Mass Spectrometry Using Paul Traps

Mass is one of the basic quantities to characterize any material object, whether an atom, molecule, nucleus, or elementary particle. The measurement of mass therefore serves to detect and identify atomic, molecular, and nuclear species, and can help determine their structure and binding energy. For example, a precise determination of the mass of a nucleus is of importance through its binding energy, not only for various aspects of nuclear physics but also for other branches of physics, e.g. tests of the weak interaction, of quantum electrodynamics, and of the standard model [46]. Also in astrophysics the masses of unstable isotopes involved in stellar nucleosynthesis, especially the r process, are of significance. On a more practical plane, modern mass spectrometers, as sophisticated analytical instruments, are indispensable in the fields of biochemistry and the development of new drugs.

Authors and Affiliations

1. Johannes Gutenberg Universität, Fachbereich Physik (18), Institut für Physik, Staudingerweg 7, 55099, Mainz, Germany

   Professor Dr. Günther Werth & Professor Dr. Viorica N. Gheorghe

2. , 284 Michener Court E., Severna Park, MD, USA

   Dr. Fouad G. Major

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Günther Werth .

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