Bias and Signal Processing Circuits for a Mass Spectrometer in the Project EXCEDE: SWIR Experiment.

Abstract

Bias and signal processing circuits designed for a mass spectrometer in the project EXCEDE: SWIR experiment are described in this report. In this experiment a rocket-based electron gun injects a stream of electrons into the atmosphere. This causes a buildup of a positive charge on the vehicle severely limiting the measurement capability of the positive ion mass spectrometer. To overcome this limitation under a wide range of vehicle potential buildup a varying negative bias voltage is applied to the front plate and the grid-rod structure of the quadrupole mass filter. Circuits generating and controlling the variable bias voltages are described in detail. Logarithmic data signal processing circuits and modifications, dictated by the bias requirements, of some already existing circuits are presented. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 1975
Accession Number
ADA026514

Entities

People

  • J. Spencer Rochefort
  • Raimundas Sukys
  • Steven Goldberg

Organizations

  • Northeastern University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Atmospheres
  • Electron Guns
  • Electrons
  • Instrumentation
  • Mass Spectrometers
  • Measurement
  • Measuring Instruments
  • Signal Processing
  • Spectrometers

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Image Processing and Computer Vision.
  • Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems