News from LabRulezICPMS Library - Week 26, 2026

Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezICPMS Library in the week of 22nd June 2026? Check out new documents from the field of spectroscopy/spectrometry and related techniques!

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This week we bring you technical note by Agilent Technologies, application note by Shimadzu and other document by Thermo Fisher Scientific!

1. Agilent Technologies: Dual-Cell System (DCS) and Advanced Helium Mode (AHM)

Technological developments for higher sensitivity and better interference removal than traditional He-KED

• Technical note
• Full PDF for download

Evolution of Agilent’s Collision Reaction Cell (CRC) technology 

• 2001: Launched the first ICP-MS with CRC—the Agilent 7500c with Octopole Reaction System (ORS) 
• 2011: Introduced High Energy Helium Mode (HEHe) using Collision Induced Dissociation (CID) 
• 2012: Released the world’s first Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS—the Agilent 8800 ICP-QQQ 
• 2016: Launched the second generation Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS with Axial Acceleration—the Agilent 8900 ICP-QQQ 
• 2026: Introduced the innovative Dual-Cell System (DCS) and Advanced Helium Mode (AHM) for the Agilent 9500 ICP-QQQ

Collision/Reaction Cell (CRC) technology is now a standard feature in modern ICP-MS systems, providing a reliable means of eliminating spectral interferences that compromise data quality. ICP-MS systems with integrated CRCs range from single quadrupole (SQ) ICP-MS used in environmental and food analysis, to triple quadrupole ICP-MS (ICP-QQQ) for advanced research applications. For routine applications, Helium Kinetic Energy Discrimination (He KED) mode, commonly referred to as helium mode (He mode), is the most widely used CRC operational mode. The widespread use of He mode is due to its universal effectiveness in reducing a broad range of polyatomic interferences without the need for element-specific optimization. 

Unlike CRCs that rely on reactive cell gases and require complex tuning (often referred to as reaction cells), He mode effectively mitigates many commonly occurring polyatomic ion interferences without the need for intricate adjustments. In contrast, reaction cells often require careful selection of gas type (such as ammonia or oxygen) and tuning parameters based on the specific interfering ions on analytes of interest. 

Building on the simplicity of He mode, Agilent has developed Advanced Helium Mode (AHM) for the Agilent 9500 Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS (ICP-QQQ). AHM represents a breakthrough in interference removal technology, enabled by the newly designed Agilent Dual-Cell System (DCS) and high-speed cell voltage control. These innovations deliver high sensitivity across the mass range and superior interference removal performance for routine applications. Compared to conventional He mode, AHM demonstrates the following improvements:

• Around a 20-fold sensitivity improvement for low-mass elements, such as beryllium (Be) and boron (B) 
• Around a 2-fold improvement for mid-to-high mass elements 
• A reduction of more than 33% in data acquisition time while maintaining detection limits (DLs), accelerating analytical measurement times 

AHM not only replaces traditional He KED but also consolidates multiple tuning modes including no gas, He, and HEHe into a single, streamlined mode. Integrated into the 9500 ICP-QQQ, AHM is a next-generation standard He mode that is faster, simpler, and delivers higher performance than its predecessor. This technical note describes the performance enhancement mechanisms of the DCS and AHM. It also includes some comparative results with conventional He KED mode to highlight the analytical improvements of AHM.

Overview and advantages of AHM 

Typically, multi-element ICP-MS methods apply no gas mode to the determination of low-mass elements like Be and B due to low sensitivity in traditional He KED mode. Consequently, many routine ICP-MS applications have required multiple tune setups, combining no gas, He, and HEHe. Each mode switch introduces a delay due to cell pressure stabilization requirements. 

In practice, low-mass elements (m/z < 23) are generally unaffected by polyatomic ion interferences, so KED is often unnecessary. Therefore, in AHM, different voltages are applied to the DCS (effectively disabling KED) for low-mass elements, while keeping standard settings for elements with m/z ≥ 23. 

