DEVICE FOR MANIPULATING CHARGED PARTICLES

Abstract

The present invention is concerned with a device for charged particle transportation and manipulation. Embodiments provide a capability of combining positively and negatively charged particles in a single transported packet. Embodiments contain an aggregate of electrodes arranged to form a channel for transportation of charged particles, as well as a source of power supply that provides supply voltage to be applied to the electrodes, the voltage to ensure creation, inside the said channel, of a non-uniform high-frequency electric field, the pseudopotential of which field has one or more local extrema along the length of the channel used for charged particle transportation, at least, within a certain interval of time, whereas, at least one of the said extrema of the pseudopotential is transposed with time, at least within a certain interval of time, at least within a part of the length of the channel used for charged particle transportation.

Claims

1-23. (canceled)

24. A device for manipulating charged particles, the device comprising: a series of electrodes arranged so as to form a channel for transportation of the charged particles; a power supply unit adapted to provide supply voltages to said electrodes so as to create a non-uniform high-frequency electric field within said channel, the pseudopotential of said field having two or more local maxima along the length of said channel for transportation of charged particles, at least within a certain interval of time, wherein transportation of the charged particles along the length of the channel is provided by transposition of the at least two of said maxima of the pseudopotential such that the at least two of said maxima are caused to travel with time along the channel, at least within a certain interval of time and at least within a part of the length of the channel, wherein the supply voltages are high-frequency voltages; wherein a first region of said channel forms part of an inlet intermediate device that is configured to inject ions into a collision cell with sufficiently high kinetic energy to cause fragmentation of ions in the collision cell through collisions with a buffer gas; wherein a second region of said channel forms part of the collision cell; wherein a third region of said channel forms part of an outlet intermediate device configured to receive ions transported out from the collision cell.

25. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to propagate discrete bunches of parent ions into the collision cell such that daughter ions resulting from fragmentation of each bunch of parent ions substantially remain within the same bunch of propagating ions as the parent ions from which they derived due to confinement by the non-uniform high-frequency electric field.

26. A device according to claim 1, wherein the second region of the channel is maintained at a higher pressure than the first and third regions of the channel.

27. A device according to claim 1, wherein first, second and third regions are located within a single vacuum chamber with at least one pump for pumping away gas.

28. A device according to claim 1, wherein the collision cell has a gas inlet and two conductance limiting segments wherein said channel is enclosed within a tube.

29. A device according to claim 1, wherein the collision cell is formed from series of segments and each segment is formed from four electrodes and four insulators where the four insulators form part of a supporting structure.

30. A device according to claim 1, wherein one or more segments of the channel are conductance limiting segments used for establishing pressure differentials within the device.

31. A device according to claim 1, wherein said channel has a variable profile along the length of the channel such that its cross section varies along its length.

32. A device according to claim 8, wherein the area of the cross section of the channel varies along the length of the channel.

33. A device according to claim 1, wherein some or all of the electrodes have a multipole profile.

34. A device according to claim 10, wherein the multipole profile is a coarsened multipole profile formed by any one or combination of: plane, stepped, piecewise-stepped, linear, piecewise-linear, circular, rounded, piecewise-rounded, curvilinear, or piecewise-curvilinear profiles.

35. A device according to claim 1, wherein some or all of the electrodes are formed from thin metallic films deposited on a non-conductive substrates.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0164] FIG. 1. Single round diaphragm, used as one of possible electrodes in the device according to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,453.

[0165] FIG. 2. Possible arrangement of electrodes in the device according to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,453. The device contains a system of electrodes, representing a series of plates with coaxial apertures, arranged with provision of internal space between the electrodes, oriented along the longitudinal axis of the device, and intended for transmission of ions within said space.

[0166] FIG. 3. Possible distribution of the axial component of electric field E.sub.z(z,t) along the channel for charged particle transportation, for a number of closely located points of time t, t+δt, t+2δt, t+3δt, . . . (for the device according to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,453).

[0167] FIG. 4. Possible envelope of the axial component of electric field intensity E.sub.a(z,t) along the transportation channel for several points of time t and t+Δt, Δt>>δt, located remotely enough from each other (for the device according to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,453).

[0168] FIG. 5. Possible two-dimensional distribution of the pseudopotential Ū.sub.0(x, y, z) along the length of the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis) and one of perpendicular directions (x-axis) for the device according to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,453.

[0169] FIG. 6. Possible two-dimensional distribution (at some point of time) of the potential U.sub.a(x, y, z, t) of quasi-static electric field along the length of the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis) and one of perpendicular directions (x-axis) for the device according to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,453.

[0170] FIG. 7. Possible distribution (at some point of time) of the potential U.sub.a(z,t) of quasi-static electric field, along the axis of the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis) for the device according to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,453.

[0171] FIG. 8. Possible electric voltages U.sub.1(t), U.sub.2(t), U.sub.3(t), U.sub.4(t) to be applied to the 1.sup.st, 2.sup.nd, 3.sup.rd and 4.sup.th electrodes, respectively, in each of repetitive groups of four electrodes, according to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,453.

[0172] FIG. 9. Capture of negatively charged particles by the maxima of quasi-static potential U.sub.a(z,t) and positively charged particles by the minima of quasi-static potential U.sub.a(z,t) along the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis).

[0173] FIG. 10. An example of Fourier spectrum F(ω) for the applied high-frequency voltages ƒ(t), which can be represented in canonical equivalent form as a sum of “fast” harmonics with “slowly” varying amplitudes.

[0174] FIG. 11. Possible distribution of the axial component of electric field E.sub.z(z,t) along the axis of the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis) for a number of closely located points of time t, t+δt, t+2δt, t+3δt, . . . for the device of the present invention.

[0175] FIG. 12. Possible distribution of envelope of the axial component of electric field intensity E.sub.a(z,t) along the channel (z-axis) for several points of time t and t+Δt (Δt>>δt) located remotely enough from each other, for the device of the present invention.

[0176] FIG. 13. Possible two-dimensional distribution of the pseudopotential Ū(x, y, z) along the length of the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis) and one of perpendicular directions (x-axis) for the device of the present invention.

[0177] FIG. 14. Possible distribution of the pseudopotential Ū(z) along the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis) for the device of the present invention.

[0178] FIG. 15. Capture of negatively and positively charged particles in the locations of the minima of pseudopotential Ū(z), along a segment of z-axis.

[0179] FIG. 16. Dependence of the coordinate z(t) (corresponds to the axis of the device) for ion trajectories, on time t for embodiments of the device of the present invention with axial distribution of electric field E.sub.z(z,t)=E.sub.0 cos (z/L−t/T).Math.cos(ω).

[0180] FIG. 17. Dependence of z(t)−vt with respect to time t, where v is the velocity of motion of the minima of the pseudopotential along the channel for charged particle transportation. This dependence demonstrates synchronous motion of ion packets at common average velocity v.

[0181] FIG. 18. Dependence of the coordinate r(t) (corresponds to radial direction with respect to the axis of the channel for charged particle transportation), with respect to time t.

[0182] FIG. 19. Tine-synchronised transfer of the packet of charged particles and minima of the pseudopotential Ū(z) along the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis). The FIG. shows the process of transposition of the minima of pseudopotential for different points of time t.sub.1 and t.sub.2(t.sub.1<t.sub.2).

[0183] FIG. 20. Charged particles' “bundling out” by a maximum of the pseudopotential Ū(z) along the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis) with time. FIG. shows the process of transposition of the maximum of pseudopotential for different points of time t.sub.1 and t.sub.2 (t.sub.1<t.sub.2).

[0184] FIG. 21. Breaking-up of an ensemble of charged particles entered the channel for charged particle transportation, into spatially localised, spatially separated packets of charged particles, synchronously transposed from the inlet to the outlet, in case where the pseudopotential Ū(z) has alternating maxima and minima along the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis). The FIG. shows the process of transposition of maxima and minima of the pseudopotential for different points of time t.sub.1 and t.sub.2 (t.sub.1<t.sub.2).

[0185] FIG. 22. An example of distribution of high-frequency electric field with non-uniform distribution E.sub.z(z,t)=E.sub.0(π/2+arctan(z/H)).Math.cos(z/L−t/T).Math.cos (ωt) of the axial component of the electric field along the axis of the device (where E.sub.0 is characteristic scale of variation of the amplitude of electric field axial distribution, z is spatial coordinate along the axis of the charged particle transportation channel, H is characteristic spatial scale of “damping” of the oscillations of pseudopotential, L is characteristic spatial scale of single oscillation of the pseudopotential, T is characteristic “slow” time scale for displacement of oscillations of the pseudopotential along the axis of the device, ω is “fast” frequency of high-frequency harmonic oscillations of electric field, where H>>L and ωT>>1).

[0186] FIG. 23. Distribution of the pseudopotential Ū(z) of high-frequency electric field with axial component shown in FIG. 22, along the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis). In the course of approach to the point z=0 one can observe monotone increasing maxima of the pseudopotential, which form a growing wave, moving along the axis towards z=+∞. This axial distribution of electric field forms a zone of stable accumulation of particles for −∞<z<−2H, the zone of stable movement of charged particles for +2H<z<+∞, and transition region for −2H<z<+2H.

[0187] FIG. 24. An example of pseudopotential Ū(z) for high-frequency field obtained from FIG. 22 by addition of high-frequency field, with the following axial field distribution: E.sub.z(z,t)=0.45E.sub.0(z/2−arctan(z/H)).Math.sin(ωt). As a result of superposition of the specified high-frequency fields in the transition region between the zone of accumulation of charged particles and the zone of evacuation of charged particles, a segment of pseudopotential Ū(z) is obtained, with monotone decreasing minima, enhancing the efficiency of capture and evacuation of both positively and negatively charged particles.

[0188] FIG. 25. An example of potential function for positively charged particles, which corresponds to superposition of DC electric field with axial distribution of potential U(z)=U.sub.0(π/2−arctan(z/H)).sup.2 on the axis of the channel for charged particle transportation, and high-frequency electric field as shown in FIG. 22. The graph of potential function identically coincides with the graph of the pseudopotential as shown in FIG. 24. In the transition region between the zone of accumulation of charged particles and the zone of evacuation of charged particles, a segment with monotone decreasing maxima and minima is available, enhancing the efficiency of capture and evacuation of positively charged particles.

[0189] FIG. 26. An example of potential function for negatively charged particles, which corresponds to superposition of DC electric field, and high-frequency electric field as shown in FIG. 25. The graph shows that in the transition region between the zone of accumulation of charged particles and the zone of evacuation of charged particles, a segment with monotone growing maxima and minima is available, decreasing the efficiency of capture and evacuation of negatively charged particles.

[0190] FIG. 27. An example of potential function for positively charged particles, corresponding to superposition of high-frequency electric field as sown in FIG. 22, and DC uniform electric field. The graph shows that such a superposition of electric fields forms transition region, enhancing the efficiency of capture and evacuation of positively charged particles.

[0191] FIG. 28. An example of potential function for negatively charged particles, corresponding to superposition of high-frequency electric field as sown in FIG. 22, and DC uniform electric field. The graph shows that such a superposition of electric fields forms transition region, decreasing the efficiency of capture and evacuation of negatively charged particles.

