Experts at the Moscow State Institute of Engineering Physics at the Russian State Nuclear Energy Research University have developed a new type of laser mass spectrometer that can directly determine the elemental composition of materials, significantly increasing the speed of analysis and reducing the cost of analysis. Green laser pointer research results are published in the journal.
Traditional elemental analysis methods require heavy sample preparation. If the sample being studied is solid, such as when analyzing minerals, it must first be dissolved, which not only takes time, but may also pollute the environment. In addition to long-term sample preparation, comparison with standard samples is required to avoid errors in the overall composition of the analysis, which increases the cost of analysis.
This wedge-shaped ion mirror mass spectrometer is characterized by universal analysis of solid materials without the use of standard samples. The advantage is that it can perform a wide range of energy transfers, is small and light, and has low power consumption. In addition, this instrument can analyze all levels of materials, the method is environmentally friendly, and can perform local and layered analysis without the interference of cluster ions.
The pulsed mode of operation allows this analyzer to be well integrated with the laser ion source, and the identification speed is fast, so the mass spectrometer can also be used in criminal investigation. At the same time, this new type of mass spectrometer also opens up new prospects for green laser pointers in medicine, especially in the related fields of analyzing trace elements in human hair and nails. In addition, the instrument can also improve the accuracy of component identification of transit goods at railway stations and airports, and accelerate the analysis of soil samples to obtain accurate maps of the current status of the regional ecological environment.