Development of a miniaturized, light-weight magnetic sector for a field-portable mass spectrograph

A miniaturized, lightweight magnetic sector for a focal plane mass spectrograph (Mattauch-Herzog design) has been designed and fabricated by using a new high-energy-product magnet material (Nd-B-Fe alloy) and a high permeability magnet yoke material (V-Co-Fe alloy). The magnetic sector weighs less than 10 kg, has a focal plane of 5.1 cm in length, and covers a nominal mass range of 40-240 amu. Such a magnetic sector, in conjunction with an array detector and a short microbore capillary column, is well suited for the development of a field-portable gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer instrument of high performance.