[0192] FIG. 29. Structure of electrodes, capable of generating a field for coupling the zone of storage and regular evacuation of discrete packets of charged particles from the edge of the zone.

[0193] FIG. 30. An example of rectilinear channel for charged particle transportation.

[0194] FIG. 31. An example of curvilinear channel for charged particle transportation.

[0195] FIG. 32. Particular case of variable profile of the for charged particle transportation, having configuration of funnel.

[0196] FIG. 33. An example of channel for charged particle transportation, formed by single diaphragms shown in FIG. 34 or FIG. 35, the central part of which contains additional electrodes in the cross-section.

[0197] FIG. 34. An example of single diaphragm, the central part of which contains additional electrode in the cross-section.

[0198] FIG. 35. An example of single diaphragm with the central part, wherein a number of uncoupled areas of capture of charged particles, and respectively, a number of independent parallel channels for charged particle transportation.

[0199] FIG. 36. An example of channel for charged particle transportation, with splitting into several parallel (daughter) channels. In this case, each channel can be adjusted to transport a well-defined mass range, “drawn” from the common transportation.

[0200] FIG. 37. An example of integration of several (daughter) channels for charged particle transportation, to form a single channel. In this case, dynamic switching between different sources of charged particles and/or mixing of different beams of charged particles into an integrated beam of charged particles can be implemented.

[0201] FIG. 38. An example of channel for charged particle transportation, where the channel's structure contains an area performing the function of storage volume for charged particles.

[0202] FIG. 39. An example of distribution of the pseudopotential Ū(z) along the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis), having alternating maxima and minima, travelling along the channel for charged particle transportation. This pseudopotential corresponds to axial distribution of high-frequency electric field according to the law: E.sub.z(z,t)=(U.sub.0/L)cos(z/L−t/T).Math.cos(ωt).

[0203] FIG. 40. Distribution of the areas of capture of charged particles along the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis), corresponding to pseudopotential Ū(z), shown in FIG. 39.

[0204] FIG. 41. Voltages U.sub.1(t), U.sub.2(t), U.sub.3(t), U.sub.4(t) applied to the 1.sup.st, 2.sup.nd, 3.sup.rd and 4.sup.th electrodes, respectively, in each group of four electrodes-diaphragms, for creation of high-frequency electric field with pseudopotential, as shown in FIG. 39.

[0205] FIG. 42. Electric voltages U.sub.1(t), U.sub.2(t), U.sub.3(t), U.sub.4(t), U.sub.5(t), U.sub.6(t), which are required to be applied to repetitive groups of six electrodes-diaphragms for creation of high-frequency electric field, having axial distribution of pseudopotential in the form of Ū(z,t)=U.sub.*[1−cos (z/L−t/T)].sup.3.

[0206] FIG. 43. Distribution of the pseudopotential Ū(z,t)=U.sub.*[1−cos(z/L−t/T)].sup.3 along the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis), corresponding to high-frequency electric field, generated by the voltages applied to the electrodes of the device shown in FIG. 42.

[0207] FIG. 44. Areas of capture of charged particles, corresponding to the pseudopotential Ū(z,t)=U.sub.*[1−cos(z/L−t/T)].sup.3 along the channel for charged particle transportation (z-axis).

[0208] FIG. 45. An example of high-frequency voltage U(t), generated with the help of amplitude modulation of the voltage cos(ωt) using the function sin (t/T).

[0209] FIG. 46. An example of high-frequency voltage U(t), generated with the help of amplitude modulation of the voltage cos(ωt) using the function sin.sup.2 (t/T)=(1−cos (2t/T))/2.

[0210] FIG. 47. An example of high-frequency voltage U(t), generated with the help of amplitude modulation of the voltage cos(ωt) using the function (1−γt/T)sin(t/T).

[0211] FIG. 48. An example of high-frequency voltage U(t) as a sum of four high-frequency voltages having different frequencies sin((ω+1/T)t)−sin((ω−1/T)t)+cos((ω+1/T)t)+cos((ω−1/T)t), phase-shifted for π/4.

[0212] FIG. 49. An example of high-frequency voltage U(t) as a superposition of phase-modulated high-frequency voltages, defined by the formula: cos(ωt+cos(t/T))+cos(ωt−cos(t/T))−cos(ωt).

[0213] FIG. 50. An example of high-frequency voltage U(t) as a superposition of phase-modulated high-frequency voltages, defined by the formula: cos(ωt+sin(cos(t/T)))+cos(ωt−sin(cos(t/T)))−1.3 cos(ωt).

[0214] FIG. 51. An example of high-frequency voltage U(t), created by means of frequency modulation of high-frequency voltage cos(ωt) with the help of the function sin (t/T)/(t/T).

[0215] FIG. 52. An example of voltage U(t), created by means of frequency modulation of high-frequency voltage cos(ωt) with the help of oscillating function.

[0216] FIG. 53. Plane, non-annular diaphragm, used for creation of a channel for charged particle transportation, consisting of repetitive single diaphragms.

[0217] FIG. 54. Quadrupole-like configuration of the electrodes of single diaphragm, used for creation of a channel for charged particle transportation. This configuration enables more efficient (as compared with simple diaphragms) compression of the ion beam to the axis of the device. Analytically calculated profiles of these electrodes are not hyperbolic, but defined by transcendental equations with interposition of higher transcendental functions.

[0218] FIG. 55. Rectangular profile of the electrodes of single diaphragm, used for formation of a channel for charged particle transportation, as an example of profile for creation of electric field with the required distribution of pseudopotential along the axis of the device containing quadrupole components.

[0219] FIG. 56. Triangular profile of the electrodes of single diaphragm, used for formation of a channel for charged particle transportation, as an example of profile for creation of electric field with the required distribution of pseudopotential along the axis of the device, containing quadrupole components.

[0220] FIG. 57. Trapezoidal profile of the electrodes of single diaphragm, used for formation of a channel for charged particle transportation, as an example of profile for creation of electric field with the required distribution of pseudopotential along the axis of the device, containing quadrupole components.

[0221] FIG. 58. An example of the profile of electrodes composed of slotted round rods, used for creation of high-frequency electric field with the required distribution of pseudopotential along the axis of the device, containing higher multipole (sextupole) components, in the channel for charged particle transportation.

[0222] FIG. 59. Plane diaphragms with rectangular apertures, used for creation of a channel for charged particle transportation, composed of repetitive diaphragms with various cross-sections, creating high-frequency electric field with pseudopotential having non-uniform multipole components along the length of the channel for charged particle transportation.

[0223] FIG. 60. Plane slotted diaphragms of quadrupole-like structure in aggregate with solid quadrupole-like electrode.

[0224] FIG. 61. General view of a device of the present invention.

[0225] FIG. 62. An individual option of the arrangement of electrodes of the device of the present invention, representing a periodic sequence of rectangular or round diaphragms.

[0226] FIG. 63. The device of the present invention, operating in combination with additional devices, to provide an additional effect on the packets of charged particles in the course of their movement within the given device.

[0227] FIG. 64. The device of the present invention, operating in combination with a source of charged particles, or with a charged particle storage device. FIG. 65. The device of the present invention, operating as a source of charged particles for some output device.

[0228] FIG. 66. The device of the present invention, converting a pulsed beam of charged particles at the inlet into quasicontinuous beam of the packets of charged particles at the outlet.

[0229] FIG. 67. The device of the present invention, converting a continuous or quasicontinuous beam of charged particles at the inlet into discrete beam of the packets of charged particles at the outlet.

[0230] FIG. 68. The device of the present invention, included in the composition of an instrument for analysis of charged particles.

[0231] FIG. 69. Axial cross-section and geometrical dimensions of the periodical sequences of electrodes composed of single plane diaphragms with square apertures, used as example 1 (see below).

[0232] FIG. 70. Geometrical dimensions of single plane diaphragms with square apertures, used for periodical sequence of electrodes in example 1.

[0233] FIG. 71. Breaking-up of the initial ensemble of charged particles into spatially separated packets and transportation thereof along the channel for charged particle transportation in example 1.

[0234] FIG. 72. Axial cross-section and geometrical dimensions of the periodical sequences of electrodes composed of alternating, plane, single diaphragms with rectangular apertures, used as example 2.

[0235] FIG. 73. Geometrical dimensions of alternating, plane, single diaphragms with rectangular apertures, used for periodical sequence of electrodes in example 2 (see below).

[0236] FIG. 74. Breaking-up of the initial ensemble of charged particles into spatially separated packets and transportation thereof along the channel for charged particle transportation in example 2.

[0237] FIG. 75. Axial cross-section and geometrical dimensions of the periodical sequences of electrodes composed of alternating, plane, single diaphragms with plane independent electrodes and quadrupole configuration of electric field, used as an example 3 (see below).

[0238] FIG. 76. Geometrical dimensions of alternating, plane, single diaphragms with plane independent electrodes and quadrupole configuration of electric field, used for periodical sequence of electrodes in example 3.

[0239] FIG. 77. Breaking-up of the initial ensemble of charged particles into spatially separated packets and transportation thereof along the channel for charged particle transportation in example 3.

[0240] FIG. 78. Axial cross-section and geometrical dimensions of the periodical sequences of electrodes composed of sectionalised repetitive quadrupole-like electrodes and two solid quadrupole-like electrodes (see FIG. 60) which provide quadrupole configuration of electric field, and used as an example 4 (see below).

[0241] FIG. 79. Geometrical dimensions of alternating quadrupole-like sections composed of sectionalised repetitive quadrupole-like electrodes and two solid quadrupole-like electrodes (see FIG. 60), used for the aggregate of electrodes in example 4.

[0242] FIG. 80. Breaking-up of the initial ensemble of charged particles into spatially separated packets and transportation thereof along the channel for charged particle transportation in example 4.

[0243] FIG. 81. Digital waveform signal that can be generated using a switching arrangement having three switches.

[0244] FIG. 82. Discrete digital waveform signal with amplitude modulation as cos(x).

[0245] FIG. 83. Two discrete digital waveform signals with slightly different frequencies.

[0246] FIG. 84. Sum of two digital waveform signals with slightly different frequencies.

[0247] FIG. 85. Results of a simulation using digital waveforms, whereby ions initially distributed along the axis are formed into bunches and conveyed along the axis in bunches.

[0248] FIG. 86. Quasi-static bunching voltages, shown at several instances of time, for propagating ions along a device in bunches.

[0249] FIG. 87. Electrode arrangement comprising four electrodes (6) and four insulators where the four insulators (5) form part of a supporting structure.

[0250] FIG. 88. Embodiment having four electrodes (8) and an insulator (7) where the insulator (7) forms the supporting structure.

[0251] FIG. 89. Device located within the structure of a cell for fragmentation of ions, having regions 1 to 3, the central region 2 optionally being held at elevated pressure with respect to the said first and third regions.

[0252] FIG. 90. Arrangement having regions 1 to 3 for conveying ions, where the region 2 is designated to be the collision cell region having a gas inlet 4, two conductance limiting sections which are connected by tube 7 such that the collision cell region 2 may be maintained at a higher pressure than regions 1 and 3, and further that regions 1 to 3 are located within a single vacuum chamber with at least one pump for pumping away gas.

