Ambient Pressure Pyroelectric Ion Source for Harsh Environment Mass Spectrometry

摘要

We present the construction and implementation of a compact ambient pressure pyroelectric ion source for harsh environment mass spectrometry based on thermally cycled pyroelectric lithium niobate or lithium tantalate. Thermal cycling alternately produces positive and negative ions at each face of the crystal. As constructed, basic species are detected as cations at the -z face upon heating, and acidic species are detected as anions at the -z face upon cooling. Electrical discharges are observed while cycling crystal temperature and are not correlated with ion production--rather, ions form during periods of electrical quiscence. The source is simple and robust, making it suitable for implementation in space exploration or demanding terrestrial environments.