Laser photodetachment mass spectrometry

We demonstrate that the technique of laser photodetachment spectroscopy on atomic negative ions can be used as a sensitivity enhancement tool in mass spectrometry, useful for suppressing both isotopic as well as molecular isobaric interferences. In the experiment a beam of negative ions and a laser beam are merged in a collinear geometry and the wavelength of the laser is tuned across the photodetachment threshold region. Due to the large differential Doppler shifts associated with the fast moving ions of different masses, it is possible to selectively detach ions of certain isotopes while leaving others unaffected. By choosing co-propagating laser and ion beams, the heavier isotopes of an …