History

Abstract

The general principle of the idea of separating our world into the smallest increments possible, atoms, started with Democrit (460–370 BC), the old Greek philosopher, who asked the origin of all questions: “What is that in truth being?” The efforts of scientists have – for a long time - had the goal to visualise these atoms by inventing tools to monitor the material world around us into its smallest possible increments. As a result, scientists involved in spectroscopy have created and established tools to identify the elemental composition of our material world and to measure the weight of atoms by a very special balance: the mass spectrometer. In this chapter, the history of mass spectrometry is described and highlights of the success story are given with a special emphasis on magnetic sector field mass spectrometry and its use in elemental and isotopic analysis. The roots of sector field instruments based on the observation of cathode rays and Kanalstrahlen, the first mass spectrometers and the determination of isotopes, the early commercialisation of mass spectrometry as well as the last 50 years of novel developments of mass separators and ion sources are covered to introduce give insight into the history of mass spectrometry.

Hugo Bondy (1900–1985): an Austrian scientist of mass spectrometry in the twentieth century

“…Major achievements in mass spectrometry were laid in the years around Bondy's birth. However, cathode rays (Kathodenstrahlen-electrons) and canal rays (Kanalstrahlenpositively charged ions) were already discovered in the nineteenth century [79,80]. Joseph John Thomson demonstrated that cathode rays consist of electrons and accomplished their deflection by electric or magnetic fields in 1897 [79][80][81].…”

“…However, cathode rays (Kathodenstrahlen-electrons) and canal rays (Kanalstrahlenpositively charged ions) were already discovered in the nineteenth century [79,80]. Joseph John Thomson demonstrated that cathode rays consist of electrons and accomplished their deflection by electric or magnetic fields in 1897 [79][80][81]. One year later, Wilhelm Wien proved that the canal rays were positively charged particles and could be deflected by a strong electric or magnetic field [79,80,82].…”

“…Joseph John Thomson demonstrated that cathode rays consist of electrons and accomplished their deflection by electric or magnetic fields in 1897 [79][80][81]. One year later, Wilhelm Wien proved that the canal rays were positively charged particles and could be deflected by a strong electric or magnetic field [79,80,82]. As consequence of these discoveries, Thomson and his scholar Francis William Aston built the first mass spectrometer in 1912 [79,80,83,84].…”

“…One year later, Wilhelm Wien proved that the canal rays were positively charged particles and could be deflected by a strong electric or magnetic field [79,80,82]. As consequence of these discoveries, Thomson and his scholar Francis William Aston built the first mass spectrometer in 1912 [79,80,83,84]. Charged particles could be deflected and separated according to their kinetic energy and mass to charge ratio.…”

“…Meanwhile, Frederick Soddy discovered that the element lead had two different masses depending on the origin of its radioactive decay. Soddy called the phenomena of atoms from one element, which have the same chemical qualities, with different masses "isotopes" in 1913, after a suggestion of his friend Margaret Todd [79,80,85]. Contributions from scientists of universities of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, namely: Friedrich Paneth, George de Hevesy, Otto Hönigschmid, and Stefanie Horovitz, influenced Soddy's work and conclusions regarding isotopes [86].…”