Helix MC Plus

High-resolution multicollector static vacuum mass spectrometer (SVMS) designed for noble gas analysis. Equipped with a 35 cm, 120° magnetic sector analyzer and advanced ion optics for precision isotopic measurements of small gas samples.

• Status: Active
• Country: Germany
• Isotopic: Yes
• Type of measurable elements: Noble gases
• Measurable isotopes/elements: Isotopes of noble gases
• Analyzer type : Magnetic Sector MS
• Ion source type: Electron impact
• Inlet types: Dual inlet with getter pumps, cold traps, and pipette systems for precise sample handling
• Mass range : 1-140 Daltons
• High Resolution : Yes
• Mass resolution/ Mass resolving power : Standard resolution: >600; High resolution: >1500 (10% peak valley definition)/ Res. Power > 5500 @ 0.05 mm source slit.Typical achieved > 7000
• Multicollector : Yes
• Collectors qty : 5 Combined Faraday-Multiplier (CFM) detectors, including high-resolution options
• Sensitivity : Helium: >2×10−4 Amps/Torr; Argon: >1×10−3 Amps/Torr
• Abundance sensitivity : < 1 ppm for adjacent masses sensitivity (39 contribution from 40)at a pressure of 1 x 10-7 mbar
• Dynamic range : 2 cps to ~1.4 × 10⁶ cps
• Detection limits : Sub-ppb levels for noble gas isotopes
• Precision : <0.01% for isotopic ratios of noble gases
• Signal stability, relative standard deviation : <0.2% drift per hour at 100 KCPS; Drift of ±25 ppm/30 min
• Detector type : Faraday cups with suppressed noise and compact discrete dynode (CDD) electron multipliers
• Possible amplifiers : 10¹⁰, 10¹¹, 10¹², and 10¹³ Ω resistors
• Acceleration voltage : 9.9 kV
• Background : ≤ 5e-13 cc STP at mass 36; Dark noise: <10 CPM (0.2 CPM typical)
• Geometry type : Extended geometry with 120° deflection
• Focusing type : Single focusing
• Magnetic sector radius/ angle : 35 cm radius, 120° deflection
• Cooling system : Liquid nitrogen cooling for getters; water cooling for turbo pumps
• Vacuum system : Ultra-high static vacuum system with turbo molecular and ion-getter pumps
• Gas supply: High-purity noble gases (e.g., helium, neon, argon)