(TemperatureWorkstationfor Epitopesand Gambit, ExperimentalTestInstrument)

For several years now, various working groups have been developing methods for cooling FT-ICR cells in order to improve the measurement results. So far, models are known in which the ICR cells are cooled by means of an adapter or a completely new cell design using liquid nitrogen or helium. However, this "obstructs" one side of the cell and the cell is abruptly cooled by the liquid gases, which can lead to the cell being crushed. However, our large-scale projects EPITOPES and GAMBIT require two open sides of the ICR cell: one for the ion current, the other for the IR laser or the synchrotron beam. We are therefore working on a design that leaves both sides open, so that the original design of the ICR mass spectrometer can be retained and prevents the cell from cooling down abruptly. In addition, it will be possible to carry out the experiments at different temperatures as required. We want to achieve this through "dry" cooling using a cryostat and a temperature controller to set the temperature.

As the name suggests, we are still in the experimental set-up phase, where the chirping of the cryostat spreads icy cold on the one hand, but on the other hand is reminiscent of the spring songs of birds, which inspires great confidence in terms of success.

Heinrich Kampschulte

A cold ICR cell is now installed in both the GAMBIT and the FRITZ apparatus and has been faithfully cooling the ions for years.