Transmission secondary ion mass spectrometry of phenylalanine on silicon nitride membranes using MeV monoatomic and cluster ions

Nakajima, Kaoru*; Nagano, Kengo*; Suzuki, Motofumi*; Narumi, Kazumasa; Saito, Yuichi; Hirata, Koichi*; Kimura, Kenji*

Secondary-ion mass spectrometry has been much improved in sensitivity to large molecular ions with large clusters as primary ions, such as C ions, Ar cluster ions, water cluster ions and so on in the last two decades. In this study, further enhancement of sensitivity to the intact organic molecular ions is demonstrated with measuring secondary ions emitted in the forward direction by transmission of swift cluster ions through a film target. Thin phenylalanine films (20-100 nm thick) deposited on self-supporting SiN membranes (20 or 50 nm thick) were bombarded with 5-MeV C ions. Mass distributions of positive secondary ions emitted in the forward direction were measured using a time-of-flight technique under the bombardment of the SiN side, as well as those in the backward direction under the bombardment of the phenylalanine side. Measurements with primary 6-MeV Cu ions were also carried out for comparison. The yield of intact phenylalanine molecular ions emitted in the forward direction is significantly enhanced compared to that in the backward direction, while yields of small fragment ions are suppressed. The behaviors of the enhancement and suppression both for 5-MeV C ions and for 6-MeV Cu ions will be discussed in terms of density distribution of energy deposited to the surface of the phenylalanine side.