An ion trap apparatus is provided. The ion trap apparatus comprises two or more radio frequency (RF) rails formed with substantially parallel longitudinal axes and with substantially coplanar upper surfaces; and two or more sequences of trapping and/or transport (TT) electrodes with each sequence formed to extend substantially parallel to the substantially parallel longitudinal axes of the RF rails. The two or more RF rails and the two or more sequences of TT electrodes define an ion trap. The two or more sequences of TT electrodes are arranged into a number of zones. Each zone comprises wide matched groups of TT electrodes and at least one narrow matched group of TT electrodes. A wide TT electrode is longer and/or wider in a direction substantially parallel to the substantially parallel longitudinal axes of the RF rails than a narrow TT electrode.

A method of filtering ions (16) is disclosed comprising: providing an ion filter (6) having an ion entrance, an ion exit and a plurality of electrodes (18); applying an AC and/or RF voltage to at least a first electrode so as to generate a pseudo-potential barrier; and urging ions towards the pseudo-potential barrier as they travel from the entrance to the exit whilst maintaining the ion filter (6) at a pressure such that first ions are repelled by the pseudo-potential barrier and so are transmitted through the filter to said exit, whereas second ions having substantially the same mass to charge ratio as the first ions but a lower mass are not capable of being repelled by the pseudo-potential barrier and reaching said exit.

The invention generally relates to ion traps and methods of use thereof. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a system that includes a mass spectrometer including an ion trap, and a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU has storage that is coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the system to apply a constant radio frequency (RF) signal to the ion trap, and apply a first alternating current (AC) signal to the ion trap the frequency of which varies as a function of time.

A method for analyzing a gas by mass spectrometry includes exciting ions of the gas to be analyzed in an FT ion trap, and recording a first frequency spectrum in a first measurement time interval during or after the excitation of the ions. The first frequency spectrum contains ion frequencies of the excited ions and interference frequencies. The method also includes recording a second frequency spectrum in a second measurement time interval. The second frequency spectrum contains the interference frequencies, but not the ion frequencies of the first frequency spectrum. The method further includes comparing the first frequency spectrum with the second frequency spectrum to identify the interference frequencies in the first frequency spectrum. The disclosure also relates to a mass spectrometer which is suitable for carrying out the method for analyzing the gas by mass spectrometry.

An ion trap apparatus is provided. The ion trap apparatus comprises two or more radio frequency (RF) rails formed with substantially parallel longitudinal axes and with substantially coplanar upper surfaces; and two or more sequences of trapping and/or transport (TT) electrodes with each sequence formed to extend substantially parallel to the substantially parallel longitudinal axes of the RF rails. The two or more RF rails and the two or more sequences of TT electrodes define an ion trap. The two or more sequences of TT electrodes are arranged into a number of zones. Each zone comprises wide matched groups of TT electrodes and at least one narrow matched group of TT electrodes. A wide TT electrode is longer and/or wider in a direction substantially parallel to the substantially parallel longitudinal axes of the RF rails than a narrow TT electrode.

A method of introducing and ejecting ions from an ion entry/exit device (4) is disclosed. The ion entry/exit device (4) has at least two arrays of electrodes (20,22). The device is operated in a first mode wherein DC potentials are successively applied to successive electrodes of at least one of the electrode arrays ((20,22) in a first direction such that a potential barrier moves along the at least one array in the first direction and drives ions into and/or out of the device in the first direction. The device is also operated in a second mode, wherein DC potentials are successively applied to successive electrodes of at least one of the electrode arrays (20,22) in a second, different direction such that a potential barrier moves along the array in the second direction and drives ions into and/or out of the device in the second direction. The device provides a single, relatively simple device for manipulating ions in multiple directions. For example, the device may be used to load ions into or eject ions from an ion mobility separator in a first direction, and may then be used to cause ions to move through the ion mobility separator in the second direction so as to cause the ions to separate.

The disclosure describes aspects of using multiple species in trapped-ion nodes for quantum networking. In an aspect, a quantum networking node is described that includes multiple memory qubits, each memory qubit being based on a .sup.171Yb.sup.+ atomic ion, and one or more communication qubits, each communication qubit being based on a .sup.138Ba.sup.+ atomic ion. The memory and communication qubits are part of a lattice in an atomic ion trap. In another aspect, a quantum computing system having a modular optical architecture is described that includes multiple quantum networking nodes, each quantum networking node including multiple memory qubits (e.g., based on a .sup.171Yb.sup.+ atomic ion) and one or more communication qubits (e.g., based on a .sup.138Ba.sup.+ atomic ion). The memory and communication qubits are part of a lattice in an atomic ion trap. The system further includes a photonic entangler coupled to each of the multiple quantum networking nodes.

A method of injecting ions into an ion storage device, comprising: providing an RF trapping field in the ion storage device that defines a trapping volume in the ion storage device by applying one or more RF voltages to one or more trapping electrodes; providing a gas in the trapping volume; injecting ions into the trapping volume through an aperture in an end electrode located at a first end of the ion storage device, the end electrode having a DC voltage applied thereto; reflecting the injected ions at a second end of the ion storage device, opposite to the first end, thereby returning the ions to the first end; and ramping the DC voltage applied to the end electrode during the period between injecting the ions through the aperture and the return of the ions to the first end, such that by the time the ions return to the first end for a first time a potential barrier is established by the ramped DC voltage that prevents returning ions from striking the end electrode. Also an apparatus for injecting ions into an ion storage device, which comprises a controller for ramping a first DC voltage applied to an end electrode of the device having an entrance aperture during a period between injection of ions through the entrance aperture and a return of the injected ions to the aperture so as to establish a potential barrier that prevents returning ions from striking the end electrode.

An ionic optical cavity coupling system and method are described. The system includes a first optical cavity, a second optical cavity, and an ion trap system including a direct current electrode pair, a grounding electrode pair, and a radio frequency electrode pair. At least one ion is arranged in the ion trap system. Furthermore, the first optical cavity is used for obtaining a quantum optical signal and sending the quantum optical signal to the ion trap system, so that quantum information of the quantum optical signal is transferred to a single ion in the ion trap system. The second optical cavity is used for obtaining quantum information in the single ion in the ion trap system.

Disclosed herein is a device for characterizing a biological sample or an airborne sample. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the device comprises an electrospray source, a mass analyzer, a charge detector, and optionally, an ion guide. The present device is useful in analyzing the particle population in the biological or airborne sample based on the mass to charge (m/z) ratio and the charge (z) of each particle. Also disclosed herein are the methods of making a diagnosis of cancer by use of the present device, and methods of determining the mass distribution of particles in an airborne sample.