The imaging machine at the Chemical Dynamics Beamline creates ion-sputtered or laser desorbed neutral molecules which are then photoionized with high fluxes of tunable synchrotron VUV radiation. The ions are analyzed using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Samples for this machine may be either liquid or solid and are attached to a substrate. The operating pressures are typically 10-8 Torr.
The purpose of the imaging program is to probe biological systems and products from combustion and atmospheric chemistry. The major effort is to image plant cells and the chemical changes they undergo after chemical degradation during pyrolysis or pretreatment methods in biofuel production. Fundamental studies are being performed to establish the molecular characteristic of soil organic matter, and its transformation in controlled environments.
For more information, please contact Musa Ahmed.
