TOFpilot: Real-Time Laser Ablation Imaging with the icpTOF

In this video, real-time laser ablation imaging with the icpTOF is demonstrated.

Laser ablation images can be viewed within TOFpilot in real-time, and different isotope channels and color schemes can be selected. For a more rigorous investigation of completed laser ablation images, and offline viewing on other workstations, a standalone “Laser Image Viewer” is provided with the newest TOFpilot version. Once a laser ablation image is acquired it can be saved and exported in different image file formats, time-resolved and coordinated csv files, or as csv data matrices. Sample in video courtesy of Simon Jackson, Geological Survey of Canada.

TOFpilot is the control software for all three models of the icpTOF (S2, R, 2R). The icpTOF is based on the iCAP RQ (Thermo Scientific), and TOFpilot has full control over both the iCAP front-end and the TOF mass analyzer. TOFpilot greatly simplifies the workflow for the user by integrating control of the icpTOF with various sample introduction systems, such as different laser ablation systems (e.g., Teledyne CETAC and Elemental Scientific Lasers) and autosamplers (e.g., Teledyne, ESI). TOFpilot operates on a module-basis which allows the user to set up different workflow sequences, including plasma startup, instrument tuning (manual or automated), liquid solution analysis, single particle and single cell analysis, and laser ablation analyses (including imaging with real-time display).