Development of a miniaturized, light‐weight magnetic sector for a field‐portable mass spectrograph

We have designed and fabricated a miniaturized, light‐weight magnetic sector for a focal plane mass spectrograph (Mattauch–Herzog design) by using a new high‐energy‐product magnet material (Nd‐B‐Fe alloy), and a high permeability magnet yoke material (V‐Co‐Fe alloy). The magnetic sector weighs less than 10 kg and has a focal plane of 5.1 cm in length and covers a nominal mass range of 40–240 amu. Such a magnetic sector in conjunction with an array detector and a short microbore capillary column is eminently suited for the development of a field‐portable gas chromatograph‐mass spectrometer instrument of high performance.