Application of organic solvents as matrixes to detect air-sensitive and less polar compounds using low-temperature secondary ion mass spectrometry

Using low-temperature secondary ion mass spectrometry (LT-SIMS), this study successfully detected air-sensitive and less polar compounds dissolved in various organic solvents. A low-temperature interface and copper probe were constructed to conduct SIMS analysis. The sample solution was frozen by ap plying it on the tip of the insertion probe which was maintained at -120 OC under a cold nitrogen stream. Bis ((diethylamido)dimethylaluminum), an ext remely air-sensitive organometallic compound, was dissolved in dry benzene, hexane, and diethyl ether, respectively, From these solutions, the analyte signals were directly obtained without using a viscous matrix. In addition , LT-SIMS was used to detect less polar compounds, including organometallic and organophosphorus compounds, porphyrins, long-chain alcohols, and amine s dissolved in different organic solvents. Solvents used in this study incl ude chloroform, chloroform-d, methylene chloride, acetone, ethanol, diethyl ether, hexane, benzene, toluene, l-hexanal, l-hexanoic acid, and 1-hexanol .