A cryogenic circulating advective multi-pass absorption cell

A novel absorption cell has been developed to enable a spectroscopic survey of a broad range of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) under astrophysically relevant conditions and utilizing a synchrotron radiation continuum to test the still controversial hypothesis that these molecules or their ions could be carriers of the diffuse interstellar bands. The cryogenic circulating advective multi-pass absorption cell resembles a wind tunnel; molecules evaporated from a crucible or injected using a custom gas feedthrough are entrained in a laminar flow of cryogenically cooled buffer gas and advected into the path of the synchrotron beam. This system includes a multi-pass optical White cell enabling absorption path lengths of hundreds of meters and a detection sensitivity to molecular densities on the order of 10(7) cm(-3). A capacitively coupled radio frequency dielectric barrier discharge provides ionized and metastable buffer gas atoms for ionizing the candidate molecules via charge exchange and the Penning effect. Stronger than expected clustering of PAH molecules has slowed efforts to record gas phase PAH spectra at cryogenic temperatures, though such clusters may play a role in other interstellar phenomena.     

Atomic force microscopy to characterize the molecular size of prion protein

The conformational transition of α‐helix‐rich cellular prion protein (PrP^C) to an isomer with high β‐sheet content is associated with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. With the ultimate long‐term goal of using imaging techniques to study PrP aggregation, we report the results of initial experiments to determine whether PrP molecules could be visualized as single molecules, and if the observed size corresponded to the calculated size for PrP. The investigation of single molecules, and not those embedded into larger aggregates, was the key in our experimental approach. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) as an imaging method, the immobilization of recombinant histidine (His)₁₀‐tagged PrP on mica was performed in the presence of different heavy metal ions. The addition of Cu²⁺ resulted in an enhanced PrP immobilization, whereas Ni²⁺ reduced coverage of the surface by PrP. High‐resolution data from dried PrP preparations provided a first approximation to geometrical parameters of PrP precipitates, which indicated that the volume of a single PrP molecule was 30 nm³. Molecular dynamics simulations performed to complement the structural aspects of the AFM investigation yielded a calculated molecular volume of 33 nm³ for PrP. These experimentally observed and theoretically expected values provide basic knowledge for further studies on the size and composition of larger amyloidal PrP aggregates, PrP isoforms or mutants such as PrP molecules without octarepeats.     

Hydrated metal ions in the gas phase

Studying metal ion solvation, especially hydration, in the gas phase has developed into a field that is dominated by a tight interaction between experiment and theory. Since the studied species carry charge, mass spectrometry is an indispensable tool in all experiments. Whereas gas-phase coordination chemistry and reactions of bare metal ions are reasonably well understood, systems containing a larger number of solvent molecules are still difficult to understand. This review focuses on the rich chemistry of hydrated metal ions in the gas phase, covering coordination chemistry, charge separation in multiply charged systems, as well as intracluster and ion-molecule reactions. Key ideas of metal ion solvation in the gas phase are illustrated with rare-gas solvated metal ions.     

离子淌度迁移谱用于分析小分子异构体的新进展

随着现代检测技术以及科学研究的快速发展,同分异构体化学结构及其功能不断被揭示,异构体的不同结构分子可能具有完全不同的生物化学活性,并且同分异构体的某种结构分子可能对疾病的发病机理或治疗具有重要作用,而另一种结构分子的作用相反。因此,对同分异构体的分离识别及其结构探究有助于进一步理解生命运行机制,是目前分析化学乃至生命科学领域的研究热点。近年来快速发展的离子迁移谱(ion mobility spectrometry, IMS)是一种可以分析分子空间结构的技术,通过测量气相中不同分子离子与气流的碰撞截面积差异来区分某种分子的同分异构体。IMS与质谱联用(IMS-MS)是在质谱技术上增加一个淌度分离维度改善离子结构分离测定,同时在淌度技术上增强离子选质的特殊功能,使离子的分离具有高度选择性。IMS-MS技术已广泛应用于小分子/代谢物鉴定、蛋白质组学研究、主客体复合物、分子结构鉴定等领域。本文重点介绍了不同类型IMS的工作原理,IMS-MS在不同类型异构体分析方面的最新应用,并展望其应用前景。     

Elemental and molecular imaging of human hair using secondary ion mass spectrometry.

