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The platform develops an ultracompact spectrometer based on an inverted Bainbridge-type geometry with permanent magnet (constant magnetic field) with the objective to reach a mass resolution of 300. One of its characteristics is its very small volume ca. 70 cc (instead of 1400 cc for an Helix SFT) allowing for a better sensitivity while optimizing the small footprint of the entire MS system (flight tube, pumping, gettering, supporting bench).
The home-built conception is optimized for Ar isotopic studies and features a specifically designed compact ion-gas Nier-type source coupled with a compact multi-collector Faraday array for simultaneous collection of the five Ar isotopes (m/e = 36 to 40).
Ar/Ar and K/Ar dating of young or fine-grained rocks (volcanic groundmass, single grains, and fine-grained phyllosilicates) are the primary targets of this instrument.