2A-O1-0940 PDF
Rapid Imaging Mass Spectrometry of Lipids using Cluster SIMS Apparatus
The use of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) with conventional monomer ion beams, such as Ar+, Cs+ or Ga+, in biological applications is difficult because of the low secondary ion yield of large organic molecules and the complicated fragment ion signals. The use of cluster ions as primary projectiles in SIMS has spread dramatically in the past decade. Bismuth (Bi) cluster ions are now the most familiarized primary ions in cluster SIMS because of the high convergence property and the high molecular ion yield. Argon gas cluster ion beam (Ar-GCIB) is also one of the most attractive primary projectiles for biological applications because of the soft sputtering without damage accumulation.
Imaging mass spectrometry with high sensitivity and high spatial resolution is essential for tissue and cell analysis. Therefore, we have developed a focused Ar-GCIB SIMS apparatus with a novel convergence system of the primary ion beam. In addition, rapid analysis is also crucial for pharmacokinetic and metabolic studies. In this study, in order to investigate the possibility of rapid imaging mass spectrometry using cluster SIMS, patterned lipid samples were prepared and measured with our originally-equipped Ar-GCIB SIMS apparatus and the commercial Bi cluster SIMS apparatus.