同轴反射式微型飞行时间质谱仪的研制

Development of Coaxial Reflective Miniature Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer

  • 摘要: 在航天研究领域,对化学成分检测存在快速、实时、便携的需求,研发微型质谱仪以实现化学成分的快速分析是在线质谱研究的重要方向。本工作基于飞行时间质谱的原理与设计特点,借助离子光学模拟软件SIMION,完成了基于同轴反射式微型飞行时间质量分析器及离子调制与传输装置的设计,并对仪器的总体性能及相关影响因素进行优化。在模拟设计确定的仪器参数基础上,成功研制出1台同轴反射式微型飞行时间质谱仪。该质谱仪重量716 g、体积187 cm3、功耗76 W、最高分辨率达44,既满足了微型化和分辨率的要求,同时具备检测铜、铁、铝、钛、镍等样品的能力,具有重要的科研价值与现实意义。

     

    Abstract: Due to the demands for speed, real-time performance and portability in the detection of chemical components in aerospace fields, developing a miniaturized mass spectrometer for rapid chemical analysis is one of the important directions in online mass spectrometry research. In this study, a coaxial reflection miniaturized time-of-flight mass analyzer, which consisted of an ionization region, accelerating region, lens region and microchannel plate region was first designed using SolidWorks software. The resulting model was then imported into SIMION, an ion optics simulation software, to simulate the ion trajectories. Based on the principle and design features of time-of-flight mass spectrometer, SIMION was used to optimize the overall performance and key influencing factors related to ion modulation and transmission. On the basis of determining the mechanical and electronic parameters of the instrument, a prototype of a coaxial reflection type miniaturized time-of-flight mass spectrometer was successfully developed. The mass spectrometer exhibited a weight of 716 g (without pump), a volume of 187 cm3, a power consumption of 76 W, and achieved a maximum mass resolution of 44, which satisfied the requirements for resolution and miniaturization. A 532 nm laser was employed as the ionization source, and the positively charged ions were accelerated by the electric field with increasing voltage layer by layer. The accelerated ions were adjusted to change the flight direction by means of three-stage ion lenses, thereby achieving the coaxial reflection of the ions. Coaxial reflection involved that the ions are deflected within the field-free drift region, after which they pass through two reflection zones and coaxially return to the field-free flight area. This coaxial reflection effectively extended the flight distance of the ions and realized second-order spatial focusing. Finally, the ions impacted on the coaxially placed microchannel plate (MCP), and the electrons released by the MCP were captured by the anode plate. Furthermore, the mass spectrometer exhibited the capability of simultaneous detecting metallic samples such as copper, iron, aluminum, titanium and nickel. In summary, the developed coaxial reflection miniature time-of-flight mass spectrometer meets the requirements of light weight, small volume, low power consumption and high resolution, thus, it offers significant scientific research value and practical significance, especially for in-situ rapid chemical analysis in aerospace and other field-beployed scenarios.

     

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