Background:

• IR 100 Award (one of the 100 most-significant new technical products of the year),1983
• Anachem Award,1984
• Meggers Award for year 1983, Society for Applied Spectroscopy,1984
• Lester W. Strock Medal, Society for Applied Spectroscopy,1984
• Chemical Instrumentation Award, American Chemical Society, Analytical Division,1985
• Pittsburgh Analytical Chemistry Award, Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh,1986
• Theophilus Redwood Award, Royal Society of Chemistry, United Kingdom, 1986
• ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry Sponsored by Fisher Scientific Company, 1987
• American Association for the Advancement of Science, Fellow,1987
• Tracy M. Sonneborn Award, Indiana University,1987
• Pergamon/Spectrochimica Acta Atomic Spectroscopy Award,1988
• R&D 100 Award, Research & Development Magazine,1988
• Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh, Honorary Membership,1988
• Award in Spectrochemical Analysis, American Chemical Society, Analytical Division,1989
• Indiana Academy of Science, Fellow,1989
• Pergamon/Spectrochimica Acta Atomic Spectroscopy Award,1991
• Eastern Analytical Symposium Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Fields of Analytical Chemistry,1992
• Lester W. Strock Medal, Society for Applied Spectroscopy,1992
• Golden Key National Honor Society, Honorary Member,1993
• Distinguished Faculty Award, Indiana University Arts and Sciences Alumni Association,1993
• Honorary Professor, Jilin University, Jilin, China,1995
• Humboldt Research Award for Senior U.S. Scientists, Alexander Von Humboldt - Stiftung, Germany,1996
• Meggers Award for year 1995, Society for Applied Spectroscopy,1996
• Excellence in Teaching Award, American Chemical Society, Analytical Division,1998
• Gill Chair, College of Arts & Sciences, Indiana University,1999
• Society for Applied Spectroscopy, Honorary Membership,1999
• Pittsburgh Spectroscopy Award,2001
• Indiana Academy of Science Speaker of the Year, 2000-2001
• Trustees Teaching Award, Indiana University - 2002

Research in our group generally involves the areas of spectrochemical analysis, chemical instrumentation, and information theory; with particular emphasis on mass spectrometry and optical techniques in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared regions. Current projects include studies on basic atom formation, ionization, and excitation processes in flames and rare-gas plasmas, for use in atomic emission, absorption, mass, and fluorescence spectrometry; the development of new atomic methods of analysis; instrumental techniques to reduce the effects of background noise on measurements; computer-assisted chemical analysis; remote analysis based on fiber optics; near-infrared reflectance analysis; development of chromatographic detectors; plasma-source mass spectrometry; and picosecond time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. Two of these projects are described briefly in the following paragraphs.

Flame and plasma atomic spectrometry are currently the most widely used techniques for elemental analysis. However, these methods are still impaired by interference among elements, limited sensitivity, and instrumental complexity. It is our firm belief that these limitations can be largely overcome by gaining a basic understanding of the underlying phenomena in each of the methods and then carefully designing improved instrumentation. To this end, we have a substantial ongoing effort to understand and mechanistically characterize the events leading to the formation, ionization, and excitation of atoms in flames and rare-gas plasmas. The efficiency with which atoms are formed, ionized, and excited governs both the sensitivity and the degree of elemental interference in such methods. Understanding the formation and excitation processes of atoms and ions will lead to a rational improvement in instrument performance.

In another area, novel mass spectrometers are being designed that are intended for use in the field of proteomics. A large fraction of known proteins contain metal atoms; in such situations, it is important to characterize not only the protein, but which metal atoms it contains, how many metal atoms there are, and if there is more than one kind of metal present. To address this problem, we have devised a novel time-of-flight mass spectrometer that accepts two ion sources simultaneously. When coupled to a separations device (LC or electrophoresis), this new tool is expected to be important in the characterization of proteins.

	Thomson laser scattering system for acquisition of electron number densities and electron energy distributions in an analytical glow discharge (top-right corner)

Selected Publications:

"Evolution and revolution in instrumentation for plasma-source mass spectrometry," with J. H. Barnes, et al. Pure Appl. Chem., 73, 1579 (2001).

Analytical capabilities of an inductively coupled plasma Mattauch-Herzog mass spectrometer," with D. A. Solyom, O. A. Grøn, and J. H. Barnes. Spectrochim. Acta, Part B, 56, 1717 (2001).

"Microwave plasma torch—atmospheric sampling glow discharge modulated tandem source for the sequential acquisition of molecular fragmentation and atomic mass spectra," with S. J. Ray. Anal. Chim. Acta, 445, 35 (2001).

"Standardless semiquantitative analysis of metals using single-shot laser ablation inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry," with A. M. Leach. Anal. Chem., 73, 2959 (2001).

"Design and characterization of a radioluminescent temperature sensor," with A. M. Leach and R. A. Potyrailo. Anal. Chim. Acta, 412, 47 (2000).

"Use of the original silicone cladding of an optical fiber as a reagent-immobilization medium for intrinsic chemical sensors," with R. A. Potyrailo. Fres. J. Anal. Chem., 364, 32 (1999).

"Comparison of digital correlation techniques in time-resolved fluorometry using a radionuclide-scintillation excitation source," with D. L. Burden. Rev. Sci. Instru., 70, 50 (1999).

"Plasma-source sector mass spectrometry with array detection," with D. A. Solyom and T. W. Burgoyne. J. Anal. Atom. Spectrom., 14, 1101 (1999).

"Development of a direct current gas sampling glow discharge ionization source for the time-of-flight mass spectrometer," with J. P. Guzowski Jr., J. A. C. Broekaert, and S. J. Ray. J. Anal. Atom. Spectrom., 14, 1121 (1999).

"Preliminary investigations of electrothermal vaporization sample introduction for inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry," with P. P. Mahoney, S. J. Ray, and G. Li. Anal. Chem., 71, 1378 (1999).

"Use of analyte-modulated modal power distribution in multimode optical fibers for simultaneous single-wavelength evanescent-wave refractometry and spectrometry," with R. A. Potyrailo and V. P. Ruddy. Anal. Chem., 71, 4956 (1999).

"Use of an air/argon microwave plasma torch for the detection of tetraethyllead," with B. W. Pack and Q. J. Jin. Anal. Chim. Acta, 383, 231 (1999).

"Characterization of 22-mm torch for ICP-AES," with J. A. Horner. Appl. Spectrosc., 53, 713 (1999).