[0253] FIG. 91. Normalized Archimedean pseudopotential (thick line) and its normalized gradient (thin line) in normalized coordinates.

[0254] FIG. 92. Two ions moving inside separated Archimedean wells when the gas pressure is zero. Normalized time (τ) is plotted on the Abscissa, Normalized axial ion position is plotted on the Ordinate (Z).

[0255] FIG. 93. Two ions moving inside separated Archimedean wells when the gas pressure is small (normalized viscosity coefficient is 1.0). Normalized time (τ) is plotted on the Abscissa, Normalized axial ion position is plotted on the Ordinate (Z).

[0256] FIG. 94. Two ions moving inside separated Archimedean wells when the gas pressure is medium (normalized viscosity coefficient is 50.0). Normalized time (τ) is plotted on the Abscissa, Normalized axial ion position is plotted on the Ordinate (Z).

[0257] FIG. 95. Two ions breaking away the Archimedean wells where the gas pressure is large (normalized viscosity coefficient is 73.0). Normalized time (τ) is plotted on the Abscissa, Normalized axial ion position is plotted on the Ordinate (Z).

[0258] FIG. 96. Ion movement at various pressures. Normalized time (τ) is plotted on the Abscissa, Normalized axial ion position is plotted on the Ordinate (Z).

[0259] FIG. 97. Two ions moving inside neighboring Archimedean wells where the gas flow is zero (normalized viscosity coefficient is 50.0, normalized gas flow is 0.0).

[0260] FIG. 98. Two ions moving inside neighboring Archimedean wells where the gas flow is non-zero in an assisting direction (normalized viscosity coefficient is 50.0, normalized gas flow is 2.0).

[0261] FIG. 99. Two ions moving inside neighboring Archimedean wells when the stability is lost due to non-zero gas flow (normalized viscosity coefficient is 50.0, normalized gas flow is 2.7).

[0262] FIG. 100. Ion movement at various gas flow velocities (assisting and opposing).

FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0263] In embodiments the device for manipulation of charged particles (see FIG. 61) contains a system of electrodes 1, located so as to create a channel 2, oriented along the longitudinal axis of the device (z-axis in the drawing), and intended for the transportation of charged particles 3. In particular, the device shown in FIG. 62 contains 8 sections of 4 in each, located in series along the longitudinal axis of the device, coaxial annular electrodes 1 having internal diameters of apertures of 20 mm and distances of 2 mm between the adjacent electrodes; the overall length of the device makes 320 mm. End areas 4 and 5 of the channel 2, form the inlet and the outlet areas of the device, respectively.

[0264] The device also includes an arrangement (not shown in the drawing), which generates electrical supply voltages to be applied to the electrodes 1, thus providing creation of a non-uniform high-frequency electric field within the said channel, the pseudopotential of which field has one or more local extrema along the length of the channel for transportation of charged particles, at least, within a certain interval of time, whereas, at least one of the extrema of the pseudopotential is transposed with time, at least within a certain interval of time, at least within a part of the length of the channel for transportation of charged particles.

[0265] FIG. 63 presents a particular form of the device, operating in combination with devices used to provide an additional effect on the packets of charged particles in the course of their movement within the given device, said effect being realised in the zone 6 within the device. For the purpose of implementation of such devices, one can use, for example, devices for ionization of charged particles, devices for fragmentation of charged particles, devices for generation of secondary charged particles, devices for excitation of internal energy of charged particles, devices for selective extraction of charged particles. In that case, said additional device may not be an individual constructive unit in the structure of the device, but represent a specific and intentionally organised physical process taking place within the space of the device.

[0266] FIG. 64 presents a particular form of the device, functioning in conjunction with the source of charged particles 7. For the sources of charged particles, for example, one can use devices for generation of charged particles and/or inlet intermediate devices listed hereunder in the description of FIG. 68.

[0267] FIG. 65 presents a particular form of the device, functioning as a source of charged particles for a certain outlet device 8. For the outlet devices one can use, for example, analysers of charged particles and/or outlet intermediate devices listed hereunder in the description of FIG. 68.

[0268] FIG. 66 presents a particular form of the device, converting pulsed beam of charged particles 9 at the inlet into a flow of packets of charged particles 11 at the outlet of the device. Pulsed beam of charged particles 9 can enter the device, arriving from some external device, or be formed within the space of the claimed device.

[0269] FIG. 67 presents a particular form of the device, converting a continuous or quasicontinuous beam of charged particles 10 at the inlet into a flow of the packets of charged particles 11 at the outlet from the device. A continuous or quasicontinuous beam of charged particles 10 can enter the device, arriving from some external device, or be formed within the space of the claimed device.

[0270] FIG. 68 presents a particular form of the device included in the structure of an instrument for analysis of charged particles (a mass-spectrometer, for example). Such a device can be composed of devices for generation of charged particles 12, inlet intermediate device 13 of the claimed device for manipulations with charged particles 14, outlet intermediate device 15, and analyser of charged particles 16. The device for generation of charged particles is used to generate primary charged particles, and can be based on diversified physical processes. The inlet intermediate device is used for accumulation (storage) of charged particles, or cooling of charged particles (decrement of kinetic energy), or transformation of the properties of the beam of charged particles, or excitation of charged particles, or fragmentation of charged particles, or generation of secondary charged particles, or filtration of the required group of charged particles, or initial detection of charged particles, or execution of a number of the aforementioned functions at once. The device for manipulations with charged particles performs breaking-up of the input beam of charged particles into a beam of discrete and time-synchronised packets of charged particles, transfer of charged particles from the inlet to the outlet, and it can realise other kinds of manipulations with charged particles. The outlet intermediate device is used for storage of charged particles, or transformation of the properties of a beam of charged particles, or fragmentation of charged particles, or generation of secondary charged particles, or filtration of the required group of charged particles, or initial detection of charged particles, or execution of a number of the aforementioned functions at once. Analyser of charged particles can represent, for example, a detector based on micro-channel plates, or an aggregate (possibly containing a single element) of diode detectors, or an aggregate (possibly containing a single element) of semiconductor detectors, or an aggregate (possibly containing a single element) of detectors based on the measurement of induced charge, or a mass-analyser (mass spectrometer, mass spectrograph, or mass filter), or optical spectrometer, or a spectrometer utilising separation of charged particles based on the property of ion mobility or derivatives thereof. Inlet intermediate devices and/or outlet intermediate devices can be absent, and the process of ionisation of charged particles and/or process of analysis of charged particles can be implemented inside the claimed device for manipulation with charged particles. Both the inlet and outlet intermediate devices can represent an aggregate of the respective devices, separated, possibly, by devices for transportation of charged particles and/or devices for manipulation with charged particles, including the possibility of use of the device of the present invention, as such, for manipulations with charged particles. All the specified elements of the instrument can operate in a continuous mode, and/or in a pulsed mode, and/or can switch between continuous and pulsed operating modes.

[0271] For completeness it is noted that each of the following embodiments, and indeed all of the embodiments disclosed herein, may be combined with one or more of the other embodiments.

[0272] It should be noted that in embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), a method of manipulation with charged particles is realised, including the effect on an aggregate of charged particles, localised in the space for manipulation with charged particles, of a non-uniform high-frequency electric field, the pseudopotential of which has one or more local extrema along the length of the space for manipulation with charged particles, at least, within a certain interval of time, whereas, at least one of said extrema of the pseudopotential high-frequency electric field is transposed with time, at least, along a part of the length of the space used for manipulation with charged particles, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0273] If, in embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), a beam of charged particles comes into the inlet of the device, wherein, at least within a certain interval of time, the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field has alternating maxima and minima along the length of the area for manipulations with charged particles, then as a result, breaking-up of the beam of charged particles into spatially segmented packets of charged particles is realised.

[0274] If, embodiments, in in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), an aggregate of charged particles is located within the device, wherein, at least within a certain interval of time, the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field has alternating maxima and minima along the length of the area for manipulations with charged particles, then as a result, grouping of charged particles into spatially segmented packets of charged particles is realised.

[0275] In embodiments, the device can be coupled to a storage device containing charged particles. In that case, an aggregate of charged particles would be captured, at least within a certain area of the storage device, at least within a certain interval of time, by the high-frequency electric field with the pseudopotential having one or more local extrema along the length of the space used for manipulations with charged particles, where at least one of said extrema of the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field is transposed with time, at least, within a part of the length of the space used for manipulations with charged particles, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0276] In this way, extraction of charged particles can be performed, in the form of spatially separated packets, at least, of a part of charged particles available in the storage device, due to capture of charged particles by high-frequency electric field and transposition of the extremum or extrema of the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field, along at least a part of the length of the channel, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0277] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), an aggregate of charged particles can be effected by a high-frequency electrostatic field, the pseudopotential of which field has alternating maxima and minima along the length of the area for manipulations with charged particles, transposing with time in a predetermined manner, as a result of which, a time-synchronised transportation of charged particles is realised, in accordance with this time dependence.

[0278] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), alternately-bidirectional movement of charged particles can be realised, because of the fact that the direction of transposition of the extremum of extrema of the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field, at least for a part of the length of the space used for manipulations with charged particles, at a certain point of time, or certain points of time, reverses its sign.

[0279] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), oscillating transposition of charged particles can be realised, because of the fact that transposition of the extremum of extrema of the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field with time, at least, within a part of the length of the space used for manipulations with charged particles, at least within a certain interval of time, has an oscillating pattern.

[0280] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), integration of two or more adjacent, spatially separated packets of charged particles can be realised, as a result of the fact that the value of the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field in the maximum of the pseudopotential, which separates the spatially separated packets, drops, during at least, a certain interval of time.

[0281] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), transition of at least some of charged particles between the adjacent spatially separated packets of charged particles can be realised, at least within a certain interval of time, as a result of the fact that the value of the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field in the maximum of the pseudopotential, which separates the spatially separated packets, drops, during at least, a certain interval of time.

[0282] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), disintegration of at least, one packet of charged particles can be realised, as a result of the fact that the value of the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field in the minimum of the pseudopotential, which minimum corresponds to the location of the packet of charged particles of interest, rises above the barrier level, during at least, a certain interval of time.

[0283] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), escape of at least, some of the charged particles from a packet can be realised, at least, within a certain interval of time, as a result of the fact that the value of the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field in the minimum of the pseudopotential, which minimum corresponds to the location of the packet of charged particles of interest, rises, during at least, a certain interval of time.

[0284] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), transfer of all or some of charged particles from one packet of charged particles to adjacent packet of charged particles can be realised, as a result of the fact that the value of the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field in the maximum of the pseudopotential, which separates the spatially separated packets, drops, whereas the value of the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field in the minimum of the pseudopotential, which minimum corresponds to the location of the packet of charged particles of interest, rises, during at least, a certain interval of time.

[0285] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), creation or restoration of the area of capture of charged particles can be realised, as a result of the fact that the value of the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field, varies, at least over a certain portion of transportation channel, at least within a certain interval of time, thus creating a local minimum.

[0286] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), a zone can be created, for storage of charged particles, because of the fact that at least within a certain interval of time, at least for a certain length of transportation channel, the pseudopotential of high-frequency electric field has no maxima and minima.

