SBIR-STTR Award

Basic and clinical research in the biomedical sciences demands improved instrumentation for accurate measurement and reliable analysis. The objective of this research is to improve the mass resolution of the time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF MS) such that it will be competitive with currently superior, but more expensive, high-resolution mass spectrometers.In the proposed research the basic relations for a new ion focusing principle, termed velocity compaction (VC), will be derived for a deceleration first stage following a high-voltage ion extraction section and in turn followed by an acceleration second stage with an expected resolution (M/AM,Whm) in excess of 10,000. A series of computer simulations of the flight-times will be made, taking into account the effective ion plasma temperature. The result will be a series of simulated mass spectra from which mass resolution values can be predicted. Significant trends influencing the mass resolution will be plotted and analyzed, and a combination of practical dimensions will be chosen for a prototype model. Based on these results, design of a demonstration model, dual-stage velocity compaction TOF MS will begin.National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Basic and clinical research in the biomedical sciences demands improved instrumentation for accurate measurement and reliable analysis. The objective of this research and development phase is the fabrication of a prototype two-stage timeof-flight mass spectrometer based on the velocity compaction ion focusing principle.Results from a Phase I project are to be used to design and build an instrument having the following characteristics: mass resolution (M/AmLh.) of 10,000 at mass 4,000 amu and 12,500 at mass8,000 amu; overall flight length less than 2.00 meters; cycle repetition rate of 3 to 5 KHz; ion source -Cs' ion impact for surface ionization of nonvolatile bio-organic compounds on solid substrate; electron multiplier ion detector with fast-scanning spectrum integrator; data interfaced to lo-bit based IBM-AT compatible computer with 1 megabyte RAM, dual floppy disk, 20 megabyte hard-disc and magnetic tape storage facilities.Mass calibration will be made using algorithms developed from simulated flight patterns, anchoredto experimentally determined mass points. Existing minations, spectrum stripping and comparison, software routines will be modified, expanded, and other analytic routines. and converted for peak search, peak area determinations, spectrum stripping and comparison, and other analytic routines.