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is used to image the spatial distribution of elemental and molecular species on the surface and in cross sections of doped human hair using a magnetic sector SIMS instrument operated as an ion microprobe. Analysis of electrically insulating, non-planar hair samples requires one of two different methods of charge compensation to be used depending on the polarity of the sputtered secondary ions. For detection of positive secondary ions, the hair is imaged using a approximately 0.5 micron diameter, 19.5 keV impact energy, O- microbeam with no auxiliary electron bombardment. For detection of negative secondary ions, a approximately 0.2 micron diameter, 14.5 keV impact energy Cs+ microbeam is used in conjunction with normal incidence, low-energy electron bombardment. Both of these methods allow submicrometer spatial resolution elemental and molecular secondary ion images to be obtained from hair samples without metallic coating of the sample surface prior to analysis. Several examples are presented that reflect potential application areas for these analytical methods.     

脉冲离子阱的设计

本文提出了一种适用于飞行时间质谱仪的新颖离子阱。它可在脉冲状态下工作，并可存储极宽质量范围的离子。离子的存储量与离子阱中心所加的负电位理论上成正比，并可选择被存储离子的能量范围，可做为能量过滤器，减小离子的能量分散对分辨本领的影响；特别是该离子阱具有独立于离子源而引入离子的特点，扩大了应用范围。与通常所用的三维四极离子阱相比，其机械加工和配套电子线路都比较简单，可在一般的实验室内制做。     

Chemistry and physics of dopants embedded in helium droplets

Helium droplets represent a cold inert matrix, free of walls with outstanding properties to grow complexes and clusters at conditions that are perfect to simulate cold and dense regions of the interstellar medium. At sub-Kelvin temperatures, barrierless reactions triggered by radicals or ions have been observed and studied by optical spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The present review summarizes developments of experimental techniques and methods and recent results they enabled.     

基于离子淌度质谱技术的离子光谱研究进展

离子光谱结合了质谱的高灵敏度和光谱的分子结构特异性的优势,可对蛋白质、多肽、糖类、寡核苷酸等复杂体系进行结构表征和鉴定。但当存在同分异构体时,离子光谱难以从叠加的谱图中得到单个异构体的光谱信息。离子淌度质谱技术可通过区分待测离子质荷比和分子空间尺寸差异来实现异构体的分离。离子淌度可以对异构体分离后分别引入到后续的光谱和质谱分析中,减少了由异构体引起的光谱叠加问题,光谱可以进一步验证离子淌度的分离效果,因此质谱、光谱、离子淌度谱的有机结合在得到异构体精确光谱的同时,也为离子淌度质谱分析带来了新的维度和深度。本文概述了近20年来基于各类离子淌度质谱技术的光谱仪器发展和应用情况,总结目前存在的问题,并展望多维度结构质谱的新需求。     

Infrared multiphoton dissociation in quadrupole ion traps

The development of new ion activation techniques continues to be a dynamic area of scientific discovery, in part to complement the tremendous innovations in ionization methods that have allowed the mass spectrometric analysis of an enormous array of molecules. Ion activation/dissociation provides key information about ion structures, binding energies, and differentiation of isomers, as well as affording a primary means of identifying compounds in mixtures. Numerous new activation methods have emerged over the past two decades in an effort to develop alternatives to collisional activated dissociation, the gold standard for providing structurally diagnostic fragmentation patterns. Collisional activated dissociation does not always offer sufficiently high or controllable energy deposition, thus rendering it less useful for certain classes of molecules, such as large proteins or macromolecular complexes. Photodissociation is one of the most promising alternatives and is readily implemented in ion trapping and time‐of‐flight mass spectrometers. Photodissociation generally entails using a laser to irradiate ions with UV, visible, or IR photons, thus resulting in internal energy deposition based on the number and wavelengths of the photons. The activation process can be extremely rapid and efficient, as well as having the potential for high total energy deposition. This review describes infrared multiphoton dissociation in quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry. A comparison of photodissociation and collisional activated dissociation is covered, in addition to some of the methods to increase photodissociation efficiency. Numerous applications of IRMPD are discussed as well, including ones related to the analysis of drugs, peptides, nucleic acids, and oligosaccharides. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 28:390–424, 2009     

静电轨道离子阱离子切向引入的新方式和模拟

静电轨道离子阱质谱仪的关键垄断技术是将离子引入静电轨道离子阱的C形离子阱。本工作提出一种新的离子引入方式,即设计了一种O形离子阱,用于将更多的离子以较少的损失引入到静电离子阱中进行分析。O形离子阱嵌套在静电轨道离子阱外轨道上,可以直接使离子从O形圆轨道下滑降轨内切至椭圆轨道,再沿椭圆轨道下滑降轨外切,最终射入静电轨道离子阱中的圆轨道。新的离子引入方式避免了C形离子阱远距离传输离子,离子流可连续进入O形圆轨,在脉冲电压作用下进入静电轨道离子阱;随着离子的引入面增大,离子的引入量有所增加。另外,还推导了离子运动轨迹方程及降轨脉冲的能量方程,对离子引入方式进行模拟,结果表明,多离子多位置同时引入对离子轨迹无明显影响,而离子是否切向引入则至关重要,偏离切向引入会大大降低离子寿命。     

