Laser sputtering ion source device with built-in lens and mass spectrometer

Abstract

The invention discloses a laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens and a mass spectrometer, and belongs to the technical field of mass spectrometry instruments, the laser sputtering ion source device comprises a pulse air inlet valve and a laser incidence channel, the bottom of the pulse air inlet valve is connected with a skimmer support, an ion growth throat is arranged in the skimmer support, the front end of the laser incidence channel is provided with a sealing lens, and the sealing lens is connected with the laser incidence channel. And the tail end of the laser incidence channel is connected with the sample target rack. According to the laser sputtering ion source device with the built-in lens and the mass spectrometer, high-quality cluster ions can be effectively grown, the high-quality experiment requirement is met, and the experiment performance is better.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of mass spectrometry analysis instruments, and in particular to a laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens and a mass spectrometer. Background Art

[0002] For decades, technologies such as photoelectron spectroscopy and infrared photodissociation spectroscopy, which combine mass spectrometry with spectroscopy analysis, have become a common method in the field of gas-phase ion cluster research. The rapid development of time-of-flight mass spectrometry has led to the widespread application of infrared photodissociation spectroscopy based on time-of-flight mass spectrometry, providing a good technical means for studying molecular dynamics. As a key component of a mass spectrometer, the selection and structural design of the ion source directly affect the generation of the target research system, and is the prerequisite for subsequent experiments and the guarantee of experimental quality.

[0003] After decades of development, laser sputtering ion source technology has been widely used in metal ion-molecular cluster mass spectrometry and spectral research and analysis, becoming an important and unique ion source option. Its basic function can be briefly described as follows: When the sputtering laser hits the metal sample target, it will cause it to ablate, evaporate and gasify, generating a high-temperature and high-density plasma, which will then collide and react with the carrier gas ejected from the pulse inlet valve in the growth throat to form complexes and cluster ions, which will then expand freely into an ultrasonic ion beam, and then be intercepted by the ion skimmer downstream of the throat and introduced into the extraction field of the time-of-flight mass analyzer.

[0004] The generation of cluster ions is related to factors such as the energy of the sputtering laser, the front-end gas pressure and pulse width of the pulse valve, phosgene delay, growth throat, sample surface properties, etc. For example, the so-called "standard source" that is currently widely used uses a light inlet open to the vacuum cavity to introduce the sputtering laser and the sample target material. The metal plasma generated by laser ablation and sputtering may spread rapidly to the outside, resulting in the generation of ion clusters after the pulse inlet valve sprays gas and is affected. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a laser sputtering ion source device and a mass spectrometer with a built-in lens, which can effectively grow high-quality cluster ions, meet high-quality experimental requirements, and have better experimental performance.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides a laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens, including a pulse air intake valve and a laser incident channel. The bottom of the pulse air intake valve is connected to a skimmer bracket, an ion growth throat is provided inside the skimmer bracket, a sealing lens is provided at the front end of the laser incident channel, and the end of the laser incident channel is connected to a sample target material stand.

[0007] The ion growth throat is designed as a four-way aluminum alloy square, and the x-axis surface and the y-axis surface of the ion growth throat are respectively provided with a first through hole and a second through hole of different diameters.

[0008] Preferably, the first through hole is connected to the laser incident channel, and the second through hole is connected to the pulse intake valve.

[0009] Preferably, the surface of the sealing lens is coated with an anti-reflection film matching the laser wavelength.

[0010] Preferably, the sample target stand is opposite to the sealing lens.

[0011] Preferably, an argon purge channel is provided on one side of the ion growth throat, and the end of the argon purge channel is vertically connected to the laser incident channel and is close to the sealing lens.

[0012] Preferably, the skimmer bracket is made of stainless steel, and a skimmer sampler is provided on the skimmer bracket.

[0013] Preferably, a mounting hole is provided on a side of the sample target material stand away from the sealing lens, the sample target material stand is connected to the target material connecting rod through the mounting hole, and a stepping motor is connected to the sample target material stand on the other side of the target material connecting rod.

[0014] The present invention also provides a mass spectrometer, comprising the above-mentioned laser sputtering ion source device with built-in lens.

[0015] Therefore, the present invention adopts the above-mentioned laser sputtering ion source device with built-in lens and mass spectrometer, which can effectively grow high-quality cluster ions, meet high-quality experimental requirements, and have better experimental performance. The first is to provide a laser sputtering ion source device, which is suitable for the generation of metal ion clusters; the second is to provide a mass spectrometry infrared spectroscopy instrument including the above-mentioned laser sputtering ion source with built-in lens.

[0016] The technical solution of the present invention is further described in detail below through the accompanying drawings and embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 It is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens according to the present invention; Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the ion growth throat structure provided by an embodiment of a laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens of the present invention; Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a skimmer bracket provided by an embodiment of a laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens of the present invention; Figure 4The present invention is a schematic diagram of a sample target material stand structure provided by an embodiment of a laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens.

[0018] Reference numerals 1. Ion growth throat; 2. Sealing lens; 3. Sample target stand; 4. Argon purge channel; 5. Target connecting rod; 6. Pulse air inlet valve; 7. Skimmer bracket; 8. Laser incident channel; 9. First through hole; 10. Mounting hole; 11. Second through hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The technical solution of the present invention is further described below through the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the present invention shall have the usual meanings understood by persons with ordinary skills in the field to which the present invention belongs. The words "first", "second" and similar words used in the present invention do not indicate any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. Words such as "include" or "comprise" and the like mean that the elements or objects appearing before the word include the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Words such as "connect" or "connected" and the like are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect.

