A pump-probe photoionization mass spectrometer utilizing tunable extreme ultraviolet laser-produced-plasma radiation

Abstract

An experimental device is reported that utilizes time-correlated nanosecond light pulses in combination with photoionization mass spectrometry. A primary light pulse is generated by a tunable dye laser in the ultraviolet regime, which photolyzes neutral gas targets under collision free conditions. Subsequently, a time-correlated extreme ultraviolet-light pulse comes from a laser-produced plasma that is monochromatized in the 10–25 eV regime. The photolysis products are ionized by one-photon absorption, so that the cations are finally detected by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The performance of this experimental approach is characterized by investigating the primary photolysis products of chlorine dioxide. Finally, possible applications of this approach are briefly discussed.