The DCS voltages are dynamically switched in sync with Q2 using a high-speed voltage control circuit, providing over 20× sensitivity improvement for low-mass elements compared to conventional He mode. AHM eliminates the need to run in no gas mode, greatly simplifying the method. As a default approach, AHM alone is suitable for most applications.¹

2. Shimadzu: Damping Force Characteristic Test of Suspension Struts [JASO C611]

• Application note
• Full PDF for download

User Benefits

• Damping force characteristic tests on suspension struts can be performed based on the JASO C611 standard. 
• Combination test enables automatic speed change and measurement. 
• High responsiveness of the EMT series enables testing at high excitation speed.

Various components play an important role in achieving a comfortable ride in vehicles. Among them, the suspension strut used in the suspension system is an important component that stabilizes the vehicle body by mitigating the impact caused by uneven road surfaces. 

“JASO C611 Suspension Struts for Automobiles”1), a standard of JASO (Japanese Automotive Standards Organization), established by JSAE, specifies the definition, quality, and test method for suspension struts. There is no international standard that is equivalent to JASO C611. 

In order to improve the performance of suspension struts, it is necessary to measure the damping force against speed by changing the excitation speed. The performance of suspension struts can be confirmed by measuring the response, such as the relationship between speed and damping force and the Lissajous waveform. 

This article introduces an example of the test method “Damping Force Characteristic Test” specified in JASO C611, which was conducted on a Shimadzu EMT series electromagnetic fatigue testing machine.

Testing Equipment 

The EMT-1kNV-50 electromagnetic dynamic and fatigue testing machine was used in this test. Fig. 1 shows a photograph of the testing machine. The electromagnetic actuator with extremely high frequency response enables highly accurate dynamic testing. In this test, the maximum test speed was 0.6 m/s. The EMT seriesis most suitable for testing at such high frequencies.

Conclusion 

A damping force characteristic test on a suspension strut based on JASO C611 was conducted using an EMT series electromagnetic fatigue testing machine and Windows software for 4830. The test conditions were set using the excitation speed, and it was confirmed that the test was accurately controlled as set. The standard “JASO C611 Suspension Struts for Automobiles” referred to this time is derived from “JASO C602 Automotive Parts - Telescopic Shock Absorbers for Suspension Systems”2). Although C602 also prescribes a damping force characteristic test, it is almost equivalent to the C611, and the test machine configuration can be used by replacing the jig.

3. Thermo Fisher Scientific: Hypulse Surface Analysis System

• Other document
• Full PDF for download

Key features 

• Unique depth profiling capability. The femtosecond laser ablation system provides controlled material removal without inducing chemical damage to your sample. 
• Fast, efficient XPS. Quick sample pump-down times, a unique sample viewing system, and high sensitivity for all analysis areas help ensure exceptional data quality, even for highly challenging samples. 
• Co-incident additional spectroscopy. Optimize the information obtained from features of interest with the addition of optional analytical techniques, including ion scattering spectroscopy, reflected electron energy loss spectroscopy, and UV photoelectron spectroscopy. 
• Fully featured software. The latest version of the Avantage Data System is included for data collection and analysis, with the ability to import data into Thermo Scientific Maps Software for correlation with electron microscopy images.

Technical highlights 

Micro-focused, monochromated aluminum K-alpha X-ray source 

• Computer-controlled quartz-crystal monochromator 
• Software-adjustable spot size 
• Spot size range: 10–400 μm 
• Motorized, water-cooled anode with 16 positions 

Electron optics and analyzer

• Electrostatic objective lens 
• Full 180° hemispherical μ-metal shielded analyzer 
• Continuously selectable pass energy: 1–400 eV 
• 128-channel, signature-corrected, positionsensitive detector 
• Automatic energy scale and transmission function calibration 

Charge compensation system 

• Patented dual-beam electron and ion source 
• Beam energy for charge compensation: 0–5 eV 

Femtosecond-laser ablation system 

• Fully integrated 1,030 nm pulsed femtosecond-laser source 
• Class 1 laser system 
• Tunable pulse energy up to 1 mJ 
• Computer-controlled attenuation optimizes ablation conditions 
• Beam imaging module for system calibration and alignment