Mass separation via a turbomolecular pump

A method of mass separation utilizing a turbomolecular pump, comprising:

• providing a gas, having analytes and ambient molecules therein, to an inlet chamber for allowing flow of gas into the pump;
• pulling the gas into a rotor and stator casing via motion of a rotor in a first direction and motion of a stator in a second direction to form a multi-stage compression of the gas in a radial direction;
• positioning the rotor and stator such that the gas flows around an outer edge of one of the rotor or stator, inward toward a central axis, and then toward a gas outlet;
• and
• wherein one or more target molecular or atomic species that are heavier than the ambient molecules in the gas at the inlet are passed through the rotor and stator casing via the rotor and stator.

A method of mass separation utilizing a turbomolecular pump, comprising:

• providing a gas, having analytes and ambient molecules therein, to an inlet chamber for allowing flow of gas into the pump;
• pulling the gas into a rotor and stator casing via motion of a rotor in a first direction and motion of a stator in a second direction to form a multi-stage compression of the gas in a radial direction;
• positioning the rotor and stator such that the gas flows in a gas path around an outer edge of one of the rotor or stator, radially inward toward an axial centerline, and then toward a gas outlet;
• and
• wherein one or more target molecular or atomic species that are heavier than the ambient molecules in the gas at the inlet are passed through the rotor and stator casing via the rotor and stator.