Cluster TOF-SIMS Imaging and the Characterization of Biological Materials

This chapter seeks to provide a brief overview of the present capabilities and the future possibilities of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) using cluster primary ions in the study of biological cells and tissue. There are basically two types of ToF-SIMS instrumentation available at present. By far, the majority of instruments utilize a pulsed primary beam and a reflectron time of flight mass spectrometer. Very recently a new concept of instrument has appeared that uses a DC primary beam and a hybrid two-stage mass spectrometer arrangement. First, the chapter summarizes the benefits common to both instruments and then outlines those specific to the new ToF-SIMS platforms. The challenges facing ToF-SIMS in biological studies is then discussed, followed by some illustrative examples of the present status of ToF-SIMS in biological analyses.