[0021] Embodiment 1 like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention provides a laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens, which is mainly used for the growth and guidance of metal ion-molecule clusters. It includes a pulse air intake valve 6, a laser incident channel 8, and the bottom of the pulse air intake valve 6 is connected to a skimmer bracket 7, such as Figure 3 As shown, the rear end of the skimmer bracket 7 supports and connects to the skimmer sampler, and an ion growth throat 1 is provided inside the skimmer bracket 7 .

[0022] like Figure 2 As shown, the ion growth throat 1 is a four-way aluminum alloy block design, and its x-axis surface and y-axis surface are respectively provided with a first through hole 9 and a second through hole 11 of different diameters. The first through hole 9 is connected to the laser incident channel 8, and the second through hole 11 is connected to the pulse intake valve 6.

[0023] A sealing lens 2 is provided at the front end of the laser incident channel 8, and an anti-reflection film matching the laser wavelength is coated on the surface of the sealing lens 2. The sealing lens 2 can be made of fused quartz or sapphire material, and is fixed to the front end of the laser incident channel 8 through a stainless steel quick-release bracket flange and a copper sealing ring. The end of the laser incident channel 8 is connected to a sample target stand 3, which is opposite to the sealing lens 2 and connected to the ion growth throat 1.

[0024] When the laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens provided in the above-mentioned embodiment is used, a lens is used to seal the light entrance of the ion formation and growth zone, so it is isolated from the external cavity before passing through the skimmer sampler and entering the time-of-flight mass analyzer. In this way, the sealed light entrance direction will reduce the outward diffusion and leakage of metal plasma, and will be more conducive to its collision with the gas introduced by the pulse valve and the guidance of ion clusters downstream, thereby effectively growing high-quality cluster ions.

[0025] The laser sputtering ion source device also includes an argon purge channel 4, a skimmer bracket 7 and a target rod 5. The argon purge channel 4 is vertically connected to the laser incident channel 8 and is close to the sealing lens 2. The skimmer bracket 7 is made of stainless steel. The front end of the skimmer bracket 7 is fixed to the same nozzle bracket as the ion growth throat 1 and the pulse inlet valve 6. The rear end of the skimmer bracket 7 supports and connects to the skimmer sampler, such as Figure 4 As shown, a mounting hole 10 is provided on the side of the sample target stand 3 away from the sealing lens 2 , and the sample target stand 3 is connected to the target connecting rod 5 through the mounting hole 10 , and the other side of the target connecting rod 5 is connected to the stepping motor and the sample target stand 3 .

[0026] Specifically, the argon purge channel 4 and the laser incident channel 8 form a three-way structure, and the external port of the argon purge channel 4 is connected to the purge inlet valve through a threaded part. The sample target stand 3 is driven by a stepper motor to move up and down in a circular motion through the target connecting rod 5, which greatly improves the efficiency of laser sputtering samples. The argon purge channel 4 blows air inward to prevent the plasma from cooling and condensing on the inner surface of the lens after the ion source has worked for a long time, affecting the subsequent light intake efficiency. At the same time, this design also helps to use cooling gases such as argon as possible attached molecules, improve the efficiency of rare-gas tagging, and prepare for subsequent single-photon infrared photodissociation experiments.

[0027] The present invention also provides a mass spectrometer, including the laser sputtering ion source device mentioned above. Since the laser sputtering ion source device mentioned above has the above technical effects, the mass spectrometer having the laser sputtering ion source should also have corresponding technical effects.

[0028] Therefore, the present invention adopts the above-mentioned laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens and a mass spectrometer, which can effectively grow high-quality cluster ions, meet high-quality experimental requirements, and have better experimental performance.

[0029] It is worth noting that the contents not elaborated in detail in the present invention are all prior art and are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0030] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify or replace the technical solution of the present invention with equivalents, and these modifications or equivalent replacements cannot cause the modified technical solution to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens, comprising a pulsed air inlet valve and a laser incident channel, characterized in that: The bottom of the pulse intake valve is connected to a skimmer bracket, an ion growth throat is arranged inside the skimmer bracket, a sealing lens is arranged at the front end of the laser incident channel, and the end of the laser incident channel is connected to a sample target stand; the ion growth throat is designed as a four-way aluminum alloy square, and a first through hole and a second through hole of different diameters are respectively opened on its x-axis surface and y-axis surface.

2. The laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first through hole is connected to the laser incident channel, and the second through hole is connected to the pulse intake valve.

3. The laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface of the sealing lens is coated with an anti-reflection film matching the laser wavelength.

4. The laser sputtering ion source device with a built-in lens according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sample target stage is opposite to the sealing lens.

5. The laser sputtering ion source device with built-in lens according to claim 1, characterized in that: An argon purge channel is provided on one side of the ion growth throat, and the end of the argon purge channel is vertically connected to the laser incident channel and is close to the sealing lens.

6. The laser sputtering ion source device with built-in lens according to claim 1, characterized in that: The skimmer bracket is made of stainless steel.

7. The laser sputtering ion source device with built-in lens according to claim 1, characterized in that: A mounting hole is provided on a side of the sample target material stand away from the sealing lens, and the sample target material stand is connected to the target material connecting rod through the mounting hole.

8. A mass spectrometer, characterized in that: A laser sputtering ion source device comprising a built-in lens as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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