[0287] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), for the purpose of enhancement of radial containment of charged particles within the space used for manipulations with charged particles, additional static electric fields, and/or additional quasi-static electric fields, and/or additional AC electric fields, and/or additional pulsed electric fields, and/or additional high-frequency electric fields, and/or superposition of said fields can be used.

[0288] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), for the purpose of enhancement of spatial isolation of the packets of charged particles along the length of the space used for manipulations with charged particles, additional static electric fields, and/or additional quasi-static electric fields, and/or additional AC electric fields, and/or additional AC electric fields, and/or additional pulsed electric fields, and/or additional high-frequency electric fields, and/or superposition of said fields can be used.

[0289] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), for the purpose of enhancement of time synchronisation of transportation of the packets of charged particles, additional static electric fields, and/or additional quasi-static electric fields, and/or additional AC electric fields, and/or additional pulsed electric fields, and/or additional high-frequency electric fields, and/or superposition of said fields can be used.

[0290] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), in order to ensure control of the behaviour of charged particles in the process of transportation of charged particles, additional static electric fields, and/or additional quasi-static electric fields, and/or additional AC electric fields, and/or additional pulsed electric fields, and/or additional high-frequency electric fields, and/or superposition of said fields can be used, the fields being created within the space used for manipulations with charged particles.

[0291] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), in order to ensure control of the behaviour of charged particles with the help of creation of additional potential barriers, and/or pseudopotential barriers, and/or potential wells, or pseudopotential wells, at least within a part of the space used for manipulations with charged particles, at least within a certain interval of time, additional static electric fields, and/or additional quasi-static electric fields, and/or additional AC electric fields, and/or additional pulsed electric fields, and/or additional high-frequency electric fields, and/or superposition of said fields can be used.

[0292] In this way, said potential and pseudopotential barriers and wells can vary with time and/or move in time within the space used for manipulations with charged particles, at least, within a certain interval of time, thus ensuring controllable behaviour of charged particles.

[0293] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), in order to ensure control of the behaviour of charged particles with the help of additional zones of stability and/or additional zones of instability, at least within a portion of the space used for manipulations with charged particles, at least within a certain interval of time, additional static electric fields, and/or additional quasi-static electric fields, and/or additional AC electric fields, and/or additional pulsed electric fields, and/or additional high-frequency electric fields, and/or superposition of said fields can be used.

[0294] In this way, said stability and instability zones can vary with time and/or move with time, within the space used for manipulations with charged particles, at least, within a certain interval of time, thus ensuring controllable behaviour of charged particles.

[0295] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), for the purpose of selective extraction of charged particles, additional static electric fields, and/or additional quasi-static electric fields, and/or additional AC electric fields, and/or additional pulsed electric fields, and/or additional high-frequency electric fields, and/or superposition of said fields can be used.

[0296] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), for the purpose of control of the essential dependence of motion of charged particles on the mass of charged particles, additional static electric fields, and/or additional quasi-static electric fields, and/or additional AC electric fields, and/or additional pulsed electric fields, and/or additional high-frequency electric fields, and/or superposition of said fields are used.

[0297] In embodiments, the channel used for charged particle transportation in the device can have a varying profile, at least along a part of the length of the space used for manipulations with charged particles, in this way, in the course of operation of the device, collection, and/or focussing, and/or compression of the beam of charged particles can be realised in said channel.

[0298] In embodiments, the channel used for charged particle transportation in the device can be closed to form a ring, in this way, in the course of operation of the device, it can be used to create a storage volume for charged particles, and/or trap for charged particles, and/or the space used for manipulations with charged particles, where the channel for charged particle transportation is closed to form a ring.

[0299] In embodiments, for the purpose of creation of storage volume for charged particles, and/or trap for charged particles, and/or space for manipulations with charged particles, the channel for charged particle transportation, operation in an alternately-bidirectional mode, at least within a certain interval of time can be used.

[0300] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), manipulations with charged particles can be performed in vacuum.

[0301] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), manipulations with charged particles can be performed in neutral or ionised gas.

[0302] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), manipulations with charged particles can be performed in the flow of neutral or ionised gas.

[0303] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means)e, the charged particles can arrive into the inlet of the device from an external source.

[0304] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), one can perform manipulations with charged particles generated within the device.

[0305] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), one can perform manipulations with c secondary charged particles generated within the device.

[0306] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), one can perform manipulations with fragmented charged particles generated within the device.

[0307] In embodiments, fragmented charged particles can be generated in case of acceleration of charged particles with the help of electric fields created in the device, due to collisions of said charged particles with molecules of neutral gas and/or with the surfaces inside the device.

[0308] In embodiments, fragmented charged particles can be generated within the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means) as a result of interaction between positively charged and negatively charged particles, integrated into a single spatially separated packet of charged particles.

[0309] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), the charged particles can be extracted from the device in the direction along the channel used for charged particle transportation.

[0310] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), the charged particles can be extracted from the device in the direction, orthogonal or slanting with respect to the channel used for charged particle transportation.

[0311] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), in the process of transportation, equalisation of kinetic energies of charged particles can take place, due to collisions and energy exchange between charged particles and neutral gas molecules.

[0312] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), in the process of movement, mass-filtration of charged particles can take place.

[0313] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), in the process of movement, fragmentation of charged particles can take place.

[0314] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), in the process of movement of charged particles, formation of secondary charged particles can take place.

[0315] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), in the process of movement of charged particles, formation of secondary charged particles can take place as a result of charge-exchange between the charged particles in case of collisions, and charge-exchange between charged particles and neutral gas molecules.

[0316] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), in the process of movement of charged particles, formation of secondary charged particles can take place as a result of charge-exchange between the charged particles in case of collisions, and charge-exchange between charged particles having opposite signs of charge.

[0317] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), in the process of movement of charged particles, formation of secondary charged particles can take place as a result of creation of composite ions in case of collisions and interaction between charged particles and neutral gas molecules.

[0318] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), in the process of movement of charged particles formation of secondary charged particles can take place as a result of creation of composite ions in case of collisions and interactions between the charged particles.

[0319] In embodiments, in the course of operation of the device (the device being configured accordingly, e.g. having corresponding means), manipulations with charged particles can be realised while operating with the packets of charged particles, consisting of positively and negatively charged particles simultaneously.

[0320] We shall consider some variants of application of the device.

[0321] The device can be used for conversion of continuous ion beam into a series of time-synchronised ion pulses, and thus, it can be used as an ion source (ion preparation system). The capability of the device, in terms of manipulations with charged particles, the capability of defining the time dependences for transposition and output of the packets of charged particles, prove to be inestimable when the device is used being coupled to the various outlet devices operating in a pulsed mode. When coupled to such devices, a provision should be made, in order that the intervals of time between successive packets of charged particles exceed the intervals of time required for the output device to perform processing of every next packet, to avoid losses of the charged particles. For the output device, one can use a device, which performs analysis of charged particles (for example, time-of-flight mass spectrometer or RF ion trap), or otherwise, performs a predefined modification of the packet of charged particles (for example, collision cell), or extracts a sub-group of charged particles featuring the required characteristics (for example, mass filter), or transfers the packet of charged particles to another device (for example, another device for transportation of charged particles), or makes use of the pulse of charged particles for some technical applications, or combines intrinsically a number of functions at once.

[0322] The device enables to efficiently convert a continuous beam of charged particles into a series of successive pulses of charged particles, since with an appropriate selection of the velocity of movement of the packets of charged particles along the axis of the device for transportation of charged particles, and respectively, selection of the pulse repetition frequency for the ejecting voltages, analysis of all arriving charged particles would be possible without losses. Note that the velocity of movement of the packets along the axis of the device for transportation of charged particles in the proposed device is defined by the frequency of amplitude modulation and phase shift between the control high-frequency voltages, applied to the electrodes (of frequency difference between close frequencies of high-frequency harmonics, if for the synthesis of control voltages this particular method is used) and can easily be adjusted using electronics. The number of charged particles in each packet can be rather considerable, and according to a tentative assessment, it should be close to the capacity of linear ion trap.

[0323] For those output devices operating in a pulsed mode this method of separation of a continuous beam of charged particles into discrete portions is envisioned to be the most successful. With a proper adjustment of the time intervals between arrival of individual discrete portions of charged particles to the outlet of the transportation device, and respectively, to the inlet of the next device (which, for example, represents a mass analyser operating in a pulsed mode), and the time required to analyse the arrived portion of charged particles, this method allows to analyse all the charged particles received from the continuous beam into the analyser, with almost no losses.

[0324] In addition to conversion of a continuous beam into a series of packets, this device can also have other applications.

[0325] The device can be used in the composition of a range of specialised physical instruments (apparatus), where the above mentioned schemes of its application can be integrated together in case where necessary.

[0326] In particular, the device can be used in the composition of a physical instrument (i.e. be part of the instrument/apparatus), which includes a) device for creation generation of charged particles, b) inlet intermediate device, c) the claimed device for manipulations with charged particles, d) outlet intermediate device, e) a device for detection of charged particles (see FIG. 68).

[0327] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the inlet intermediate device is used for storage of charged particles, or for conversion of properties of the beam of charged particles, or for fragmentation of charged particles, or for generation of secondary charged particles, or filtration of the required group of charged particles, or initial detection of charged particles, or for execution of a number of the aforementioned functions at once.

[0328] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the inlet intermediate device can represent a sequence of inlet intermediate devices, separated, or not separated by transportation devices.

[0329] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the inlet intermediate device may be absent.

[0330] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the outlet intermediate device is used for storage of charged particles, or for conversion of properties of the beam of charged particles, or for fragmentation of charged particles, or for generation of secondary charged particles, or filtration of the required group of charged particles, or initial detection of charged particles, or for execution of a number of the aforementioned functions at once.

[0331] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the outlet intermediate device can represent a sequence of outlet intermediate devices, either separated, or not separated by transportation devices.

[0332] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the outlet intermediate device may be absent.

[0333] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, generation of charged particles can take place within the space of the device for transportation and manipulations with charged particles.

[0334] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, detection of charged particles can take place within the space of the device for transportation and manipulations with charged particles.

[0335] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, escape of charged particles from the device for generation of charged particles and/or the outlet intermediate device, can be locked at certain points of time.

[0336] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, transfer of charged particles to the device for detection of charged particles and/or to the outlet intermediate device, can be locked at certain points of time.

[0337] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the device for generation of charged particles can represent an ion source operating in a continuous mode.

[0338] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the ion source operating in a continuous mode can belong to the group of types of ion sources, which includes: 1) Electrospray Ionisation (ESI) ion source, 2) Atmospheric Pressure Ionization (API) ion source, 3) Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (APCI) ion source, 4) Atmospheric Pressure Photo Ionisation (APPI) ion source, 5) Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) ion source, 6) Electron Impact (EI) ion source, 7) Chemical Ionisation (CI) ion source, 8) Photo Ionisation (PI) ion source, 9) Thermal Ionisation (TI) ion source, 10) various types of gas discharge ionisation ion sources, 11) fast atom bombardment (FAB) ion source, 12) ion bombardment ionisation in Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), 13) ion bombardment ionisation in Liquid Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (LSIMS).

[0339] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the device for generation of charged particles can represent an ion source operating in a pulsed mode.

