Patent classifications
H01J49/062
Integrated low cost curtain plate, orifice PCB and ion lens assembly
In one aspect, a curtain and orifice plate assembly for use in a mass spectrometry system is disclosed, which comprises a curtain plate including a first printed circuit board (PCB) having an aperture configured for receiving ions generated by an ion source of the mass spectrometry system and at least one gas-flow channel, where said first PCB has at least one metal coating disposed on at least a portion thereof. The assembly further includes an orifice plate coupled to the curtain plate, which includes a PCB providing an orifice that is substantially aligned with the aperture of the curtain plate so that the ions entering the assembly via said aperture of the curtain plate can exit the assembly via said orifice of the orifice plate, where the second PCB has at least one metal coating disposed on at least a portion thereof.
Multiple gas flow ionizer
An ionizer includes a probe having multiple coaxially aligned conduits. The conduits may carry liquids, and nebulizing and heating gases at various flow rates and temperatures, for generation of ions from a liquid source. An outermost conduit defines an entrainment region that transports and entrains ions in a gas for a defined distance along the length of the conduits. In embodiments, various voltages may be applied to the multiple conduits to aid in ionization and to guide ions. Depending on the voltages applied to the multiple conduits and electrodes, the ionizer can act as an electrospray, APCI, or APPI source. Further, the ionizer may include a source of photons or a source of corona ionization. Formed ions may be provided to a downstream mass analyser.
ION GUIDE ASSEMBLY HAVING MULTIPLE ION GUIDES
An ion guide assembly (2) is disclosed comprising: two planar mounting components (4); and first and second ion guides (6,8) mounted on the two planar mounting components such that the ion guides are spaced apart from each other, wherein at least one of the planar mounting components has an aperture (14) therethrough that is located between the positions on said at least one mounting component at which the first and second ion guides are mounted; and an ion optical device sized and configured to be inserted through the aperture in the planar mounting component and into the space between the first and second ion guides.
Method and ion guide assembly for modulating a stream of ions
The invention relates to a method for, in an ion guide (10), modulating a stream of ions according to a modulation function, wherein the stream of ions includes at least N different ion species, wherein N is at least 1. This ion guide (10) forms an ion guide path, wherein the ions of the stream of ions are conveyed along the ion guide path in a conveying direction to form the stream of ions. The ion guide (10) includes an ion gate (12) arranged at an ion gate position on the ion guide path, wherein the ion gate (12) is adapted to provide an open state for allowing the ions passing the ion gate position when being conveyed along the ion guide path and a closed state for preventing the ions from passing the ion gate position. The ion guide (10) further includes a first arrangement (13) of conveying electrodes (230) arranged along the ion guide path, the first arrangement (13) of conveying electrodes (230) extending over a first section of the ion guide path, wherein the first section of the ion guide path reaches from at least the ion gate position downstream to at least a transition position on the ion guide path, wherein the first arrangement (13) of conveying electrodes (230) is adapted for generating first travelling waves having a first travelling wave amplitude and travelling along the first section of the ion guide path at a first travelling wave velocity for conveying the ions along the first section of the ion guide path. Furthermore, the ion guide (10) includes a second arrangement (14) of conveying electrodes (240) arranged along the ion guide path, the second arrangement (14) of conveying electrodes (240) extending over a second section of the ion guide path, wherein the second section of the ion guide path reaches from the transition position downstream, wherein the second arrangement (14) of conveying electrodes (240) is adapted for generating second travelling waves having a second travelling wave amplitude and travelling along the second section of the ion guide path at a second travelling wave velocity for conveying the ions along the second section of the ion guide path. According to the method, the stream of ions is modulated with the ion gate (12) according to the modulation function and AC voltages are applied to the first arrangement (13) of conveying electrodes (230) for generating the first travelling waves and to the second arrangement (14) of conveying electrodes (240) for generating the second travelling waves for conveying the ions downstream of the ion gate (12<
Ion source assembly with multiple ionization volumes for use in a mass spectrometer
An ion source assembly for use in a mass spectrometer comprises a first anode defining a first ionization volume and a first electron source positioned proximate the first anode and configured to generate electrons that pass through the first anode and into the first ionization volume. The ions source assembly further includes a second anode defining a second ionization volume and a second electron source positioned proximate to the second anode and configured to generate to generate electrons that pass through the second anode and into the second ionization volume. At least one optical element is positioned proximate the first ionization volume and defines an aperture. The first and second anodes and the first and second ionization volumes are positioned along an ion optical axis of the mass spectrometer, and the first anode is positioned between the second anode and the aperture.
