Portable analyzer for determining size and chemical composition of an aerosol

A rugged, coaxial time-of-flight spectrometer, comprising:

• an ion source;
• at least one electrode for imparting kinetic energy to an ion from the ion source;
• a flight tube along which the ion travels in a substantially field-free region;
• a particle detector disposed at a first end of the flight tube, adjacent to the ion source;
• and
• a reflectron disposed at a second end of the flight tube and including
• a metal inner housing having at least three partial circular axial grooves formed in an inner surface thereof,
• at least three elastic insulating rods located in the axial grooves, each rod including a plurality of recesses formed into its side, and
• a plurality of ring electrodes, each located in the recesses of the rods.

An aerosol interface for an aerosol analyzer, comprising:

• a stage having a bore therethrough along an axis;
• a tube movable within the bore, along the axis;
• a nozzle mounted on a first end of the tube, the tube being movable to expose the nozzle on a first end of the bore and to remove the nozzle from a second end of the bore;
• and
• a ball valve having a passage therethrough and disposed in a middle portion of the bore, wherein the ball valve is rotatable between a first position, in which its passage is not aligned with the bore, and the bore is blocked, and a second position, in which its passage is aligned with the bore, and the tube and nozzle are allowed to pass through the bore and passage.

A rugged, coaxial, reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer, comprising:

• an outer housing defining a vacuum chamber;
• an ion source located within the vacuum chamber;
• at least one electrode located within the vacuum chamber, for imparting kinetic energy to a succession of ions from the ion source and thereby directing the ions along an ion path within the vacuum chamber;
• a reflectron located within the vacuum chamber, at an end of the ion path spaced from the ion source, wherein the reflectron includes
• a plurality of insulating rods located in prescribed positions spaced from the ion path, each rod including a plurality of recesses formed in its side facing the ion path, and
• a plurality of ring electrodes, each supported by a separate set of recesses formed in the plurality of insulating rods, wherein the ring electrodes include central apertures aligned with the ion path,
• wherein the reflectron is conditioned to interact with the ions traveling along the ion path and to redirect the ions in a substantially opposite direction;
• and
• a particle detector positioned to detect the ions redirected by the reflection.

A rugged, coaxial, reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer, comprising:

• an outer housing defining a vacuum chamber;
• an ion source located within the vacuum chamber;
• at least one electrode located within the vacuum chamber, for imparting kinetic energy to a succession of ions from the ion source and thereby directing the ions along an ion path within a field-free region of the vacuum chamber;
• a reflectron located within the vacuum chamber, at an end of the ion path, wherein the reflectron is conditioned to interact with the ions traveling along the ion path and to redirect the ions in a substantially opposite direction;
• and
• a particle detector positioned to detect the ions redirected by the reflectron;
• and
• a plurality of electrically insulating mounts that support the reflectron within the outer housing, the mounts defining a spherical joint, wherein the reflectron is configured to be movably adjustable within the mounts, to facilitate alignment of the reflectron relative to the ion path.