[0340] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the ion source operating in a pulsed mode can belong to the group of types of ion sources, which includes: 1) Laser Desorption/Ionisation (LDI) ion source, 2) Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation (MALDI) ion source, 3) ion source with orthogonal extraction of ions from continuous ion beam, 4) ion trap, whereas the ion trap, in particular, may belong to a group of device, including: 1) RF ion trap, including linear ion trap, and/or Paul ion trap, and/or RF ion trap with pulsed electric field, 2) electrostatic ion trap, including electrostatic Orbitrap type ion trap, 3) Penning ion trap.

[0341] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the inlet intermediate device can represent: 1) a device, transporting the beam of charged particles from a source of charged particles, 2) a device for accumulation and storage of charged particles, 3) mass-selective device for separation of charged particles of interest, 4) a device for separation of charged particles based on the property of ion mobility or derivatives from ion mobility, 5) a cell for fragmentation of charged particles using various methods, 6) a cell for generation of secondary charged particles using various methods, 7) a combination of the above devices, where said devices can operate in a continuous mode, as well as devices operating in a pulsed mode.

[0342] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the outlet intermediate device can represent: 1) a device, transporting the beam of charged particles to detecting device, 2) a device for accumulation and storage of charged particles, 3) mass-selective device for separation of charged particles of interest, 4) a device for separation of charged particles based on the property of ion mobility or derivatives from ion mobility, 5) a cell for fragmentation of charged particles using various methods, 6) a cell for generation of secondary charged particles using various methods, 7) a combination of the above devices, where said devices can operate in a continuous mode, as well as devices operating in a pulsed mode.

[0343] In embodiments, in the physical instrument, the following devices can be used for detection: 1) a detector of the base of micro-channel plates, 2) diode detectors, 3) semiconductor detectors, 4) detectors based on the measurement of induced charge, 5) mass analyser (mass spectrometer, mass spectrograph, or mass filter), 6) optical spectrometer, 7) spectrometers performing separation of charged particles based on the property of ion mobility or derivatives thereof, where said devices can operate in a continuous mode, as well as devices operating in a pulsed mode.

[0344] In embodiments, in the device of the present invention, in the course of operation thereof within the structure of the physical instrument under consideration, equalisation kinetic energies of charged particles can take place, due to collisions and energy exchange between charged particles and neutral gas molecules.

[0345] In embodiments, in the device of the present invention, in the course of operation thereof within the structure of the physical instrument under consideration, mass-filtration of charged particles can take place.

[0346] In embodiments, in the device of the present invention, in the course of operation thereof within the structure of the physical instrument under consideration, fragmentation of charged particles can take place.

[0347] In embodiments, in the device of the present invention, in the course of operation thereof within the structure of the physical instrument under consideration, formation of secondary charged particles can take place.

[0348] In embodiments, in the device of the present invention, in the course of operation thereof within the structure of the physical instrument under consideration, conversion of continuous beam of charged particles into a discrete series of spatially separated packets of charged particles, required for correct operation of the outlet intermediate device and/or detecting device can take place.

[0349] In embodiments, in the device of the present invention, in the course of operation thereof within the structure of the physical instrument under consideration, conversion of continuous beam of charged particles into a discrete series of time-synchronised packets of charged particles, required for correct operation of the outlet intermediate device and/or detecting device can take place.

[0350] In embodiments, in the physical instrument under consideration, operation of the device for generation of charged particles and/or operation of the inlet intermediate device can be essentially time-synchronised with operation of the device.

[0351] In embodiments, in the physical instrument under consideration, operation of the claimed device can be essentially time-synchronised with operation of the device for detection of charged particles and/or operation of the outlet intermediate device.

[0352] In embodiments, the device can be used as transportation device for a beam of charged particles.

[0353] In embodiments, the device can be used as transportation device for a beam of charged particles with damping of velocities of charged particles due to collisions with gas molecules.

[0354] In embodiments, the device can be used as ion trap.

[0355] In embodiments, the device can be used as a cell for fragmentation of ions.

[0356] In embodiments, the device can be used as storage device for ions.

[0357] In embodiments, the device can be used as a reactor for ion-molecular reactions.

[0358] In embodiments, the device can be used as a cell for ion spectroscopy.

[0359] In embodiments, the device can be used as an ion source for continuous injecting of ions into a mass analyser, or into an intermediate device placed before the mass analyser.

[0360] In embodiments, the device can be used as an ion source for pulsed injecting of ions into a mass analyser or into an intermediate device placed before the mass analyser.

[0361] In embodiments, the device can be used as a mass filter.

[0362] In embodiments, the device can be used as a mass-selective storage device.

[0363] In embodiments, the device can be used as a mass analyser.

[0364] In embodiments, the device can be used in an interface for transportation of charged particles from gas-filled ion sources into mass analyser.

[0365] In embodiments, in the case of its application in an interface for transportation of charged particles into mass analyser, the device can be used, in particular, for transportation of ions, at least over a part of the path between the ion source and the mass analyser.

[0366] In embodiments, in the case of its application in an interface for transportation of charged particles into mass analyser, the device, in particular, can encompass several stages of differential pumping.

[0367] In embodiments, in the case of its application in an interface for transportation of charged particles into mass analyser, the device can be used, in particular, for combining of ion beams from several sources, including: 1) alternate operation with individual sources transferring ions into the device for transportation, focussing and performing manipulations with ions, 2) periodical switching between the main source and the source containing a substance used for calibration, 3) simultaneous operation with a number of sources for mixing of ion beams, or for the purpose to initiate reactions between ions of various types, or for the purpose of mass analyser mass calibration, or for the purpose of mass analyser sensitivity calibration.

[0368] In embodiments, in the case of its application in an interface for transportation of charged particles into mass analyser, the device can be used, in particular, for additional excitation of internal energy of ions, for the purpose of: 1) disintegration of ion clusters, 2) fragmentation of ions, 3) stimulation of ion-molecular reactions, and 4) suppression of ion-molecular reactions.

[0369] In embodiments, in the case of its application in an interface for transportation of charged particles into mass analyser, the device can be used, in particular, for: 1) direct and continuous, or pulsed injection of ions into continuously operating mass analyser, 2) pulsed injection of ions into mass analyser operating in a pulsed mode, 3) pulsed injection of ions into mass analyser, operating in a pulsed mode, with the help of conversion of continuous ion beam into pulsed ion beam, through the instrumentality of orthogonal acceleration device.

[0370] In embodiments, the device can be used in a convertor of continuous ion beam into discrete (i.e. packeted) ion beam.

[0371] In embodiments, in the case of its application for conversion of continuous ion beam into discrete ion beam, the device, in particular, can receive continuous ion beam at the inlet and produce a beam consisting of discrete packets of ions at the outlet, directly into an output device operating is pulsed mode.

[0372] In embodiments, in the case of its application for conversion of continuous ion beam into discrete ion beam, the output discrete packets of ions in the device, in particular, can be essentially time-synchronised.

[0373] In embodiments, in the case of its application for conversion of continuous ion beam into discrete ion beam, the device, in particular, can encompass several stages of differential pumping; in that way, the pressure of gas can vary essentially along the length of said device, and injecting of ions into the mentioned device can take place at essentially higher pressure as compared with the ion outlet area and the mentioned device.

[0374] In embodiments, the device can be used in an ion accumulation device, wherein accumulation of ions takes place within the device.

[0375] In embodiments, in the case where the device is used in an ion accumulation device, the device can provide mass selectivity of the device.

[0376] In embodiments, the device can be used in the structure of ion source; in that case, the generation of ions can take place within the device.

[0377] In embodiments, in the case where the device is used in the structure of an ion source, the high-frequency fields created in the claimed device can be used for: 1) confinement of ions, 2) transportation of ions along a defined path, 3) excitation of internal energy of ions, 4) collisional damping of the velocity of ions, 5) collisional cooling of internal energy of ions, 6) conversion of discrete ion beam into continuous or quasicontinuous ion beam, 7) protection of solid surfaces of ion source against contamination with the material under investigation and accumulation of electric charges, 8) confinement of ions with opposite charges, 9) confinement of ions within a wide mass range, 10) coarse filtration of ions based on the parameter of mass-to-charge ratio.

[0378] In embodiments, the device can be used in the structure of a cell for fragmentation of ions, wherein, confinement of ions within the device can be realised due to the effect of high-frequency electric fields of the device, and fragmentation of ions is caused by: 1) injecting of ions into said device with sufficiently high kinetic energy, 2) drop of ions onto the surface of the elements of said device, 3) fast-particle bombardment of ions, 4) lighting of ions with photons, 5) fast electron impact on ions, 6) slow electron impact on ions and dissociation of ions as a result of electron capture, 7) ion-molecular reactions of ions with particles having opposite charges, 8) ion-molecular reactions with aggressively acting vapours.

[0379] The following numbered paragraphs contain statements of broad combinations of the inventive technical features herein disclosed:

[0380] 1. Device for manipulations with charged particles, containing a series of electrodes located so as to form a channel used for transportation of charged particles; a power supply unit to provide supply voltages to be applied to said electrodes for the purpose of creation of a non-uniform high-frequency electric field within said channel; pseudopotential of said field having one or more local extrema along the length of said channel for transportation of charged particles, at least within a certain interval of time; whereas at least one of said extrema of the pseudopotential is transposed with time, at least within a certain interval of time, at least within a part of the length of the channel used for transportation of charged particles.

[0381] 2. Device according to paragraph 1, wherein, said pseudopotential has alternating maxima and minima along the length of the channel used for transportation of charged particles.

[0382] 3. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, extremum or extrema of said pseudopotential is transposed with time, in accordance with a certain time law, at least within a part of the length of the channel, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0383] 4. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the direction of transposition of extremum or extrema of said pseudopotential changes the sign, at certain point or certain points of time, at least for a part of the length of the channel.

[0384] 5. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, transposition of extremum or extrema of said pseudopotential has oscillating pattern, at least within a part of the length of the channel, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0385] 6. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the pseudopotential is uniform along the length of the channel, at least within a certain interval of time, at least within a certain part of the length of transportation channel.

[0386] 7. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, successive extrema, or successive maxima only, or successive minima only, of said pseudopotential, are monotone increasing, at least within a part of the length of the channel, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0387] 8. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein successive extrema, or successive maxima only, or successive minima only, of said pseudopotential, are monotone decreasing, at least within a part of the length of the channel, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0388] 9. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the value of said pseudopotential in one or more points of local maxima of said pseudopotential varies along the length of the channel, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0389] 10. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the value of said pseudopotential in one or more points of local minima of said pseudopotential varies along the length of the channel, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0390] 11. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, additional voltages are applied to electrodes; said voltages being DC voltages, and/or quasi-static voltages, and/or AC voltages, and/or pulsed voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages, thus providing control of radial confinement of charged particles within the channel for transportation of charged particles.

[0391] 12. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, additional voltages are applied to electrodes; said voltages being DC voltages, and/or quasi-static voltages, and/or AC voltages, and/or pulsed voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages, thus providing unlocking and/or locking the escape of charged particles through the ends of the channel used for transportation of charged particles.

