The Mark 24 Thermoelectric Quartz Crystal Microbalance (MK24 TQCM) is a breakthrough in miniaturization. It is the smallest and lightest TQCM in our product line. This QCM is rugged in design, built to withstand shock, vibration and varying temperatures from -25°C to +80°C when active and -199°C to 100°C when the peltier heat exchanger is not in use. Weighing in at less than 4.5 grams and requiring only 1.54 Watts of peak power, the MK24 is “in step” with aerospace budget demands to reduce payload, scale, and power consumption.

Each MK24 has an internal, single stage, thermoelectric peltier heating and cooling element. When used in conjunction with an internal temperature sensor, it allows accurate remote control of the crystal temperature. The crystal temperature can be adjusted to where gasses condense on the crystal, and the increased mass of the condensation changes the frequency of the crystal in a linear mass-to-frequency relationship. QCMs can be extremely sensitive down to the monomolecular level. By adjusting the temperature of the crystals to specific condensation temperatures, one can look for various gasses and contaminates as they condense and then they can be boiled off to prepare for another measurement.

MK24s have also been used in a reverse procedure where the crystals have been coated with various substances. The MK24 has then been tested in Low Earth Orbit to determine the erosion rate of the substance. Material laboratories use TQCMs in the investigation of vacuum outgassing of spacecraft materials in space simulation vacuum chambers.

MK24 TQCMs can be flight approved and have flight history. Custom orders are common and welcome. Call to discuss how we can build a MK24 TQCM system to meet your needs.