METASTABLE ATOM BOMBARDMENT SOURCE

摘要

The metastable atom bombardment source provides a charged particle free beam of metastable species that can be used to bombard and ionize organic and inorganic substances in a gas phase. The metastable atoms are produced by inducing a discharge in a gas (rare gases or small molecules). The discharge is curved between the cathode and anode, with the cathode located in a mediu m pressure zone and the anode located off-axis in a low pressure zone. A nozzl e located between the cathode and the anode provides a collimated beam of metastable atoms of low kinetic energy that is directed at an ion volume containing the substances to be analyzed.