Studies of cyclization reactions of linear cumulenes and heterocumulenes using the neutralization-reionization procedure and/or ab initio calculations

A number of linear cumulenes and heterocumulenes have been made by charge stripping of anions of known bond connectivity in the source of a mass spectrometer. Some of these reactive molecules have been identified in interstellar molecular clouds. The structures of these neutrals may be investigated by reionization to a decomposing positive ion [the neutralization-reionization technique ((-)NR(+))], and/or by ab initio calculations. Energized linear cumulenes and heterocumulenes may undergo cyclization to form stable cyclic isomers. To cite a selection of the examples described in this review: (i) four-atom systems CCCC and some heterocumulenes CCCX (X=B, N, Al, Si, P) involve the formation of stable four-membered ring rhombic (also called kite and fan) structures. One of the cyclic molecules, cyclo-C(3) Si, has been detected in interstellar molecular clouds, (ii) five-atom cumulene and heterocumulene systems are more complex. Linear CCCCC rearranges the carbon skeleton by forming a C substituted rhomboid system, CCCCO forms a three-membered cyclic isomer, while nitrogen containing five-atom cumulenes effect nitrile to isonitrile interconversion via three-centered cyclized intermediates, and (iii) CCCCCC and CCCCBO cyclize to give unique six-membered ring systems.     

二次离子质谱的一次离子光学系统

二次离子质谱仪作为一种强大的表面分析工具,在表面分析领域有着非常广泛的应用。本文报道了一种用于二次离子质谱仪的一次离子光学系统,它可以对电子轰击电离源产生的一次离子进行有效的加速与聚焦,形成稳定的、能量在0～5kV范围内连续可调的离子束流。同时,该光学系统可以在两种聚焦模式下工作,产生两种不同性能的离子束流。实验结果表明,采用电子轰击电离源作为一次离子源的条件,该离子光学系统能够将离子束聚焦至直径为20μm的束斑,其一次离子束流密度最高可达到503.2mA/cm2,可以实现对一般样品(如材料或生物样品)的表面成分分析。     

利用直流偏置电压提高矩形离子阱质谱的灵敏度

线性离子阱质谱是近年来被广泛应用的一种性能优良的质谱仪。线性离子阱质量分析器通常是由四根柱状电极合围而成。由于四根电极的几何对称性,在线性离子阱中产生的电场在离子检测方向上也是高度对称的,也就是说,当离子从x方向被逐出离子阱时,将各有50%的离子从＋x和－x方向被分别逐出。因此,如果只在线性离子阱的一侧安装离子探测器,则离子的检测效率只有50%。本工作以矩形线性离子阱为研究对象,通过在离子阱中离子逐出方向的一根电极上施加一定的直流偏置电压,利用此直流电压在离子阱中产生的直流电场,使离子阱中存储的离子偏离中心轴分布。这样,离子将在后续离子逐出电场的作用下,被非对称地逐出离子阱。如,可使多数离子从＋x方向出射,少数离子从－x方向出射。此时,如果在＋x方向安置离子探测器,将获得高于50%的离子探测效率。实验结果表明,直流偏置电压可以明显地提高离子检测效率,例如,在与检测器对侧电极施加正的直流偏置电压时,离子强度在一定电压范围内皆有显著提高。实验所测得的4种不同质荷比的离子提高比例分别是20%、38%、31%、44%。该方法的实验原理简单、实验技术方便易行,可以显著提高线性离子阱检测灵敏度,具有一定的实用价值和应用前景。     

双势阱平面离子阱的设计与模拟研究

双势阱平面离子阱作为离子收集与聚焦装置,2个势阱可分别实现进入离子的收集和约束离子的可控冷却及抛出,相比于单势阱平面离子阱,其对离子的收集与聚焦更加充分。本工作利用SIMION 8.1离子光学模拟软件,研究离子阱工作的4个阶段,即离子收集、离子转移、离子冷却和离子抛出。模拟得到离子阱的工作周期可从1 ms延长至超过10 ms,总离子传输效率为83%,离子通量上限达1.6×10⁶个。此外,充分冷却的离子从离子阱中抛出,具有1.0、1.0 mm的径向直径,24 mrad、16 mrad的角度标准偏差,15 eV的能量标准偏差。双势阱平面离子阱的工作周期、离子通量、抛出离子均满足多次反射飞行时间质量分析器的工作需要,并可与其耦合,为其提供通量高、状态集中的引入离子。     

Threshold photoionization in time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Multi-photon excitation in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) is shown to lead to threshold ions with defined internal energy. A powerful technique for the production of threshold ions is based on the excitation of high long-lived Rydberg states embedded in the ionization continuum. The Rydberg molecules are separated with suitable separation techniques from ions produced by a direct multi-photon ionization process. Finally, the ionization of the Rydberg molecules in a delayed pulsed electric field leads to threshold ions. This work reviews several separation techniques, and reports on applications of threshold ionization for investigation of the structure, energetics, and dynamics of neutral molecules, molecular cations, and cluster cations.     

