Laser photoionization of triacetone triperoxide (TATP) by femtosecond and nanosecond laser pulses

Laser ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry has been applied to the study of triacetone triperoxide (TATP), an improvised explosive. Wavelength dependent mass spectra in two time regimes were acquired using nanosecond (5 ns) and femtosecond (130 fs) laser pulses. We find the major difference between the two time regimes to be the detection of the parent molecular ion when femtosecond laser pulses are employed.