Matter-Wave Metrology as a Complementary Tool for Mass Spectroscopy
Mass spectroscopy is a powerful tool that is routinely used to
probe not only mass but also molecular structures and
properties. In nearly all practical realizations, mass selection
explicitly depends on the availability of molecular ions.[1]
However, many molecules are so weakly bound and most
ionization processes so energetic that it cannot be discounted
that the ionization process modifies or even destroys the
original compound. It is therefore important to develop
methods that may assist in identifyingthe original neutral
particle in the gas phase before the act of ionization. A
number of characterization techniques can be used for a
detailed analysis of a solid or liquid sample. However, if a
molecular side chain can be lost duringthe volatilization
process, the unambiguous identification of the flying neutral
object remains a nontrivial challenge for conventional mass
spectroscopy.
Stefan Gerlich, Michael Gring, Hendrik Ulbricht, Klaus Hornberger, Jens T üxen, Marcel Mayor and Markus Arndt
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 6195 - 6198