Instrument, including an electrostatic linear ion trap, for separating ions
An instrument for separating ions may include an ion source configured to generate ions from a sample, at least one ion separation instrument configured to separate the generated ions as a function of at least one molecular characteristic and an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) positioned to receive ions exiting the at least one ion separation instrument. The ELIT has first and second ion mirrors separated by a charge detection cylinder, and is configured such that an ion trapped therein oscillates back and forth through the charge detection cylinder between the first and second ion mirrors with a duty cycle, corresponding to a ratio of time spent by the trapped ion traversing the charge detection cylinder and total time spent by the trapped ion traversing a combination of the first and second ion mirrors and the charge detection cylinder during one complete oscillation cycle, of approximately 50%.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING IONS BY ION PEAK COMPRESSION OR EXPANSION
A method and apparatus for separating ions according to a physicochemical property, such as ion mobility or mass-to-charge-ratio, is disclosed, comprising: repeatedly travelling a transient DC voltage along an ion guide; wherein the transient DC voltage has a first amplitude and first speed whilst it travels along a first region of the ion guide so as to urge ions having different values of said physicochemical property through said first region of the ion guide with different average speeds; and wherein, in a first mode, the transient DC voltage is travelled along a second region of the ion guide that is adjacent to said first region: (i) whilst having a second different amplitude; and/or (ii) at a second different non-zero speed; and/or (iii) at a substantially constant speed but with a different frequency to which it is repeatedly travelled along the first region; so that ions having a given value of said physicochemical property are urged through said second region of the ion guide at a different average speed than they are urged through the first region, thereby causing the ions to be spatially compressed or expanded as they pass from the first region of the ion guide to the second region.
MULTI-ATOMIC OBJECT CRYSTAL TRANSPORT THROUGH ATOMIC OBJECT CONFINEMENT APPARATUS JUNCTION
A multi-atomic object crystal is transported from a first leg to a second leg of an atomic object confinement apparatus through a corresponding junction. Voltage sources in electrical communication with electrodes of the apparatus are controlled to confine the crystal in the first leg. The voltage sources are controlled to cause transport of the crystal along the first leg to proximate the junction and then to cause generation of a time-dependent potential at the junction that is configured to cause the crystal to traverse a transport path through the junction from the first leg to the second leg via a dynamic potential well. An order of atomic objects within the multi-atomic object crystal is changed as the multi-atomic object crystal traverses the transport path.
Apparatus for Ion Manipulation Having Curved Turn Regions
An apparatus for ion manipulations includes an ion manipulation path extending between an inlet and an outlet, at least one continuous electrode configured to receive a first RF voltage signal, and a plurality of segmented electrodes configured to receive a second voltage signal and generate a traveling wave field based thereon. The ion manipulation path includes a first region extending in a first direction, a second region extending in a second direction, and a curved region extending between the first and second regions. The at least one continuous electrode extends through the first region, the curved region, and second region. The segmented electrodes are arranged along the ion manipulation path in the first region, the curved region, and the second region. The traveling wave field is configured to cause ions to travel through, the first region, the curved region, and the second region.
Simultaneous positive and negative ion accumulation in an ion trap for mass spectroscopy
A mass spectrometer ion reaction device, useful for performing ion-ion reactions (eg. ETD, PTR) is described. The device includes a plurality of non-linear rods, that form a pair of quadrupole rod sets. The device includes an axial passageway, that allows injections of ions of both polarities into the device, and a three dimensional trapping region. Anions and cations that are injected into the device are spatially separated into different trapping regions by a DC dipole electric field generated by a DC voltage source. The device also includes a plurality of lenses to confine, transmit or receive ions in/from the device.