Application of fourier transform mass spectroscopy to thin film radiation chemistry

The use of Fourier transform mass spectroscopy is described for the study of volatile products arising from thin organic films upon impact of electrons in the 3-1500-V energy range. Gas pulses emitted from the exposed spot are ionized by electron impact or chemical ionization techniques; the ions are trapped and compositionally analyzed. With poly(butene-1 sulfone) films the energy deposition per pulse required for the observation of the monomer products is <0.1 μJ. Electrons with energy lower than the first allowed optical transition can initiate the depolymerization reaction; in the 20-200-eV range the G value for the depolymerization reaction is 700 ± 300. © 1991 American Chemical Society.