Portable double‐focusing mass‐spectrometer system for field gas monitoring

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Abstract
Traditional mass‐spectrometry (MS) instruments have been confined to laboratory usage because of their large size, power and high‐vacuum requirements, which make them unsuitable for use in most field environments. Developments in mass spectrometers and small vacuum pump systems have now made possible the development of transportable mass‐spectrometer instruments. A portable MS device based on a miniature double‐focusing (ExB) sector‐field mass spectrometer has been developed for in situ gas analysis and monitoring applications. The device (acronym Portable‐CDFMS) uses a 1.1‐Tesla NdFeB permanent magnet, a lithographically defined electric sector, a molecular‐flow frit inlet, a spiral filament in a closed ion source, and a miniature channeltron detector. The high vacuum is provided with the use of a very compact hybrid turbomolecular and diaphragm pump combination. This MS system weighs 18 lb., is able to detect atmospheric species at the part‐per‐million (ppm) level, and has a mass range up to 200 amu, which makes this miniature mass spectrometer well suited for field applications. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Field Analyt Chem Technol 5: 156–167, 2001

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