Electron ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry: historical review and current applications

This review presents an overview of electron ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (EITOFMS), beginning with its early development to the employment of modern high-resolution electron ionization sources. The EITOFMS is demonstrated to be ideally suited for analytical and basic chemical physics studies. Studies of the formation of positive ions by electron ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy have been responsible for many of the known ionization potentials of molecules and radicals, as well as accepted bond dissociation energies for ions and neutral molecules. The application of TOFMS has been particularly important in the area of negative ion physics and chemistry. A wide variety of negative ion properties have been discovered and studied by using these methods including: autodetachment lifetimes, metastable dissociation, Rydberg electron transfer reactions and field detachment, SF(6) Scavenger method for detecting temporary negative ion states, and many others.     

Large area mass analyzer instrument for the chemical analysis of interstellar dust particles

A new instrument to analyze the chemical composition of dust particles in situ in space has been developed. The large target area ( approximately 0.2 m(2)) makes this instrument well suited for detecting a statistically significant number of interstellar dust grains or other dust particles with a low flux. The device is a reflectron-type time-of-flight mass spectrometer that uses only flat electrodes for the generation of the parabolic potential. The instrument analyzes the ions from the impact generated plasma due to hypervelocity dust impacts onto a solid target surface. The SIMION ion optics software package is used to investigate different potential field configurations and optimize the mass resolution and focusing of the ions. The cylindrically symmetric instrument operates with six ring electrodes and six annular electrodes biased to different potentials to create the potential distribution of the reflectron. The laboratory model of the instrument has been fabricated and tested. Hypervelocity dust impacts are simulated by laser ablation using a frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser with approximately 8 ns pulse length. The experimental data show typical mass resolution m/Deltam approximately 200.     

新型飞行时间质谱离子移除装置的研制

本文介绍了一种用于飞行时间质谱离子检测器选择性移除非目标检测离子的脉冲电场装置。通过调节脉冲电压时序、优化脉冲电压值,实现对非目标检测离子的有效移除,使离子选择性地进入离子检测器,减少离子检测器的消耗,延长其使用寿命。结果表明,除了由脉冲上升沿和下降沿引起的质谱信号振荡对相邻飞行时间区域内的离子产生一定的影响外,该装置和方法可以选择性地、有效地移除非目标检测离子,以减少MCP离子检测器的消耗,延长其使用寿命,为飞行时间质谱非目标离子的移除提供一种简单、可行的方法。     

基于离子阱质谱的离子碰撞截面积测量方法研究进展

近年来,随着分子结构分析需求的不断增加,开发离子阱质量分析器测量离子碰撞截面积的方法成为研究热点。该方法能降低仪器复杂度,并且能同时获得高分辨的质量和分子立体结构信息,逐渐成为与离子淌度谱(IMS)互补的测量碰撞截面积的有效手段。目前,已经实现了傅里叶变换离子回旋共振阱(FT-ICR)、轨道离子阱(Orbitrap)、四极离子阱(QIT)、静电线性离子阱(ELIT)测量离子碰撞截面积(CCS)。但该项技术仍存在诸多挑战,如分辨率不高、受气压因素影响、无法区分同分异构体等。本文阐述了离子与缓冲气体分子碰撞理论、不同离子阱质谱仪测量碰撞截面积的方法,并总结测量方法的优缺点,展望未来的研究方向。     

四极杆线性离子阱系统和预存干涉波的傅里叶逆变换技术

本文在回顾四极杆线性离子阱结构和原理的基础上,阐释了线性离子阱的电子系统和串联质谱的核心技术原理,介绍了预存干涉波的傅里叶逆变换技术在四极杆线性离子阱中的应用,特别是用于选择母离子。四极杆线性离子阱的加工精度要求适中、成本低、电路设计和控制(包括射频和直流)相对容易,使其在研发方面具有较大优势。线性离子阱特有的MS^n、碰撞冷却、较高的灵敏度和分辨率,以及选择性的离子储存和激发能力都使其拥有广阔的应用前景。预存干涉波的傅里叶逆变换技术的应用使得母离子被特异性驻留,而非母离子通过共振被甩出,提高了线性离子阱的分析能力。