| n this thesis a new technique is presented which is capable of detecting single, micron-sized particles in an on-line mode. Additionally, molecular size dependences in both primary and secondary fragmentation processes are probed for a series of ;Particles of known size and composition are generated in the laboratory, introduced into the mass spectrometer and detected by monitoring scattered radiation from a helium neon laser. The scattered laser radiation is used to generate a trigger signal which promptly fires an excimer laser for particle desorption/ionization. The excimer laser is operated at 193nm, 248nm or 337 nm at irradiances in the range of 1.0 ;In the second portion, electron impact, single photon and multiphoton ionization data demonstrate molecular size dependences in primary and secondary fragmentation for a series of... |
