title: Carbon nanotube electron ionization source for portable mass spectrometry.
abstract: Cold cathode carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are used in a low-voltage quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer and shown to be a viable low-power alternative to filament sources for portable mass spectrometry instrumentation. No heating is necessary, and the power consumption depends only on the switching characteristics of the electronics. The CNT electron sources are mounted directly in the ring electrode, and their performance is compared directly with a filament source also mounted in the ring electron. Up to a 5 × 10(-4) Torr CO(2) environment, reflecting conditions expected during operation in a Mars atmosphere, the CNT emitters may provide up to 1 μA of current over more than 200 h.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors: Theresa
authors: T
authors: Evans-Nguyen
authors: Charles B
authors: CB
authors: Parker
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Hammock
authors: Andrew H
authors: AH
authors: Monica
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Adams
authors: Luann
authors: L
authors: Becker
authors: Jeffrey T
authors: JT
authors: Glass
authors: Robert J
authors: RJ
authors: Cotter
mesh_terms: D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D004583:Electrons; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D002245:Carbon Dioxide