[0392] 13. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, additional voltages are applied to electrodes; said voltages being DC voltages, and/or quasi-static voltages, and/or AC voltages, and/or pulsed voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages, thus providing control of spatial isolation of the packets of charged particles from each other along the length of the channel used for transportation of charged particles.

[0393] 14. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, additional voltages are applied to electrodes; said voltages being DC voltages, and/or quasi-static voltages, and/or AC voltages, and/or pulsed voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages, thus providing control of time synchronisation of the transportation of packets of charged particles.

[0394] 15. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, additional voltages are applied to electrodes; said voltages being DC voltages, and/or quasi-static voltages, and/or AC voltages, and/or pulsed voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages, thus providing additional control of the transportation of charged particles.

[0395] 16. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, additional voltages are applied to electrodes; said voltages being DC voltages, and/or quasi-static voltages, and/or AC voltages, and/or pulsed voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages, thus providing control of the movement of charged particles within the local areas of capture of charged particles.

[0396] 17. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, additional voltages are applied to electrodes; said voltages being DC voltages, and/or quasi-static voltages, and/or AC voltages, and/or pulsed voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages, thus providing creation of additional potential or pseudopotential barriers, and/or potential or pseudopotential wells along the channel for transportation of charged particles, at least in one point of the path within said channel, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0397] 18. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, said potential or pseudopotential barriers, and/or potential or pseudopotential wells vary with time or travel with time along the transportation channel, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0398] 19. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, additional voltages are applied to electrodes; said voltages being DC voltages, and/or quasi-static voltages, and/or AC voltages, and/or pulsed voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages, thus providing creation of additional zones of stability and/or additional zones of instability along the channel for transportation of charged particles, at least in one point of the path within said channel, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0399] 20. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, said zones of stability and/or zones of instability vary with time or travel with time along the transportation channel, at least, within a certain interval of time.

[0400] 21. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, additional voltages are applied to electrodes; said voltages being DC voltages, and/or quasi-static voltages, and/or AC voltages, and/or pulsed voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages, thus providing selective extraction of charged particles.

[0401] 22. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, additional voltages are applied to electrodes; said voltages being DC voltages, and/or quasi-static voltages, and/or AC voltages, and/or pulsed voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages, thus providing control of essential dependence of the motion of charged particles on the mass of charged particles.

[0402] 23. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, frequency of the supply voltage applied to electrodes varies, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0403] 24. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the channel used for transportation of charged particles has a rectilinear orientation.

[0404] 25. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the channel used for transportation of charged particles has a curvilinear orientation.

[0405] 26. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the channel used for transportation of charged particles has variable profile along the length of the channel.

[0406] 27. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the channel used for transportation of charged particles is closed to form a loop or a ring.

[0407] 28. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, an additional electrode or electrodes are located in the central part of the channel used for transportation of charged particles.

[0408] 29. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the channel used for transportation of charged particles is subdivided into segments.

[0409] 30. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, the channel used for transportation of charged particles consists of a series of channels attached to each other, possibly, interfaced by additional zones or devices.

[0410] 31. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, the channel used for transportation of charged particles is formed by a number of parallel channels for charged particle transportation, at least, in some part of the channel.

[0411] 32. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, the channel used for transportation of charged particles is split within some part of the channel, into a number of parallel channels.

[0412] 33. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, a number of parallel channels for charged particle transportation are connected along some sector thereof, to form a single channel for transportation of charged particles.

[0413] 34. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the channel used for transportation of charged particles contains an area, which performs the function of storage volume for charged particles, the said area located at the inlet to the channel, and/or at the outlet from the channel, and/or inside the channel.

[0414] 35. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the channel used for transportation of charged particles is plugged, at least at either end, at least within a certain interval of time.

[0415] 36. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the channel used for transportation of charged particles has a stopper controlled by electric field, at least at one of the ends.

[0416] 37. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the channel used for transportation of charged particles contains a mirror controlled by electric field, whereas said mirror is placed in the channel used for charged particle transportation, at least at one of the ends.

[0417] 38. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, containing a device used for inlet of charged particles, located in the channel used for charged particle transportation, whereas said inlet device operates in a continuous mode.

[0418] 39. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, containing a device used for inlet of charged particles, located in the channel used for charged particle transportation, whereas said inlet device operates in a pulsed mode.

[0419] 40. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, containing a device used for inlet of charged particles, located in the channel used for charged particle transportation, whereas said inlet device is capable of switching between continuous mode of operation and pulsed mode of operation.

[0420] 41. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, containing a device used for outlet of charged particles, located in the channel used for charged particle transportation, whereas said outlet device operates in a continuous mode.

[0421] 42. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, containing a device used for outlet of charged particles, located in the channel used for charged particle transportation, whereas said outlet device operates in a pulsed mode.

[0422] 43. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, containing a device used for outlet of charged particles, located in the channel used for charged particle transportation, whereas said outlet device is capable of switching between continuous mode of operation and pulsed mode of operation.

[0423] 44. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, containing a device for generation of charged particles, located in the channel used for charged particle transportation, whereas said generating device operates in a continuous mode.

[0424] 45. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, containing a device for generation of charged particles, located in the channel used for charged particle transportation, whereas said generating device operates in a pulsed mode.

[0425] 46. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, containing a device for generation of charged particles, located in the channel used for charged particle transportation, whereas said generating device is capable of switching between continuous mode of operation and pulsed mode of operation.

[0426] 47. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, a non-uniform high-frequency electric field within the channel is created by the supply voltages in the form of high-frequency harmonic voltages, and/or periodic non-harmonic high-frequency voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages having frequency spectrum, which contains two or more frequencies, and/or high-frequency voltages having frequency spectrum, which contains an infinite set of frequencies, and/or high-frequency pulsed voltages, whereas said voltages undergo amplitude modulation, or otherwise, a superposition of the said voltages is used.

[0427] 48. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, a non-uniform high-frequency electric field within the channel is created by the supply voltages in the form of high-frequency harmonic voltages, and/or periodic non-harmonic high-frequency voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages having frequency spectrum, which contains two or more frequencies, and/or high-frequency voltages having frequency spectrum, which contains an infinite set of frequencies, and/or high-frequency pulsed voltages, whereas said voltages undergo frequency modulation, or otherwise, a superposition of the said voltages is used.

[0428] 49. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, a non-uniform high-frequency electric field within the channel is created by the supply voltages in the form of high-frequency harmonic voltages, and/or periodic non-harmonic high-frequency voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages having frequency spectrum, which contains two or more frequencies, and/or high-frequency voltages having frequency spectrum, which contains an infinite set of frequencies, and/or high-frequency pulsed voltages, whereas said voltages undergo phase modulation, or otherwise, a superposition of the said voltages is used.

[0429] 50. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, a non-uniform high-frequency electric field within the channel is created by the supply voltages in the form of high-frequency harmonic voltages, and/or periodic non-harmonic high-frequency voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages having frequency spectrum, which contains two or more frequencies, and/or high-frequency voltages having frequency spectrum, which contains an infinite set of frequencies, and/or high-frequency pulsed voltages, whereas the said voltages feature two or more neighbour fundamental frequencies, or otherwise, a superposition of the said voltages is used.

[0430] 51. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, a non-uniform high-frequency electric field within the channel is created by the supply voltages in the form of high-frequency harmonic voltages, and/or periodic non-harmonic high-frequency voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages having frequency spectrum, which contains two or more frequencies, and/or high-frequency voltages having frequency spectrum, which contains an infinite set of frequencies, and/or high-frequency pulsed voltages, whereas the said voltages are converted into time-synchronised trains of high-frequency voltages, or otherwise, a superposition of the said voltages is used.

[0431] 52. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, a non-uniform high-frequency electric field within the channel is created by the supply voltages in the form of high-frequency voltages, synthesised using a digital method.

[0432] 53. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the aggregate of electrodes represents repetitive electrodes.

[0433] 54. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the aggregate of electrodes represents repetitive cascades of electrodes, whereas configuration of electrodes in an individual cascade is not necessarily periodical.

[0434] 55. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, some of the electrodes or all the electrodes can be solid, whereas the other electrodes or a part of the other electrodes are disintegrated to form a periodic string of elements.

[0435] 56. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, high-frequency voltages may not be applied to certain electrodes.

[0436] 57. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, certain electrodes, or all the electrodes in the aggregate of electrodes have multipole profile.

[0437] 58. Wherein, certain electrodes, or all the electrodes in the aggregate of electrodes have coarsened multipole profile formed by plane, stepped, piecewise-stepped, linear, piecewise-linear, circular, rounded, piecewise-rounded, curvilinear, piecewise-curvilinear profiles, or by a combination of the said profiles.

[0438] 59. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, certain electrodes, or all the electrodes in the aggregate of electrodes, represent thin metallic films deposited on a non-conductive substrates.

[0439] 60. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, certain electrodes, or all the electrodes in the aggregate of electrodes are wire and/or mesh, and/or have slits and/or other additional apertures making the said electrodes transparent for gas flow, or enabling reduction of the resistance for the gas flow through the said electrodes.

[0440] 61. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, vacuum is created in the channel used for transportation of charged particles.

[0441] 62. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the channel used for charged particle transportation is filled with a neutral gas, and/or (partly) ionised gas.

[0442] 63. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, a flow of neutral and/or (partly) ionised gas is created in the channel used for transportation of charged particles.

[0443] 64. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, several electrodes or all of the electrodes have slits and/or apertures intended for inlet of charged particles into the device, and/or outlet of charged particles from the device.

[0444] 65. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, the gap between the electrodes is used for inlet of charged particles into the device, and/or outlet of charged particles from the device.

[0445] 66. Device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein, additional pulsed or stepwise voltages are applied, at least to a part of electrodes, at least within some interval of time; whereas the said voltages enable inlet of charged particles into the device, and/or outlet of charged particles from the device, and/or confinement of charged particles within the device.

EXAMPLES AND FURTHER DISCUSSION

[0446] Operation of the device is demonstrated using the following examples.

Example 1

[0447] For the electrodes 1, the system of electrodes described above was used, the system consisting of periodic sequence of plane diaphragms with square cross-section (FIG. 53). Geometrical parameters and dimensions of the specified system of electrodes are shown in FIG. 69, geometrical dimensions of single diaphragm with square aperture are shown in FIG. 70.

[0448] For the supply voltage, sinusoidal supply with amplitude modulation was used. Periodic sequence of electrodes was subdivided into groups of four electrodes. The first electrodes in each group were supplied with electric voltage +U.sub.0 cos(δt)cos(ωt), the second electrodes were supplied with voltage +U.sub.0 sin(δt)cos(ωt), the third electrodes were supplied with voltage −U.sub.0 cos(δt)cos(ωt), the fourth electrodes were supplied with voltage −U.sub.0 sin(δt)cos(ωt). The fundamental frequency of sinusoidal supply was selected to be equal to ω=1 MHz, the frequency of amplitude modulation of sinusoidal supply was selected to be equal to δ=1 kHz, the amplitude of sinusoidal supply was selected to be equal to U.sub.0=400 V. The transportation channel was filled with buffer gas, for the buffer gas, nitrogen gas was used (molecular mass 28 amu) at pressure of 2 mTorr (1 Torr=1 mm Hg) and temperature of 300 K. For the charged particles, singly charged ions having the mass of 609 amu were used. As one can see from FIG. 71, the behaviour of charged particles met the expectations: breaking-up of the continuous cloud of charged particles into individual, spatially separated packets, and uniform movement of said packets along the axis of the device took place. The velocity of movement of the clouds of charged particles was in compliance with the expected velocity, and was defined by the frequency of amplitude modulation δ.

Example 2

[0449] For the electrodes 1, the system of electrodes described above was used, the system consisting of periodic sequence of alternating plane diaphragms with rectangular cross-sections (FIG. 59). Geometrical parameters and dimensions of the specified system of electrodes are shown in FIG. 72, geometrical dimensions of single diaphragm with square aperture are shown in FIG. 73.

[0450] For the supply voltage, sinusoidal supply with amplitude modulation was used. Periodic sequence of electrodes was subdivided into groups of four electrodes. The first electrodes in each group were supplied with electric voltage +U.sub.0 cos(δt)cos(ωt), the second electrodes were supplied with voltage +U.sub.0 sin(δt)cos(ωt), the third electrodes were supplied with voltage −U.sub.0 cos(δt)cos(ωt), the fourth electrodes were supplied with voltage −U.sub.0 sin(δt)cos(ωt). The fundamental frequency of sinusoidal supply was selected to be equal to ω=1 MHz, the frequency of amplitude modulation of sinusoidal supply was selected to be equal to δ=1 kHz, the amplitude of sinusoidal supply was increased up to U.sub.0=2000 V (2 kV). The transportation channel was filled with buffer gas, for the buffer gas, nitrogen gas was used (molecular mass 28 amu) at pressure of 2 mTorr and temperature of 300 K. For the charged particles, singly charged ions having the mass of 609 amu, and singly charged ions having the mass of 5000 amu. Amplitude of sinusoidal supply was increased in comparison with example 1, for more efficient manipulation with charged particles of heavier mass. As one can see from FIG. 74, the behaviour of charged particles met the expectations: breaking-up of the continuous cloud of charged particles of both masses into individual, spatially separated packets, and uniform movement of said packets along the axis of the device took place. The velocity of movement of the clouds of charged particles was in compliance with the expected velocity. As opposed to the previous example, the clouds of charged particles in this example are extended more in vertical direction, and their geometrical dimensions in radial direction along the axis OY and along the axis OZ (coordinate axis OX is selected here as the axis) are decreased and increased periodically, according to passage of a cloud of charged particles through alternating rectangular sections of diaphragms.

Example 3

[0451] For the electrodes 1, the system of electrodes described above was used, the system consisting of periodic sequence of plane diaphragms, consisting of plane electrodes and providing quadrupole structure of electric field in the section of diaphragm (FIG. 55). Geometrical parameters and dimensions of the specified system of electrodes are shown in FIG. 75, geometrical dimensions of single square diaphragm consisting of four independent plane electrodes are shown in FIG. 76.

[0452] For the supply voltage, sinusoidal supply with amplitude modulation was used. The electrodes, designated in FIG. 76 as <<A>> electrodes, electric voltage was supplied opposite in phase with electric voltage supplied to the electrodes designated in FIG. 76 as <<B>> electrodes. Periodic sequence of diaphragms was subdivided into groups of four, composed of consecutive diaphragms. The first diaphragms in each group of four were supplied with electric voltage ±U.sub.0 cos(δt)cos(ωt) (the sign of <<plus>> or <<minus>> is selected depending on whether this electrode of the diaphragm is designated as <<A>> electrode, or <<B>> electrode), the second diaphragms were supplied with electric voltage ±U.sub.0 sin(δt)cos(ωt), the third diaphragms were supplied with electric voltage +U.sub.0 cos(δt)cos(ωt), the fourth diaphragms were supplied with electric voltage +U.sub.0 sin(δt)cos(ωt). Fundamental frequency of sinusoidal supply was selected to be equal to ω=1 MHz, frequency of amplitude modulation of sinusoidal supply was selected to be equal to δ=1 kHz. Due to the fact that for quadrupole configuration of electrodes axial field is weakened considerably as against the configuration of electrodes composed of simple diaphragms, the amplitude of sinusoidal supply was increased up to U.sub.0=4000 V. The transportation channel was filled with buffer gas. For the buffer gas, nitrogen gas was used (molecular mass 28 amu) at pressure of 2 mTorr and temperature of 300 K. For the charged particles, singly charged ions of both polarities (positively and negatively charged) having the mass of 609 amu were used. As one can see from FIG. 77, the behaviour of charged particles met the expectations: breaking-up of the continuous cloud of charged particles into individual, spatially separated packets, and uniform movement of said packets along the axis of the device took place. The velocity of movement of the clouds of charged particles was in compliance with the expected velocity. One can also see that the charged particles having opposite charges are controlled equally by the applied electric field. In this example the clouds of charged particles are blurred to a higher degree as compared with example 1, which is associated with the fact that the axial distribution of the high-frequency field is weakened to a large degree, and as a result, the local pseudopotential wells have shallower depth and less steep borders. In addition, in this case, high-frequency field near the edges of electrodes have considerably higher amplitude, and as a result, repels much stronger the charged particles from the edges of diaphragm towards its centre.

Example 4

[0453] For the electrodes 1, the system of electrodes was used, consisting of periodic sequence of slotted quadrupole-like electrodes and two solid quadrupole-like electrodes, which provides quadrupole structure of electric field in the cross-section of transportation channel (general view of the device is shown in FIG. 60). Geometrical parameters and dimensions of the specified system of electrodes are shown in FIG. 78, geometrical dimensions of quadrupole-like profiles of electrodes are shown in FIG. 79.

[0454] For the supply voltage, sinusoidal supply with amplitude modulation was used, which was supplied to slotted electrodes, designated in FIG. 79 as <<B>> electrodes. RF voltages were not supplied to the solid electrodes, designated in FIG. 79 as <<A>> electrodes; these were permanently at zero voltage. Periodic sequence of the oppositely located sectionalised electrodes was subdivided into groups of four. The first pair of electrodes in each group was supplied with electric voltage +U.sub.0 cos(δt)cos(ωt), the second pair of electrodes was supplied with electric voltage +U.sub.0 sin(δt)cos(ωt), the third pair of electrodes was supplied with electric voltage −U.sub.0 cos(δt)cos(ωt), the fourth pair of electrodes was supplied with electric voltage −U.sub.0 sin(δt)cos(ωt). Fundamental frequency of sinusoidal supply was selected to be equal to ω=1 MHz, frequency of amplitude modulation of sinusoidal supply was selected to be equal to δ=1 kHz. Due to the fact that for quadrupole configuration of electrodes axial field is weakened considerably as against the configuration of electrodes composed of simple diaphragm, the amplitude of sinusoidal supply was increased up to U.sub.0=3000 V (3 kV). The transportation channel was filled with buffer gas, for the buffer gas, nitrogen gas was used (molecular mass 28 amu) at pressure of 2 mTorr and temperature of 300 K. For the charged particles, singly charged, doubly charged, and triple-charged ions having the mass of 609 amu were used. The amplitude of electric field was selected to be high enough for efficient manipulation with the particles carrying different charges. As one can see from FIG. 80, the behaviour of charged particles met the expectations: breaking-up of the continuous cloud of charged particles into individual, spatially separated packets, and uniform movement of said packets along the axis of the device took place. The velocity of movement of the clouds of charged particles was also in compliance with the expected velocity and was defined by the frequency δ.

Digital Drive Method

[0455] Embodiments comprise a digital drive method for generation of the high frequency voltage. That is, embodiments comprise digital waveforms. The application of digital drive/waveforms provides for particularly practical implementation compared to alternative methods.

[0456] For example, harmonic waveforms may readily and reliably be provided using tuned RF generators. Such devices typically contain a highly tuned resonant LC circuit. Such devices can be used to drive a very well defined capacitive load. However, when such devices are used in combination in embodiments of the present invention, their application benefits from further explanation. The digital drive method introduced above provides for a straight forward method for generating the necessary periodic signals. The digital drive technology is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,193,207 and the disclosures and methods in U.S. Pat. No. 7,193,207 are incorporated herein by reference. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 7,193,207 describes digital drive apparatus for ‘driving’ (that means providing periodic waveforms for various mass spectrometer devices such as quadrupole or quadrupole ion trap. U.S. Pat. No. 7,193,207 describes a digital signal generator (programmable impulse device as introduced above) and a switching arrangement, which alternately switches between high and low voltage levels (V1, V2) to generate a rectangular wave drive voltage. The digital signal generator may be controlled via a computer of other means, to control the parameters of the square waveform, such as the frequency and the duty cycle and phase. Furthermore the digital periodic waveform may be terminated at a precise phase. One may also envisage more complex waveforms produce by the digital method by switching arrangement with three or more high voltage switches.

[0457] For example the waveform shown in FIG. 81 can be generated using a switching arrangement having three switches. Furthermore several switching arrangements may be combined into a single system, all controlled by a single digital signal generator, thus providing several signals similar to that shown in FIG. 81 having precisely controlled phase relationship to each other, and or defined and controllable frequency or duty cycle. By suitable combination, for example, a high frequency square wave, provided by the digital method, may be modulated in amplitude by a lower frequency square waveform also provided by the digital method. Furthermore, amplitude modulation of the square waveform derived by the digital method may be achieved by harmonic signals superimposed to the high and low voltage levels of a digital switching arrangement. FIGS. 82, 83 and 84 show alternative waveforms. FIG. 82 shows a discrete signal with amplitude modulation as cos(x). FIG. 83 shows two discrete signals with slightly different frequencies. FIG. 84 shows the sum of two signals with slightly different frequencies.

[0458] The application of square waveforms (where the waveforms are not necessarily square ones but can have an arbitrary shape) provided by the digital method and applied to the present invention may be illustrated by the example where the device is formed by a system of electrodes representing a series of plates each having coaxial apertures, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 53, 54 and 55, and the wavelength of the “Archimedes” wave repeats every 4 plate electrodes, as seen in profile in FIG. 2. Any of the following waveforms may be applied to provide the moving pseudopotential wells using the “square” waveforms provide by the digital method. The following tabulated waveforms are provided as an example, applied to the case where the Archimedes wave repeats after 4 electrodes. The digitally produce waveform may, for example, be non-symmetrical positive or negative pulses. In all cases “w” is the frequency of the digital waveform and “t” is time, and “V” is a discrete voltage level which defines the amplitude of the digitally synthesised waveform and “a” is the frequency of the Archimedes wave, and “fun( )” is the function that describes the digitally synthesised waveform which may be consist of single sided pulses of duty cycle ratio of 0.5 and mathematically defined over a single cycle as: fun(w*t)=V if 0<w*t<½, fun(w*t)=0 if ½<w*t<1. Or two side pulses of duty cycle ratio of 0.5 and mathematically defined over a single cycle as fun(w*t)=V if 0<w*t<½, fun(w*t)=−V if ½<w*t<1, or a three level waveform, may be defined over a single cycle as: fun(w*t)=V if 0<w*t<¼, fun(w*t)=0 if ¼<w*t<½, fun(w*t)=−V if ½<w*t<¾, fun(w*t)=0 if ¾<w*t<1. It should be understood that this is a small subset of possible digitally synthesised signals.

