Development of control algorithm for quadrupole mass spectrometer using LabVIEW

Recent years have witnessed significant progress on the miniaturization of mass spectrometers for a variety of field applications. Mass spectrometry is today the main method for analyzing complex gas mixtures. A quadrupole mass analyzer is one type of mass spectrometer that finds wide variety of applications including residual gas analysis. Its compact size, fast scan rate, high transmission efficiency, and modest vacuum requirements are ideal for small inexpensive instruments. A smart software interface, lower detection limits and reduced cost of ownership are some of the features to look for in such modern instruments. In this context we aim at realizing a compact and user-friendly control software for a Quadrupole Mass Analyzer using LabVIEW without degrading its performance. This mass spectrometer can cover the mass ranges from 1 to 300 amu with a resolution of 0.5 amu. It can measure pressure gauges from atmospheric pressure to Ultra High Vacuum of 10-10 Torr. This can communicate to the PC, where the control software resides, through a serial asynchronous bi-directional RS232 interface.