Comprehensive Controller for Super Sonic Molecular Beam Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer

Abstract

This paper presents a new, comprehensive digital circuit used for the control of a novel gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC-MS) interface that is based on supersonic molecular beam (SMB). The circuit includes a Texas Instruments 150 MHz digital signal controller (DSC), high voltage amplifiers for 8 independent channels and 4 independent channels of high resolution pulse width modulation (PWM). The circuit, along with a sophisticated embedded program and a custom made personal computer (PC) application, control all aspects of the interface: smart filament emission-current stabilization, static and scanning mass-dependent ion-source voltages, transfer-line heater proportional integral differential (PID) controls with thermocouple feedbacks, on/off valves, relays and several peripheral device controls that enable the full operation of a turbo-molecular vacuum pump, and of gas flow and pressure controllers. All aspects of this comprehensive controller were successfully tested. The signal for the 450 Th ion (C32H66) for example increased by 123% which is a significant increase. It is obvious that correctly tuned dynamic voltages can guarantee the optimal signal for each mass.