A resonance ionization time of flight mass spectrometer with a cryogenic sample concentrator for isotopic analysis of krypton from extraterrestrial samples

RIMSKI - Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometer for Krypton Isotopes - is a newly developed ultra sensitive instrument with a cryogenic sample concentrator and a laser ion source designed for isotopic analysis of extraterrestrial material. Laser heating is used for extraction of krypton from samples into the mass spectrometer volume. Atoms continuously condense on a cold spot in the ion source, and are repeatedly released by laser heating. They are ionized in the evaporation plume using three tunable dye lasers and one frequency tripled Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. Two resonant transitions are employed (at 116.5 nm, produced by four-wave frequency mixing in Xe, and 558.1 nm) and are followed by single photon ionization at 1064 nm. Multiple analyses of air aliquots and