Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIMS)

The CIMS uses chemical ionization to selectively ionize a sample for it to be seen in the mass spectrometer. Our CIMS uses an LTOF (time of flight) mass analyzer to resolve the ionized species. In the picture above, the inlet has been designed for nitrate ionization, which ionizes species that are more acidic than itself (e.g., H2SO4) or clusters with them, forming a radical that can be then seen by the LTOF. Without the chemical ionization inlet, the CIMS can also double as an APi-TOF (Atmospheric Pressure interface Time Of Flight), which will only measure ambient ionized gases. In the UA group, we are looking at expanding the types of ionization methods we can use for the CIMS, like acetate or I-.