Advanced Photon and Ion Detection Technologies

Focal plane array detectors have brought an amazing revolution to optical spectroscopy. Recent advances in optical array detectors, as well as future trends, will be presented.

Whole new generations of highly promising ion and electron detectors are being implemented by adapting and modifying a combination of technologies originally developed for visible CCD's and infrared multiplexer arrays. This new generation of ion and electron detectors is being implemented in configurations ranging from a single element suitable for quadrupole and time-of-flight ion mobility instruments to linear arrays for ion cycloidal and sector-based mass spectrometers. The latest results using these new techniques to read micro Faraday cups and arrays of finger electrodes will be presented. Since this approach is a high-sensitivity Faraday type coulombic detector, it is suitable for implementing high-density arrays in isotope ratio spectrometers and conventional mass spectrometers, as well as ultra high-sensitivity detectors for ion mobility spectrometers.

Current results and future directions using optimized multiplexers will be presented. This detector technology holds promise for eventually providing detectors capable of extraordinarily linear operation from single to hundreds of millions of ions per second. These devices are being utilized in the implementation of a new generation of Ultra Sensitive Ion Mobility Spectrometers and Real Time Atmospheric Pressure Mass Spectrometers capable of detecting explosives from standoff distances exceeding 35 meters. The impact of these developments on homeland security will be discussed.

Speaker: M. Bonner Denton