FT-ICR MASS SPEC
FOR FUSION TRITIUM
ACCOUNTING
The only compact mass spectrometer that fully resolves DT from HT, He-3 from HD, and He-4 from D2 at picomole sensitivity. Built for divertor exhaust monitoring, fuel processing, and tritium recovery in next-generation fusion devices.
WHY RGA FAILS FOR TRITIUM ACCOUNTING
Tritium accountability is a regulatory and operational requirement for every D-T fusion facility. Operators must track tritium through the fuel cycle: injection, burn, divertor exhaust, and recovery. This means quantifying DT, HT, T2, H2, HD, D2, He-3, and He-4 in the same gas stream, often at sub-nanomole concentrations.
Residual gas analyzers (RGAs) based on quadrupole mass filters achieve resolving power R ≈ 4–10 at mass 4. The DT molecule at 5.030 amu and HT at 4.024 amu appear as a single unresolved peak alongside He-4 at 4.003 amu and D2 at 4.028 amu. Separating DT from He-5 background or HT from D2 demands R > 160 at minimum, and clean baseline separation requires R > 930.
High-resolution quadrupoles can partially resolve some of these pairs, but they sacrifice sensitivity to do so, limiting detection to the micromole range. For tritium accounting at fusion-relevant concentrations, facilities have historically relied on ionization chambers or beta scintillation counters that measure total tritium activity without speciation. The BSI FT-ICR changes that equation.
Critical Isobaric Overlaps in Fusion Exhaust
He-3 (3.016 amu) vs HD (3.022 amu) vs H3 (3.024 amu)
He-4 (4.003 amu) vs HT (4.024 amu) vs D2 (4.028 amu)
DT (5.030 amu) vs HD2 (5.038 amu)
T2 (6.032 amu) vs D3 (6.047 amu)
BSI FT-ICR delivers R > 10,000 across all these mass regions simultaneously, exceeding the minimum requirement by more than an order of magnitude.
BUILT FOR FUSION-GRADE SEPARATIONS
FT-ICR resolution scales as B/m, delivering the highest resolving power at the lowest masses — exactly where hydrogen and helium isotopologues demand it. Our instrument operates at room temperature with permanent magnets, eliminating cryogenics and reducing the total footprint to the size of a minifridge.
Resolving Power
R > 10,000 at m/z 3–4
Full baseline separation of all hydrogen and helium isotopologues
Sensitivity
Picomole quantification (0.5–50 pmol)
Calibrated linear response across decades of concentration
Resolved Tritium Species
DT, HT, T2, plus H2, HD, D2
All six hydrogen isotopologues individually quantified
Helium Isotopes
He-3 and He-4 cleanly separated from HD and D2
Critical for D-He3 advanced fuel cycle diagnostics
Form Factor
Tabletop, room-temperature operation
Permanent magnets eliminate cryogenic infrastructure
Dual Operating Modes
Broadband sweep + precision burst
Survey mass 1–500 or target individual isotopologues
FT-ICR vs RGA FOR FUSION TRITIUM ACCOUNTING
Standard RGAs are adequate for vacuum system monitoring but fundamentally lack the resolving power for tritium speciation. This table compares the BSI FT-ICR against the instruments most commonly used or evaluated in fusion exhaust diagnostics.
| Capability | BSI FT-ICR | Standard RGA (Quadrupole) | High-Res Quadrupole | Magnetic Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R at mass 4 | >10,000 | 4–10 | 500–3,000 | >10,000 |
| DT / HT separation | check_circle | cancel | help | check_circle |
| He-3 / HD separation | check_circle | cancel | cancel | check_circle |
| He-4 / D2 separation | check_circle | cancel | help | check_circle |
| Picomole sensitivity | check_circle | check_circle | cancel | help |
| Room-temperature operation | check_circle | check_circle | check_circle | cancel |
| Compact / field-deployable | check_circle | check_circle | check_circle | cancel |
| Approximate price | $180k | $5–15k | $80–200k | $400k–$2.5M |
The BSI FT-ICR occupies a unique position: it delivers magnetic-sector-class resolving power and picomole sensitivity in a tabletop, room-temperature package at a fraction of the cost. For a detailed comparison against individual commercial instruments, see the full FT-ICR product page.
WHERE FT-ICR FITS IN THE FUSION FUEL CYCLE
Divertor Exhaust Monitoring
Real-time speciation of the divertor exhaust gas stream, distinguishing He-4 ash from D2 fuel and quantifying DT, HT, and T2 for burn efficiency calculations. The FT-ICR broadband sweep mode captures the full exhaust composition in a single acquisition cycle.
Tritium Recovery & Fuel Processing
Monitor isotopic purity at each stage of the tritium plant: isotope separation systems, cryogenic distillation columns, and storage beds. Precision burst mode targets individual isotopologues at picomole levels, enabling closed-loop process control and verifying separation column performance.
