Analysis equipment for process and quality optimization
Pfeiffer Vacuum offers an extensive range of analyzers for gas determination in a vacuum process. From the mass spectrometer to the complex analysis system, with us you will find the right solution for gas analysis in the ultra-high vacuum range right up to atmospheric pressure. The basis is always the quadrupole mass spectrometer PrismaPro. The PrismaPro is a universally applicable mass spectrometer whose field axis technology ensures high sensitivity.
It also features high efficiency and fast measurement speed. And the PrismaPro displays not only the respective partial pressures but also monitors the total pressure. Its interface options allow this mass spectrometer to be easily coupled with a gas chromatograph.
Its compact design, modular structure and user-friendly software make it the ideal device for leak detection, semiconductor manufacturing, glass coating and metallurgy. Added to this there are countless fields of application in research & development. Pfeiffer Vacuum offers its clients tailored solutions for all of these areas. And, of course, Pfeiffer Vacuum also offers the required accessories for mass spectrometry, such as cathodes for the various ion sources.
What you should know about mass spectrometry
The term mass spectrometry denotes a method that can be used to measure the mass of atoms and molecules. Using this method, chemical compounds are analyzed by measuring the partial pressures of their components. The substance to be analyzed is first transformed into a gaseous aggregate state and ionized. An electrical field accelerates the ions so that they can be sorted and separated in a mass filter on the basis of their respective mass-to-charge ratios.
The partial pressures of the individual components of the gas are then determined. Each mass spectrometer comprises an ion source, a mass filter and a detector. A distinction is made between various types of mass spectrometers on the basis of the mass filter employed. Because of their wide range of application options, quadrupole mass spectrometers have a proven track record. These analytical devices are also used very frequently in vacuum technology.
Mass spectrometers and their applications
A quadrupole mass spectrometer has four rod electrodes arranged in parallel that form the quadrupole field. Their points of intersection with a plane lying perpendicular to the cylinder axis form a square (thus the name quadrupole). A static electrical field accelerates the ions before they fly through the quadrupole field.
The quadrupole field between the rods allows only one particle of a given mass to pass through at a time, thus effecting the selection. Quadrupole mass spectrometers are available in high-resolution versions as well as in a more affordable version for use as a residual gas analyzer. Thanks to this bandwidth, these kinds of mass spectrometers are employed in numerous fields, ranging from pharmacology to environmental analysis.
