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arXiv:2107.04256 · Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry

Interferometric Mass Spectrometry

Radu Ionicioiu

Published May 20, 2023• 3 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is a widely used technique with multiple applications, including geology, molecular biology, and archeology. In order to achieve a high dynamic range, AMS requires tandem accelerators and large magnets, which thus confines it to big laboratories. Here we propose interferometric mass spectrometry (Interf-MS), a novel method of mass separation which uses quantum interference. Interf-MS employs the wave-like properties of the samples and as such is complementary to AMS, in which samples are particle-like. This complementarity has two significant consequences: (i) in Interf-MS separation is performed according to the absolute mass m, and not to the mass-to-charge ratio m / q, as in AMS; (ii) in Interf-MS the samples are in the low-velocity regime, in contrast to the high-velocity regime used in AMS. Potential applications of Interf-MS are compact devices for mobile applications, sensitive molecules that break at the acceleration stage and neutral samples which are difficult to ionize.

DOI
10.1021/jasms.3c00105

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