Mass Spectrometers

Mass spectrometers are widely used in science and industry, including pharmaceutical manufacturing, semiconductor processing, forensic analysis, and battery manufacturing. They have a wide range of applications, such as analyzing the composition of chemical compounds, identifying substances, studying biological molecules like proteins and DNA, and measuring isotopic abundances.

Type of Mass Spectrometers

There are several different types of mass spectrometers, including:

• TOF (Time of Flight)
• Quadrupole
• Magnetic Sector
• Electrostatic Sector
• Quadrupole Ion Trap
• Ion Cyclotron Resonance

Mass spectrometry is an analytical method that employs ionization and mass analysis of compounds to determine the mass, formula, and structure of the compound being analyzed.

A mass spectrometer ionizes masses and separates the masses to measure the quantity of each mass. In the analyzing cell where the ionization takes place is operated under vacuum and therefore it's fundamental to measure the vacuum to determine the safe pressure for activating the ionization cell.

Vacuum Measurement methods for Mass Spectrometers

The typical vacuum measurement requirement in the 1E-4 mbar decade eliminates the use of traditional convection type vacuum gauges and wire Pirani vacuum gauges. Different vacuum measurement technologies are utilized in mass spectrometer instrumentation, including cold cathode ionization, hot cathode ionization, and MEMS Pirani sensors.

MEMS Pirani technology has many advantages compared to cold cathode and hot cathode ionization vacuum gauges, including:

• No generation of ions to interfere with mass spectrometer measurements
• No magnetic field to interfere with mass spectrometer measurements
• Very compact geometric size enable high level of integration
• Low power consumption
• No heat generation
• Lower cost
• Longer time between service

Several of the Sens4 product solutions utilize advanced wide-range MEMS Pirani technology, and our product solutions have been successfully adapted by some of the leading mass spectrometer manufacturers.

Recommended and typical vacuum gauges for Mass Spectrometer integration

We understand that not all instrumentation applications can utilize a standard product, and that's why we also offer to partner with our customers to customize measurement solutions tailored to your specifications and instrument requirements.

We also provide drop-in compatible products that seamlessly integrate with gauges from other vendors, allowing for a smooth transition from existing measurement solutions without the need to change cables or system software.

Consult our experts today to learn more about our standard and customized vacuum measurement solutions, partnerships, and how we can help you achieve the vacuum measurement precision and control you need in your analytical instrumentation and applications.