Improved signal stability from a laser vaporization source with a liquid metal target.
The translating and rotating rod or disk of a conventional laser vaporization cluster source is replaced by a liquid metal target. The self-regenerating liquid surface prevents cavities from being bored into the sample by laser ablation. The laser beam strikes a near pristine surface with each pulse, resulting in signals with much better short and long term stabilities. While this approach cannot be used for refractory metals such as tungsten and molybdenum, it is ideal for studies of bimetallic clusters, which can easily be prepared by laser vaporization of a liquid metal alloy.
Neal
Colleen M
CM
Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 East Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA.
Breaux
Gary A
GA
Cao
Baopeng
B
Starace
Anne K
AK
Jarrold
Martin F
MF
D003460:Crystallization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry*; D007834:Lasers; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012996:Solutions
D005740:Gases; D008670:Metals; D012996:Solutions