Gas-phase species isotope measurements with MAT253 Ultra

Mass spectrometers were designed in the late 1940s. Their operation is based on their ability to separate the different species of an ionized gas by means of a magnetic sector according to their mass/charge ratio, making it possible to measure the relative abundance of certain isotopes (e.g. H and D).

Major discoveries have thus been made. These include studies of ancient climates based on the analysis of variations in the ratio ¹⁸ O/ ¹⁶ O in limestone rocks, which depends essentially on the temperature of ancient oceans. . Mass spectrometers have also enabled isotopic methods to be developed and applied in a wide range of fields, including fraud detection: "Is this wine from Bordeaux?" "Is this orange juice without added sugar? . Isotopic methods have also made it possible to identify testosterone doping in top-level athletes via the difference in the abundance ratio ¹³ C/ ¹² C between exogenous and endogenous testosterone. .

While isotope analysis has been used for both fundamental and applied applications, the analytical performance of mass spectrometers has continued to improve, making it possible to analyze isotopes that are less and less abundant, and increasingly difficult to measure. This is how the MAT253 Ultra was conceived in the early 2010s. The instrument's dual-focus geometry has enabled a considerable improvement in mass resolution, bringing a revolution to the field through its ability to measure species that were previously unanalyzable because their abundance was too low to be detected or separated from interferences.

After outlining the context in which the MAT253 Ultra was developed, the various components of this instrument will be defined to understand its overall operation....