Atomic clusters and ion-cyclotron-resonance mass spectrometry: a fruitful combination

Eur. J. Mass Spectrom. 11, 457–468 (2005)
DOI: 10.1255/ejms.744

Atomic clusters and ion-cyclotron-resonance mass spectrometry: a fruitful combination

Lutz Schweikhard,^a Klaus Blaum,^b,c Alexander Herlert^a,d and Gerrit Marx^a
^aInstitut für Physik, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität, 17487 Greifswald, Germany
^bGSI, Planckstr. 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany
^cInstitut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg- Universität, 55099 Mainz, Germany
^dCERN, Physics Department, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland

ABSTRACT:

Clusters consisting of a few atoms build the bridge between individual atoms and the condensed phase of matter and they are thus of high general interest. Over the last two decades considerable progress has been made in the study of their properties, and ion storage techniques, in particular the use of ion-cyclotron-resonance (Penning) traps, are important tools for advanced investigations. Vice versa, cluster ions can serve as probes for the evaluation of ion-trap properties. Furthermore, they are ideally suited for the calibration of mass spectrometers and for consistency checks in high-accuracy mass determinations. Examples from the research areas mentioned, i.e. the investigation of cluster properties and the application of cluster ions for Penning-trap studies and mass calibration, are reported.

Keywords: ion storage, Penning trap, ion cyclotron resonance, atomic clusters, carbon clusters, calibration, nuclear masses, short-lived nuclei, radioactive beams, non-neutral plasma

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