Enhanced ionization efficiency in TIMS analyses of plutonium and americium using porous ion emitters

Matthew L. Baruzzini; Howard L. Hall; Matthew G. Watrous; Khalil J. Spencer; Floyd E. Stanley

doi:10.1016/j.ijms.2016.11.013

Enhanced ionization efficiency in TIMS analyses of plutonium and americium using porous ion emitters

Matthew L. Baruzzini, Howard L. Hall, Matthew G. Watrous, Khalil J. Spencer, Floyd E. Stanley

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Investigations of enhanced sample utilization in thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) using porous ion emitter (PIE) techniques for the analyses of trace quantities of americium and plutonium were performed. Repeat ionization efficiency (i.e., the ratio of ions detected to atoms loaded on the filament) measurements were conducted on sample sizes ranging from 10–100 pg for americium and 1–100 pg for plutonium using PIE and traditional (i.e., a single, zone-refined rhenium, flat filament ribbon with a carbon ionization enhancer) TIMS filament sources. When compared to traditional filaments, PIEs exhibited an average boost in ionization efficiency of ∼550% for plutonium and ∼1100% for americium. A maximum average efficiency of 1.09% was observed at a 1 pg plutonium sample loading using PIEs. Supplementary trials were conducted using newly developed platinum PIEs to analyze 10 pg mass loadings of plutonium. Platinum PIEs exhibited an additional ∼134% boost in ion yield over standard PIEs and ∼736% over traditional filaments at the same sample loading level.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	8-13
Number of pages	6
Journal	International Journal of Mass Spectrometry
Volume	412
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijms.2016.11.013
State	Published - Jan 1 2017
Externally published	Yes

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under Grant Award Number, 2012-DN-130-NF0001-02. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The authors would also to express their gratitude for the support provided by the U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Nonproliferation and Verification Research and Development and the U.S. Department of Energy through the LANL/LDRD Program. This document has been reviewed and approved for release under LA-UR-16-26867.

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Nonproliferation
Verification Research and Development
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Department of Homeland Security	2012-DN-130-NF0001-02
Laboratory Directed Research and Development	LA-UR-16-26867
Los Alamos National Laboratory

Keywords

Americium
Ionization efficiency
Nuclear forensics
Plutonium
Porous ion emitter (PIE)
Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS)

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10.1016/j.ijms.2016.11.013

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title = "Enhanced ionization efficiency in TIMS analyses of plutonium and americium using porous ion emitters",

abstract = "Investigations of enhanced sample utilization in thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) using porous ion emitter (PIE) techniques for the analyses of trace quantities of americium and plutonium were performed. Repeat ionization efficiency (i.e., the ratio of ions detected to atoms loaded on the filament) measurements were conducted on sample sizes ranging from 10–100 pg for americium and 1–100 pg for plutonium using PIE and traditional (i.e., a single, zone-refined rhenium, flat filament ribbon with a carbon ionization enhancer) TIMS filament sources. When compared to traditional filaments, PIEs exhibited an average boost in ionization efficiency of ∼550% for plutonium and ∼1100% for americium. A maximum average efficiency of 1.09% was observed at a 1 pg plutonium sample loading using PIEs. Supplementary trials were conducted using newly developed platinum PIEs to analyze 10 pg mass loadings of plutonium. Platinum PIEs exhibited an additional ∼134% boost in ion yield over standard PIEs and ∼736% over traditional filaments at the same sample loading level.",

keywords = "Americium, Ionization efficiency, Nuclear forensics, Plutonium, Porous ion emitter (PIE), Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS)",

author = "Baruzzini, {Matthew L.} and Hall, {Howard L.} and Watrous, {Matthew G.} and Spencer, {Khalil J.} and Stanley, {Floyd E.}",

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doi = "10.1016/j.ijms.2016.11.013",

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AU - Baruzzini, Matthew L.

AU - Hall, Howard L.

AU - Watrous, Matthew G.

AU - Spencer, Khalil J.

AU - Stanley, Floyd E.

PY - 2017/1/1

Y1 - 2017/1/1

N2 - Investigations of enhanced sample utilization in thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) using porous ion emitter (PIE) techniques for the analyses of trace quantities of americium and plutonium were performed. Repeat ionization efficiency (i.e., the ratio of ions detected to atoms loaded on the filament) measurements were conducted on sample sizes ranging from 10–100 pg for americium and 1–100 pg for plutonium using PIE and traditional (i.e., a single, zone-refined rhenium, flat filament ribbon with a carbon ionization enhancer) TIMS filament sources. When compared to traditional filaments, PIEs exhibited an average boost in ionization efficiency of ∼550% for plutonium and ∼1100% for americium. A maximum average efficiency of 1.09% was observed at a 1 pg plutonium sample loading using PIEs. Supplementary trials were conducted using newly developed platinum PIEs to analyze 10 pg mass loadings of plutonium. Platinum PIEs exhibited an additional ∼134% boost in ion yield over standard PIEs and ∼736% over traditional filaments at the same sample loading level.

AB - Investigations of enhanced sample utilization in thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) using porous ion emitter (PIE) techniques for the analyses of trace quantities of americium and plutonium were performed. Repeat ionization efficiency (i.e., the ratio of ions detected to atoms loaded on the filament) measurements were conducted on sample sizes ranging from 10–100 pg for americium and 1–100 pg for plutonium using PIE and traditional (i.e., a single, zone-refined rhenium, flat filament ribbon with a carbon ionization enhancer) TIMS filament sources. When compared to traditional filaments, PIEs exhibited an average boost in ionization efficiency of ∼550% for plutonium and ∼1100% for americium. A maximum average efficiency of 1.09% was observed at a 1 pg plutonium sample loading using PIEs. Supplementary trials were conducted using newly developed platinum PIEs to analyze 10 pg mass loadings of plutonium. Platinum PIEs exhibited an additional ∼134% boost in ion yield over standard PIEs and ∼736% over traditional filaments at the same sample loading level.

KW - Americium

KW - Ionization efficiency

KW - Nuclear forensics

KW - Plutonium

KW - Porous ion emitter (PIE)

KW - Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS)

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JO - International Journal of Mass Spectrometry

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ER -

Enhanced ionization efficiency in TIMS analyses of plutonium and americium using porous ion emitters

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