Laser-based mass spectrometry techniques allow one to spatially resolve and analyze the molecular, elemental, or isotopic signatures in a solid at a lateral spatial resolution dictated by the laser’s spot size. Typically, UV/Vis/IR wavelength lasers are used with mass spectrometers to map signatures in a solid, but their lateral spatial resolution is limited to ≥1 µm. Short-wavelength lasers in the EUV regime bring new opportunities to laser-based mass spectrometry methods by realizing nanoscale (≤100 nm) ablation due to their high absorptivity in materials (i.e., 10’s of nanometers) as well as their ability to efficiently ionize the removed material in their laser-created plasmas. In this talk, we will discuss how we are using an EUV laser, operating at a wavelength of 46.9 nm, for material ablation and ionization with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to map isotopic information down to the nanoscale in nuclear and geologic materials. We will also discuss how we are working towards expanding the use of the EUV laser by connecting it to a more sensitive mass spectrometer so that nanoscale analyses can be realized with increased precision and accuracy.
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