Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Design and construction of electron impact ion source controller for Mass spectrometer system

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

H.R. Ansari 1
A. Zolfaghari 2
A.H. Feghhi 1

1 Radiation Application Department, Nuclear Engineering Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, P.O. Box: 1983963113, Tehran – Iran

2 Reactor Department, Faculty of Nuclear Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, P.O. Box: 1983963113, Tehran – Iran

https://doi.org/10.24200/nst.2023.1398
Abstract
The resolution of a mass spectrometer is dependent directly on the strength of the output ion and its energy. The number of produced ions depends on the current and the energy of the electron beam. One task of the electronic collision source control circuit is to regulate the current and energy of the electron beam to achieve optimal resolution. Parameters such as the stabilization of the electron beam current and its energy, the precise change of the electrical potential of the lens, and the ion source electrodes are very important in the construction of the electronic collision source control circuit. In this paper, the ion source control circuit was designed and built and stabilize the electron emission current, beam energy, and electrical potential of points. This controller circuit was installed and tested on the Varian MAT 44 mass spectrometer. The stabilization of the current and energy of the electron in this control circuit was measured to be less than 1%.

Highlights

1. I.G. Brown, The Physics and Technology of Ion Sources, 2nd ed. (Wiley& Sons, 2004).
 
2. J.T. Watson, O.D. Sparkman, Introduction to mass spectrometry: instrumentation applications, and strategies for data interpretation, John Wiley & Sons (2007).
 
3. M. Bart, Electron impact ionization: Measurements of absolute cross-sections and cross-beam studies. (2003).
 
4. D.H. Dowell, Electron emission and cathode emittance, High Brightness Electron Injectors for Light Sources, 4-5 (2010).
 
5. K.L. Jensen, Introduction to the physics of electron emission, John Wiley & Sons (2017).
 
6.   W.M. Arnold, Particle patterning using fluidics and electric fields, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, 15(1), 144-151 (2008).
 
7. E. Flaxer, Programmable smart electron emission controller for hot filament, Review of Scientific Instruments, 82(2), 025111 (2011).
 
8. J.-F. Saheb, et al., System integration of high voltage electrostatic MEMS actuators, Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing, 53(1), 27-34 (2007).

 

9.   E. Flaxer, Multichannels high voltage programmable driver for piezoelectric transducer, Review of Scientific Instruments, 35104 (2008).
 
10. E. Flaxer, Compact programmable controller for a linear piezo-stepper motor, Mechatronics, 16(6), 303-308 (2006).
 
11. B. Kania, A LabView‐based hot cathode electron source simulator with no‐boundary condition computation method, International Journal of Numerical Modelling: Electronic Networks, Devices and Fields, 29(6), 1149-1160 (2016).
 
12. B. Kania, J. Sikora, System identification of a hot cathode electron source: Time domain approach, AIP Advances, 8(10), 105107 (2018).
 
13. N. Donkov, W. Knapp, Control of hot-filament ionization gauge emission current: mathematical model and model-based controller, Measurement Science and Technology, 8(7), 798 (1997).
 
14. A. O'dwyer, Handbook of PI and PID controller tuning rules, World Scientific (2009).
 
15. R.P.        Borase, et al., A review of PID control, Tuning methods and applications, International Journal of Dynamics and Control, 9.2, 818-827 (2021).

Keywords

Electron impact ion source controller
Electron emission current stabilizer
Mass spectroscopy
1. I.G. Brown, The Physics and Technology of Ion Sources, 2nd ed. (Wiley& Sons, 2004).
 
2. J.T. Watson, O.D. Sparkman, Introduction to mass spectrometry: instrumentation applications, and strategies for data interpretation, John Wiley & Sons (2007).
 
3. M. Bart, Electron impact ionization: Measurements of absolute cross-sections and cross-beam studies. (2003).
 
4. D.H. Dowell, Electron emission and cathode emittance, High Brightness Electron Injectors for Light Sources, 4-5 (2010).
 
5. K.L. Jensen, Introduction to the physics of electron emission, John Wiley & Sons (2017).
 
6.   W.M. Arnold, Particle patterning using fluidics and electric fields, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, 15(1), 144-151 (2008).
 
7. E. Flaxer, Programmable smart electron emission controller for hot filament, Review of Scientific Instruments, 82(2), 025111 (2011).
 
8. J.-F. Saheb, et al., System integration of high voltage electrostatic MEMS actuators, Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing, 53(1), 27-34 (2007).
 
9.   E. Flaxer, Multichannels high voltage programmable driver for piezoelectric transducer, Review of Scientific Instruments, 35104 (2008).
 
10. E. Flaxer, Compact programmable controller for a linear piezo-stepper motor, Mechatronics, 16(6), 303-308 (2006).
 
11. B. Kania, A LabView‐based hot cathode electron source simulator with no‐boundary condition computation method, International Journal of Numerical Modelling: Electronic Networks, Devices and Fields, 29(6), 1149-1160 (2016).
 
12. B. Kania, J. Sikora, System identification of a hot cathode electron source: Time domain approach, AIP Advances, 8(10), 105107 (2018).
 
13. N. Donkov, W. Knapp, Control of hot-filament ionization gauge emission current: mathematical model and model-based controller, Measurement Science and Technology, 8(7), 798 (1997).
 
14. A. O'dwyer, Handbook of PI and PID controller tuning rules, World Scientific (2009).
 
15. R.P.        Borase, et al., A review of PID control, Tuning methods and applications, International Journal of Dynamics and Control, 9.2, 818-827 (2021).

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