X-Ray Ion Mobility Spectrometer

For the ionization of gaseous samples, most ion mobility spectrometers employ radioactive ionization sources, e.g. containing ⁶³Ni or ³H. Besides legal restrictions, radioactive materials have the disadvantage of a constant radiation with predetermined intensity.

The aim of this research project is the realization and characterization of an X-ray IMS. Therefore, the 3H-source of our previously described compact high resolution IMS was replaced by a commercially available X-ray source. The realized setup maintains the high resolving power of R = 100 at a drift length of 75 mm and shows very good detection limits in the low pptv-range.