Applications of resonance ionization mass spectrometry

Abstract

We describe here several types of mass spectrometry in which the mass selectivity is combined with a highly selective laser ionization method to achieve both high sensitivity and very high selectivity. These methods combine the most sensitive and highly selective laser ionization methods with mass selectivity in order to improve on both the sensitivity and the Z and A selectivity previously achievable in detecting atomic species. Applications of these methods include the dating of geophysical specimens, the on line analysis of rare short-lived isotopes produced in high-energy collisions, the detection of low levels of heavy metals or radioactive isotopes in biological samples, the detection of impurities in ultrapure materials, and a host of other applications. Because some versions of this method offer sensitivity to a hundred atoms of a particular isotope of an element in a macroscopic sample, there are new possibilities for fundamental studies of rare events. Several types of facilities for elemental and isotopic analysis will be described.