Estimation of useful yields for electrospray droplet impact/secondary ion mass spectrometry (EDI/SIMS)

Useful yield for electrospray droplet impact/secondary ion mass spectrometry was estimated. The mixtures of C 60 /rhodamine B and C 60 /Aerosol OT were used as the samples for the positive and negative mode of operations, respectively. By assuming that (i) the desorption efficiencies are about the same for C 60 , rhodamine B and Aerosol OT, and (ii) desorption of ionic compounds directly gives the secondary ion signals, the useful yields (i.e. total ions generated divided by the total molecules desorbed) for C 60 were estimated to be ~0.1. This value should be regarded as the upper limit because the neutralization of positive and negative ions in the plume and desorption of ionic compounds as neutral species are not taken into account.