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At least 73 records · Page 4

Pulsed, gridded electron reversal ionizer

The design and performance of a new-type source of negative ions is presented. This device retains the idea of the so-called reversal electron attachment detector to produce low-energy electrons by reversing electron trajectories at an electrode. Electrons are produced in the present device by several ribbon filaments that surround a cylindrical wire grid. They are accelerated through the grid, then decelerated to zero or near-zero velocity at the surface of a tube. The tube (anode) is perforated with small holes through which effuse the target molecules. Electrons attach to form either parent and/or fragment negative ions. Attachment takes place at a location above the anode corresponding to a match between the electron energy and the attachment resonance energy. Negative ions are pulsed out of the attachment region and focused onto the entrance plane of a quadrupole mass selector. Electron and ion trajectory calculations are presented and the performance illustrated with six molecules having attachment resonances in the range 0.0-2.2 eV. The detection sensitivity is below 1 part-per-trillion, with a calculated conversion rate of 1.3 percent. Signal nonlinearity is discussed in terms of ion space-charge effects. The device also produces positive ions, and an analogous treatment may be carried through to characterize its performance in this mode.

Boumsellek, S.↗

Electron-Impact Ionization of Mg

A pulsed crossed beam technique is used to measure inonization cross-sections of metallic atoms. Relative values of cross-sections of single, double and triple inonization of magnesium have been successfully measured with good accuracy over the o-700 eV range. Absolute values of cross sections have been obtained by normalization to a theoretical value at high electron energy. Results are compared to previously published values and, for single inonization in particular, a comparison with theoretical cross-extions is perfomed.

Ionization of Mg↗

Quadrupole ionization gage measures ultrahigh vacuum

Quadrupole system, energized with a 200 MHz electric field, restrains ionizing electrons within the center of the ionization gage. Oscillatory trajectory of the electrons increases the probability of ionizing the gas molecules, lowers background X-ray level, and increases the signal-to-noise ratio.

Schwarz, H. J.↗

Collisional Ionization Equilibrium for Optically Thin Plasmas

Reliably interpreting spectra from electron-ionized cosmic plasmas requires accurate ionization balance calculations for the plasma in question. However, much of the atomic data needed for these calculations have not been generated using modern theoretical methods and their reliability are often highly suspect. We have utilized state-of-the-art calculations of dielectronic recombination (DR) rate coefficients for the hydrogenic through Na-like ions of all elements from He to Zn. We have also utilized state-of-the-art radiative recombination (RR) rate coefficient calculations for the bare through Na-like ions of all elements from H to Zn. Using our data and the recommended electron impact ionization data of Mazzotta et al. (1998), we have calculated improved collisional ionization equilibrium calculations. We compare our calculated fractional ionic abundances using these data with those presented by Mazzotta et al. (1998) for all elements from H to Ni, and with the fractional abundances derived from the modern DR and RR calculations of Gu (2003a,b, 2004) for Mg, Si, S, Ar, Ca, Fe, and Ni.

Bryans, P.↗

Effect of Nitrogen Gas on the Lifetime of Carbon Nanotube Field Emitters for Electron-Impact Ionization Mass Spectrometry

The lifetime of a patterned carbon nanotube film is evaluated for use as the cold cathode field emission ionization source of a miniaturized mass spectrometer. Emitted current is measured as a function of time for varying partial pressures of nitrogen gas to explore the robustness and lifetime of carbon nanotube cathodes near the expected operational voltages (70-100 eV) for efficient ionization in mass spectrometry. As expected, cathode lifetime scales inversely with partial pressure of nitrogen. Results are presented within the context of previous carbon nanotube investigations, and implications for planetary science mass spectrometry applications are discussed.

Getty, Stephanie A.↗

Gain properties of doped GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum well avalanche photodiode structures

A comprehensive characterization has been made of the static and dynamical response of conventional and multiple quantum well (MQW) avalanche photodiodes (APDs). Comparison of the gain characteristics at low voltages between the MQW and conventional APDs show a direct experimental confirmation of a structure-induced carrier multiplication due to interband impact ionization. Similar studies of the bias dependence of the excess noise characteristics show that the low-voltage gain is primarily due to electron ionization in the MQW-APDS, and to both electron and hole ionization in the conventional APDS. For the doped MQW APDS, the average gain per stage was calculated by comparing gain data with carrier profile measurements, and was found to vary from 1.03 at low bias to 1.09 near avalanche breakdown.

Menkara, H. M.↗