Development of a method for molecular beam mass spectrometry of supersonic jets ionized by a high-voltage electron beam

A technique for studying the mass spectra of rarefied gases clustered flows using an original combination of two diagnostic tools for supersonic jets: a high-voltage electron beam in a supersonic clustered stream for the ionization of jet particles and molecular beam mass spectrometry of the separated ion stream is proposed. Variants of the measuring system, which provided the possibility of ionization of particles of the flow by electrons of a given energy at an arbitrarily selected section of the supersonic jet are proposed, as well as a unique opportunity to analyze the collision process and energy exchange between ionized and neutral particles under conditions of wide variation in the density of neutral gas (collision frequency) are proposed. The possibilities of the diagnostic system for different gas dynamics of flows are shown. Recommendations on the choice of the nozzle-skimmer distance for various geometric and gas dynamic parameters of the outflow and the optimal gap between the electron beam and the skimmer are presented. The possibilities and advantages of the implemented methodology are demonstrated. The result of empirical optimization of the potentials of the ion transport system is presented. An illustration of the capabilities of the developed method is given.