requirements for a lightweight, low-power-consumption instrument that can analyze the masses of a wide variety of molecules and ions. The device can operate without need for a high-vacuum, carrier-gas feed radioactive ionizing source, or thermal ionizer. This mass spectrometer can operate either in the natural vacuum of outer space or on Earth at any ambient pressure below 50 torr (below about 6.7 kPa) — a partial vacuum that can easily be reached by use of a small sampling pump. This mass spectrometer also has a large dynamic range — from singly charged small gas ions to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragments larger than 104 atomic mass units — with sensitivity adequate for detecting some molecules and ions at relative abundances of less than one part per billion.