VISIBLE SPECTROSCOPY OF PAHS CATIONS STORED IN AN ION-TRAP MASS SPECTROMETER

Abstract

We report a study of the visible absorption spectroscopy of individual Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) cations in the gas phase. Spectra are recorded by monitoring the photofragmentation or double-ionization of the molecular ions stored in a RF Paul trap. A 3-laser experiment has been set up combining laser desorption (at 1064 nm, Nd-Yag), resonant 2-photon ionization (at 266 nm, Nd-Yag), and ion photofragmentation (at 550-850 nm, dye laser). The apparatus allows direct analysis of solid samples, providing qualitative detection of various analyte classes such as neurotransmitters, pep-tides, drug molecules and pollutants (PAHs and polychlorinated bi-phenyls (PCBs)). The tunable laser offers an additional wavelength dependent analysis tool.