ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the instrumentation—ion sources, ion introduction systems, mass analyzers, detectors, and data systems. It discusses some of the theory associated with the formation, separation, and detection of ions. The process of sampling the atmospheric pressure plasma by differential pumping for separation and analysis at a pressure 10 orders of magnitude lower is also very inefficient. Photoplate work with mass spectrometry shows little advantage over electronic detection except for the convenient archival information storage that it provides. Ion cyclotron resonance led to Fourier transform mass spectrometry—a technique with the potential for an extremely high degree of mass resolution. In inorganic mass spectrometry one of the most important ion sources is thermal ionization. The inductively coupled plasma has become the most important ion source for inorganic mass spectrometry. A quadrupole mass analyzer accomplishes the separation of ions without the use of heavy magnets.
