tsathoggua1
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Taking data from an ORBItrap or penning trap
Alright, so I had an idea.
Ion cyclotron resonance mass spec looks like it might just be accessible to amateutr hobbyists. Basically, ions are accelerated into a Penning trap
and the ions shot into the trap are accelerated to a higher cyclotron resonance frequency whereby the ions are spun past a pair of electrodes and
induce a charge, then presumably have to have the signal amplified.
Do such mass specs need a zeeman slower? and the interface between the trap and the computer is where I'd struggle with this. Could do with some input
as to people's thoughts on this.
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phlogiston
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I would not hold it above some amateur scientists.
However, if you think the interface to the computer is the main problem, you are not among them (yet).
You are seriously underestimating the task of building the trap. Your question if a Zeeman slower is needed also strongly suggests that you have not
looked into the problem in depth at all.
There is a lot of information available online from manufacturers and literature on the configuration of these instruments (no, it is not needed).
Also on a practical level, unless you have a very well equipped tool shop and the skills needed to manufacture complex parts with high tolerances,
some out of very hard metals that are difficult to machine and unless you feel confident building the analog circuitry needed to control and measure
the ions, an attempt to build one would end in dissapointment. It goes without saying you will need a very good vacuum.
Still, it could be interesting to discuss how one might attempt to build such an instrument. Just be realistric about building one.
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"If a rocket goes up, who cares where it comes down, that's not my concern said Wernher von Braun" - Tom Lehrer |
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tsathoggua1
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I am aware of this. The primary difficulty I believe, is my lack of computer programming skills. However I DO have access to somebody experienced in
building amplifiers, and electronics-skilled. I myself am almost acalculic, although the old man used to be a guitar maker, and only recently, has
been building an amp from scratch, so at least is capable of the mathematics requisite. And we practically have a machine shop between us. Him between
a well-equipped toolshed, me with a well-equipped knowledge of materials engineering and metamaterials. I'm incapable of doing the numerical
processing, its like being blind, but that at least I can get assistance with.
And analog circuits IMO even I could probably manage. The question regarding zeeman slowers was posted whilst...rather ethanol-saturated, and less
efficient than usual at mathematical processing. Although usually speaking I am to mathematics what your average deep-sea abyssal hagfish is to
unicycling. Its the interface I KNOW I'd fail at, having no knowledge of 0x806 programming. Old fella used to program in delphi though. And this is
just the sort of thing he'd be interested in, since he suggested to me building an electron microscope one time, although I put him off that idea
(space and OsO4) the latter largely for political reasons (some moron camelfucker wannabe nuke-trooper wanted to become a martyr at some point using
an osmium tetroxide-based chemical weapon. Never mind the fact they obviously didn't think more than ten seconds ahead, given murder with OsO4 would
be akin to fabricating a platinum blade to stab somebody to death or whacking somebody over the bonce with a gold ingot. I'd dare not order the stuff
now but from the most discrete suppliers.
As far as vac lines go, I have no issues buying a tertiary vac pump, and using the current single-stage rotary vane as roughing pump for a secondary
and then turbopump. I've wanted to have a crack at building a cyclotron or surfatron for a while now.
Tooling is one area that may well not be an issue. Used to build guitar parts for a substitute living on what I'll grant you is an old, capstan lathe,
got access to that the moment I want it though, at least assuming my father isn't actively using it to machine something the very moment I wish to use
it that said) and failing that, there are his acquaintances with milling machines of modern origin, or paying for such parts as needed to be machined
or 3D printed. Its that I don't have programming experience bar oldschool MD-DOS batch file scripting back in the day amusing myself with viral
replication scripts in school that I don't even have to look at the problems and tech issues before knowing its an area I would have problems in.
I already KNOW I'm not a born programmer. I don't have to ask anybody if I am, I already know its not one of my natural talents. Know people I could
ask though however. Or learn enough assembly for the job since low-level languages seem ideal on first inspection for processing things like
voltage/current differentials and hooking them up to interrupt requests.
Hell, wouldn't be too surprised if faye kane wouldn't be a suitable target for doing such a job. (warning don't look that name up at work folks
you'll get fired for sure)
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Texium
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Thread Moved
27-11-2023 at 11:14 |
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