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Sensitivity enhancement using chemically reactive gas cluster ion beams in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)
Author(s) -
Lagator Matija,
Berrueta Razo Irma,
Royle Thomas,
Lockyer Nicholas P.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.7054
Subject(s) - chemistry , ion , secondary ion mass spectrometry , analytical chemistry (journal) , mass spectrum , mass spectrometry , fragmentation (computing) , polyatomic ion , yield (engineering) , ion beam deposition , static secondary ion mass spectrometry , ion beam , cluster (spacecraft) , materials science , chromatography , organic chemistry , computer science , metallurgy , programming language , operating system
We report for the first time on significant molecular secondary ion yield increases by modifying the chemistry of a water cluster primary ion beam. This was demonstrated using 70‐keV ion beams of 0.15 eV/amu. For the neutral drug Bezafibrate, secondary ion yield enhancements ×5–10 were observed when replacing the Ar carrier gas in a water gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) source with a mixture containing 12% CO 2 and 2% O 2 in Ar. For the cationic drug Ranitidine, the ion yield enhancements using the CO 2 ‐containing carrier gas were up to ×20–50 in positive mode and ×2–4 in negative mode. The extent of molecular fragmentation was very similar from both cluster beams. We conclude that additional chemically reactive species are present in the impact zone using the (H 2 O/CO 2 ) n projectile, which promote the formation of secondary ions of both polarity through projectile impact‐induced chemical reactions. This methodology can be applied to further extend the capabilities of high‐resolution 3‐dimensional mass spectral imaging using reactive GCIB‐SIMS.