The Orbitrap anaLYzer MultiPle IonizAtion (OLYMPIA) coupled to the laser desorption LILBID technique (Left). Trajectory of the ion beam entering the Orbitrap cell (Right)
The deflection electrode directs the ion beam into the Orbitrap cell and corrects disturbances caused by the entry aperture. These oscillations of the ions are dependent on their mass, and therefore, we can record them over time, and after applying a Fourier transform and treating the data, obtain high resolution and high mass accuracy spectra. While the time-of-flight mass analyzer has a limited mass resolution (∼800 m/Δm), the Orbitrap analyzer has an unprecedented high mass resolution of up to 150 000 m/Δm. Because of its small size and unprecedented mass resolution, it is an attractive candidate for space exploration missions.
OLYMPIA has proven to be highly versatile. Our current research focuses on producing analogue spectra comparable to those from the Cosmic Dust Analyzer, by generating water clusters from liquid samples to simulate low-velocity ice grain impacts. These data will help expand the SUDA database with high-resolution spectra.