This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is to develop a shortwavelength, narrow-bandwidth, high-brightness photo-ionization laser; that can be used for used for ultra-high energy-resolution, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), and for single-photon-ionization (SPI) in order to improve mass spectroscopy-based detection capabilities of complex organic molecules, especially low-vapor-pressure explosive compounds and trace residues.
The compact size, efficient optical conversion, and high brightness of the proposed laser source will enable integration into "field-ready", on-line mass spectrometry tools. The capabilities of the proposed single-photon-ionization light source will also complement a broad array of established mass-spectral analysis techniques to enable the development of instruments capable of analyzing heterogeneous samples with no a-priori knowledge of the sample composition. This capability is urgently needed for a variety of homeland security and non-proliferation applications.
