Abstract
A simple and efficient electron-impact ionization method for time-of-flight mass spectrometers is described. This method utilizes the photoelectrons emitted from the accelerating electrode surfaces upon UV laser irradiation as the electron source. Since no modification of the spectrometer is required, it provides a convenient way to perform electron-impact ionization in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer originally designed for laser ionization. The detection sensitivity (∼109/cm3) and mass resolution (∼150) achieved by this method in our apparatus are sufficient for diagnostic purposes for cluster beam experiments. The observed ion intensities suggest that the photoelectron current density produced is comparable to those generated by conventional thermionic emission electron sources. This technique is generally applicable as an ionization method in time-of-flight mass spectrometers and is particularly useful when the available lasers are not suitable for photoionization detection due to wavelength or intensity limitations.
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