Methods and apparatus for ion accumulation are disclosed. An apparatus for ion accumulation includes multiple regions. A first region receives and transfers ions to a second region using a first drive potential. The second region is switchable between a first state where it generates a first electric field preventing ions from further movement and entering a third region, and a second state where it generates a second electric field that guides the ions toward the third region. When in the first state, the ions are prevented from further movement by the first electric field, which causes the ions to accumulate in the second region. When in the second state, the ions are moved from the second region to the third region by the second electric field. A method of accumulating ions involves switching an electric field applied to a region between a trap state and a release state.

An ion analysis system includes one or more ionization sources that produce ions, one or more analyzers that analyze the ions based on ion mobility or mass to charge ratio of the ions, and one or more ion transfer devices connected between the one or more ionization sources and the one or more analyzers, the one or more ion transfer devices include a plurality of electrodes that are configured to be flexible or flexibly connected to each other, and the one or more ion transfer devices are configured to be flexible or re-configurable while transferring the ions.

Methods include directing a group of ions through a separation region of an ion manipulation apparatus, separating the group of ions in the separation region based on ion mobility, selecting a subset of the group of ions based on a dependence between ion mobility and ion arrival time of the separated ions at a deposition switch of the ion manipulation apparatus, and depositing the selected subset of ions on a substrate. Related systems and ion manipulation apparatus are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods and system that provide concurrent ion accumulation and ion separation in coupled and switchable electrode regions using traveling wave electric fields.

The invention relates to a method for generating a layout of electrodes for an ion guide for transporting ions along an ion path, the ion guide comprising electrodes arranged in the layout of electrodes along the ion path for transporting the ions along the ion path. For generating the layout of electrodes, a layout path corresponding to said the path is assumed and the layout of electrodes is generated along the layout path. The layout of electrodes and the layout path are in reference to a global reference system, wherein the layout of electrodes includes at least two layout subunits which are arranged in succession along the layout path, wherein each one of the at least two layout subunits is of one of at least one layout subunit type. The method includes defining the at least one layout subunit type, wherein each one of the at least one layout subunit type includes type information, the type information being adopted by each layout subunit of the respective one of the at least one layout subunit type. The type information includes a subunit electrode layout of at least one subunit electrode, the subunit electrode layout being in reference to a subunit reference system, wherein in the subunit electrode layout, each one of the at least one subunit electrode has a local position in the subunit reference system and is assigned to a class of electrodes, wherein the respective class of electrodes is associated with a type of voltage pattern to be applied to the electrodes belonging to the respective the class of electrodes. Furthermore, the type information includes a layout subunit position identifier for identifying a position of the subunit electrode layout in the global reference system. The method includes building up at least one segment of the layout of electrodes by assigning to each one of the at least two layout subunits one of the at least one layout subunit type and positioning each one of the at least two layout subunits at a respective position along the layout path.

A vacuum chamber 11 for forming a vacuum space has two side walls opposite to each other across an ion beam axis extending within the vacuum space. One of those side walls is openable and closeable. An ion optical element 21 is placed on a base 33, which is located on the bottom surface of the vacuum chamber. A fixation band 213 fixes the ion optical element on the base by holding the element between the base and the fixation band so as to press the element onto the base. A band-catching portion 10d, located on an inside face of a side wall of the vacuum chamber on the opposite side from the openable-and-closeable side wall, catches one end of the fixation band. A band-fixing portion 214, located on the base on the side where the openable-and-closeable side wall is present, fixes the other end of the fixation band to the base.

An apparatus includes a tubular connector having a longitudinal axis. The connector includes a first end that connects to a first analytical system, a second end that connects to a second analytical system, and a flexible portion between the first end and the second end that curves in a direction transverse to the axis of the connector such that the connector contains ion guides to transfer ions between the first analytical system and the second analytical system.

An apparatus for particle collection is provided. The apparatus includes a magnetic element configured to generate a tapered magnetic ion transport tunnel that collects particles from a local environment, a detector configured to perform one or more measurements of the collected particles, and ion optics configured to transport the collected particles to the detector.

A space-time buffer includes a plurality of discrete trapping regions and a controller. The plurality of discrete trapping regions is configured to trap ions as individual trapping regions or as combinations of trapping regions. The controller is configured to combine at least a portion of the plurality of trapping regions into a larger trap region; fill the larger trap region with a plurality of ions; split the larger trap region into individual trapping regions each containing a portion of the plurality of ions; and eject ions from the trapping regions.

A method of operating an instrument which comprises a first and second ion stores, comprising determining whether a target accumulation time for the second ion store is greater than a threshold accumulation time. When the target accumulation time is less than the threshold accumulation time, ions are accumulated within the second ion store using an accumulation time that is based on the target accumulation time. When the target accumulation time is greater than the threshold accumulation time, ions are accumulated within the first ion store using a first accumulation time that is based on a difference between the target accumulation time and the threshold accumulation time, the ions accumulated in the first ion store are passed to the second ion store, and further ions are accumulated within the second ion store using a second accumulation time that is based on the threshold accumulation time.

Systems and methods disclosed herein utilize an interface positioned between an ion source and an ion guide of a mass spectrometry system that can be useful to control transmission ions from an ion source to a downstream mass analyzer. In various aspects, the present disclosure provides methods of modulating an introduction of ions into an ion guide. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods of making and using disclosed interface elements and mass spectrometry systems. In some embodiments, implementations of the present disclosure are useful in mass spectrometry systems, including, for example, improving signal-to-noise and reducing contamination.