Abstract

The characterization of individual microparticles has become more important recently with the increasing need for meteorological, environmental, medical, and intelligence data (1). Early attempts at on-line analysis used a heated filament to evaporate a portion of the particulate sample. Ionization in some cases occurred on contact, in other experiments, a supplemental electron beam was employed. Off-line measurements on individual particles have been made by laser microprobe analysis, SIMS, and by optical measurements (1). There have been several recent reports of online single particle measurements with pulsed laser desorption and ionization with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (2-4).

© 1994 Optical Society of America