3-D Printed, Compact, Time-of-Flight Reflectron Mass Filters

Abstract

We report the design, fabrication, and characterization of novel, self-contained reflectron mass filters for compact mass spectrometry applications. A reflectron filters ions by mass-to-charge ratio via measuring the time-of-flight (TOF) of ions as they are reflected by the internal electromagnetic fields of the device, governed by the geometric constraints imposed. The devices are monolithically 3D-printed in glass-ceramic via vat photopolymerization. Experimental characterization of a fabricated prototype demonstrates the design can attain a mass resolution of about 41 Da for argon.