D-He3 Advanced Fuel Cycles
In D-He3 reactors, He-3 ash must be distinguished from HD fuel contamination at mass 3. This separation requires R > 930 and is impossible with any quadrupole-based instrument. The BSI FT-ICR resolves He-3 from HD with more than an order of magnitude of margin, enabling fuel cycle optimization for aneutronic fusion approaches.
Regulatory Tritium Accounting
Nuclear regulatory frameworks require precise tritium inventory tracking. The FT-ICR provides speciated tritium measurements — distinguishing DT, HT, and T2 individually rather than reporting bulk tritium activity. This granularity supports material balance accounting, leak detection, and compliance documentation with mass-resolved analytical data.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What mass range does the BSI FT-ICR cover for fusion exhaust analysis?
In frequency sweep mode, the instrument scans from mass 1 through mass 500 in a single acquisition, capturing all hydrogen isotopologues (H2, HD, D2, HT, DT, T2), helium isotopes (He-3, He-4), and heavier species including Ne-20, Ar-40, and any molecular impurities present in the exhaust stream. Precision burst mode can target any individual mass region for maximum sensitivity at picomole concentrations.
Why can't a standard RGA distinguish DT from HT in fusion plasma exhaust?
DT has a mass of 5.030 amu and HT sits at 4.024 amu, but the relevant overlap at mass 4 is between HT (4.024), D2 (4.028), and He-4 (4.003). A standard quadrupole RGA achieves resolving power R ≈ 4–10, meaning it cannot distinguish any species separated by less than about 0.5 amu. Even high-resolution quadrupoles, which reach R ≈ 500–3,000, struggle with the HT/D2 pair separated by only 0.004 amu (requiring R > 1,000). The BSI FT-ICR delivers R > 10,000, cleanly resolving all these species with baseline separation.
How does the BSI FT-ICR achieve high resolution without a superconducting magnet?
Our instrument uses an optimized permanent magnet assembly operating at room temperature. FT-ICR resolution scales as B/m, where B is the magnetic field strength and m is the ion mass. Because hydrogen and helium isotopologues occupy the lowest mass range (m/z 2–6), even a moderate permanent-magnet field delivers resolving power exceeding 10,000. This eliminates the superconducting solenoids, liquid helium dewars, and cryogenic infrastructure required by traditional FT-ICR instruments like the Bruker solariX, reducing both cost and footprint by an order of magnitude. The approach is described in detail in our published research.
Can the instrument be integrated into an existing tokamak or stellarator diagnostic suite?
Yes. The BSI FT-ICR is designed as a modular instrument with standard vacuum flanges and a custom gas manifold interface. It connects to existing gas sampling lines and can be operated alongside other diagnostic instruments. The tabletop footprint and absence of cryogenic requirements mean it fits into existing diagnostic bays without facility modifications. We provide on-site installation support and work with facility engineering teams to integrate the instrument into SCADA or data acquisition systems. Contact our team to discuss integration requirements for your specific facility.
What is the detection limit for tritium-containing species?
The calibrated quantification range spans 0.5–50 picomoles for all hydrogen isotopologues including DT, HT, and T2. This is achieved through precision burst mode, which concentrates excitation energy on the target mass range for maximum signal-to-noise. The linear calibration across this range enables direct concentration calculations without deconvolution algorithms or spectral fitting that introduce systematic uncertainty in lower-resolution instruments.
BUILT ON PUBLISHED SCIENCE
BlankSlate Innovation is a spinoff from Texas Tech University, founded by Dr. Robert Vance Duncan and built on more than 15 years of research at the Center for Emerging Energy Sciences. The FT-ICR program is led by principal scientists with direct experience in ion cyclotron resonance physics, fusion exhaust gas analysis, and precision isotope ratio measurements.
Our team has published peer-reviewed work on compact FT-ICR mass spectrometry for light isotope analysis and holds four patent disclosures and provisionals covering the instrument design, ion trapping geometry, and signal processing methods. We currently provide sample analysis services for fusion laboratories across the United States.
R > 10k
At Mass 3 & 4
4 Patents
Disclosures & Provisionals
15+ Years
Of ICR Research
Texas Tech
University Spinoff
Learn more about our team and scientific background on the About Us page, or explore our published research including the FT-ICR instrument paper.
READY TO RESOLVE WHAT YOUR RGA CANNOT?
Whether you are designing a tritium plant, commissioning a new tokamak diagnostic suite, or evaluating mass spectrometry options for D-He3 research, our team can help you determine whether the BSI FT-ICR fits your requirements. We also provide gas sample analysis services for facilities that need immediate results before procuring an instrument.
Also serving the natural gas and helium exploration industries.