TABLE-US-00001 Pulse modulation With modulation function Electrode Amplitude Combination of close F(a*t) = 1 if 0 < a*t < ½, number modulation frequencies F(a*t) = 0 if (½) < a*t < 1 1   cos(a*t)*fun[w*t]   fun[(w − a)*t] + fun[(w + art] F(a*t + 0/4)*fun[w*t] 2   sin(a*t)*fun[w*t]   fun[(w − a)*t] − fun[(w + art] F(a*t + ¼)*fun[w*t] 3 −cos(a*t)*fun[w*t] −fun[(w − a)*t] − fun[(w + art] F(a*t + ½)*fun[w*t] 4 −sin(a*t)*fun[w*t] −fun[(w − a)*t] + fun[(w + art] F(a*t + ¾)*fun[w*t]

[0459] Similar functions may be derived for the phase or frequency modulated methods, or similarly waveforms may be derived where the Archimedes wavelength repeats every 3,5, 6,7, 8,9, 10,11, 12 or more electrodes. That is, any other number of reiterative electrodes, periodical or not. For the device with fixed repeating distance the speed of propagation is determined by parameter a, thus is controlled by the programmable digital signal generator. The application of digitally synthesised waveforms may equally be applied to all electrode structures described herein.

[0460] With reference to example 1 and FIG. 71, the bunching of ions may be equally achieved when the applied signals are digitally synthesised. FIG. 85 shows a further case in relation to example 1. This figure was achieved with the following parameters. Two sided square pulses of duty cycle ratio of 0.5, amplitude modulation method was also given by two side square pulses of duty cycle ratio of 0.5 with a frequency a, and using the following parameters w=1 MHz, a=1 kHz, V=1 kV, and a constant pressure in the device of 0.26 Pa, and ion mass of 609 Da. The simulation demonstrates that ions initially distributed along the axis are formed into bunches and conveyed along the axis in bunches.

Pressure gradient and Orthogonal Extraction

[0461] In embodiments, the device comprises means for for preparing ions and extracting ions into a time of flight mass analyser, as discussed above. In particular for extracting ions in an orthogonal direction from the device, the technical advantages of extracting ions directly from a multipole ion guide are described in patent application PCT/GB2012/000248, whose contents are incorporated herein by reference, therein is described an ion guide with at least one extraction region for extracting ions into a direction orthogonal to the axis of the ion guide. The configuration describes therein the advantage of bunching the ions as they propagate the ion guide. The bunching confers the advantage of increased duty cycle and the increased operational scan-rate, and both aspects provide greater sensitivity and dynamic range and thus greater commercial value of the instrumentation compared to prior art ion-trap-ToF hybrid instruments.

[0462] An embodiment of PCT/GB2012/000248 is reproduced in FIG. 86 for convenience, having a segmented ion guide, with one segment designated as an extraction segment. In this example taken from PCT/GB2012/000248, ion bunches are provided, by application of suitable quasi-static waveform so that ion bunches are spaced every 4th segment. The system is operated such as an ion bunch passes into the extraction region, the RF voltage, providing the radial confinement, is momentarily switched off and another voltages means applied, refer as an extraction voltage. In this example the extraction voltage supply means would be applied exactly one 4.sup.th the frequency of the quasi-static ion conveying waveform. Practically this extraction waveform is applied as each potential well becomes aligned with the centre of the extraction regions. The extraction waveform causes ions to exit the ion guide in a substantially orthogonal direction. In preferred embodiments the extraction waveform is synchronised with the RF waveform in addition to the conveying or packeting waveform. An example is given therein the instrument at a scan rate of 4 KHz, the DC level of the quasi-static ion conveying waveform would be applied for a duration of 250 μs. That is the ion packets would progress one segment at a frequency of 4 kHz. It is noted by the inventors that for achieving the maximum efficiency of ion transport one set of rods of the segmented ion guide or alternatively auxiliary rods have shortened segmented such that the propagating ion bunch can be made shorter than the total length of the extraction region and preferably comparable to or less the length of the extraction located within the extraction segment. It is noted that such an embodiment can therefore not only provide fast scanning but also a 100% duty cycle. A further embodiment is described therein where the linear ion guide is constructed from a quadrupole rod set having continuous rods, in one plane (x) and segmented rods in the orthogonal plane (y) Thus, invention provide a linear ion guide, that receives ions in the form of a continuousion beam along its longitudinal axis, said linear ion guide having at least one segment configured as an extraction region and additionally having a ion packeting means effective to convert the continuous ion beam into bunches propagating in the axial direction. Wherein the ion packeting means is provided by segmented rods or segmented auxiliary electrodes located between or outside the main poles of the ion guide and wherein ion extraction pulses are synchronised to the ion packeting means. The auxiliary electrodes have DC voltages to define the axial DC ramp or packeting/bunching function, whereas the poles of the ion guide carry the RF trapping voltage.

[0463] PCT/GB2012/000248 further teaches that advantage of passing the ion guide through an region of elevated pressure that is located upstream and prior to an at least one extraction region. This arrangement is useful because the ions are preferably delivered cool into the extraction region, that is low energy and low energy spread of the ions, and preferably in or close to thermal equilibrium to the containing buffer gas, however, the pressure in the extraction region, in contradiction, is advantageously low, and preferable lower than 1×10.sup.−3 mbar, so as to avoid scattering of ions with the buffer gas atoms during acceleration from the extraction region. Such scattering results in the undesirable loss of resolving power and mass accuracy in the ToF analyser. However, this pressure is not consistent with the pressure need to provide effective cooling, which is preferable higher than 1×10.sup.−2 mbar.

[0464] Returning to an embodiment described in PCT/GB2012/000248 the extraction region of the ion guide has preferably a separate voltage supply means for effecting radial ion trapping, that is separate from the voltage supply means dedicated to other segments of the ion guide, this feature allows ions to be retained in other parts of the on guide at the same time as ions are removed from the extraction region. As noted above, an embodiment of PCT/GB2012/000248 is reproduced in FIG. 86 for convenience, having a segmented ion guide, with one segment designated as an extraction segment. The extraction segment is capable of transmitting ions or extraction ions and is an integral part of the ion guide. Also shown in FIG. 86 it is the quasi-static bunching voltages, repeated at several instances of time, for propagating ions along the device in bunches. The propagation of ions through multipole ions guides spanning region of differing pressure is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,427, and a stated application of the device is for delivering ions to a ToF device albeit in this case (U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,427) the pulsing device is physically separated from the multipole ion guide, and no bunching means is taught therein. Specifically U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,427 describes general apparatus, with at least two vacuum stages each having a pump means, the first of which is in communication with said ion source and subsequent chambers are in communication with each other via a multipole ion guide which is effectively located in a plurality of said vacuum stages. However, this patent does not teach how to move ions along the multipole device, without increasing the energy of the ions and in at least a practically useful transit time and nor in a time synchronised manner.

[0465] Both the above prior art devices exhibit the following limitation: although ions may be moved to a region of high pressure where efficient cooling may take place, and subsequently or progressively move ions to a second region of lower pressure, the static voltages (U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,427), or quasi-static (PCT/GB2012/000248) voltages necessarily re-introduce additional energy to the transported ions, that is transporting ions along the ion guide requires their acceleration in the axial direction, some of which is also redirected to lateral energy. Another document relating to orthogonal extraction of ions into ToF is GB2391697B. This document describes an ion guide that receives ions and traps them within axial trapping regions and translates them along the axial length of said ion guide and ions are then released from said one or more axial trapping regions so that ions exit said ion guide in a substantially pulsed manner to an ion detector which is substantially phase locked to the pulses of ions emerging from the exit of the ion guide. Therein is described only quasi-static voltage means for transporting ions, and as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,427 there in only described a means for pulsing ions that is external to the ion guide, inherent in this design is the need for phase locking to the external device to the exiting ion bunches. Whereas in embodiments of the present invention ions are ejected from the ion guide. This is a distinct advantage as there is no requirement for phase locking to an external ion detector or ToF analyser.

[0466] Thus embodiments of the present invention overcome the problem of the prior art and provide a means to transport ions at constant velocity, resulting in cool ions bunch when viewed in the lateral direction.

[0467] Indeed simulation shows ions that have reached thermal equilibrium with the buffer gas maybe transported without increasing of the energy or energy spread of the ions in the lateral direction. Thus by cooling the buffer gas, for example to liquid nitrogen or liquid helium temperatures, ions may be transported with very low effective temperature. Thus embodiments comprise a device for use in mass spectrometer applications (e.g. in a mass spectrometer) for delivering ions in/to a low pressure region in a cooled state. Wherein suitably the pressure is lower than 5×10.sup.−3 mbar, preferably lower than 1×10.sup.−3 mbar and further preferably lower than 5×10.sup.−4 mbar.

[0468] Alternatively the device may be used to transport ions from low pressure region into a higher pressure region, at least where the buffer gas flow is characterised by molecular flow, that is where the quantity L/λ is <0.01, where L is the dimension of the of guide and λ is the mean free path of the gas atoms between collisions.

[0469] Accordingly, embodiments comprise a device for conveying ions from a gas pressure region into to a vacuum region, and still furthermore and in combination as a device, in particular, that can encompass several stages of differential pumping; in that way, the pressure of gas can vary essentially along the length of said device, and optionally injecting of ions into the mentioned device at higher pressure as compared with the ion outlet area of the mentioned device, furthermore in the device, in the course of operation thereof within the structure of the physical instrument under consideration, equalisation of kinetic energies of charged particles can take place, due to collisions and energy exchange between charged particles and neutral gas molecules and still furthermore and in combination, the device can be used, in particular, for the pulsed injection of ions into a mass analyser operating in a pulsed mode.

[0470] By way of specific example we describe a detailed ion optic simulation. The embodiment of the device as shown in FIG. 71 was used, in simulation to transport ions along a 300 mm long device. The pressure of the buffer gas in the device was 2.6×10-3 mbar, and in the given example the 609 Da ions were initiated in the entrance at thermal energy, 0.025 eV as recorded in a lateral direction, the ions were conveyed in a bunch along the device employing an Archimedean wave of frequency 2 kHz and providing at translational velocity of 80 ms.sup.−1, further in this example the ion bunches are separated axially by 20 mm, thus an ion bunch is delivered to the proceeding device at the rate of 4 kHz. Ion were recorded at 100 mm, 200 mm and 300 mm from the entrance of the device, and the energy spread was recorded at 0.029 eV, 0.022 eV and 0.025 eV respectively when measured at suitable phases of the RF voltage.

[0471] In a second simulation a pressure gradient was imposed such that ions pass from high pressure of 2.6×10.sup.−2 mbar to lower pressure of 2.6×10.sup.−5 mbar, thus spanning three orders of magnitude of pressure. In this cases ion bunches were effective transported as discrete bunches and also without increase in the recorded lateral energy spread of ions.

[0472] In embodiments the invention can be used to deliver ions to a time of flight mass analyser as described above and in PCT/GB2012/000248, but overcoming the limitations so that ions maybe delivered in cooler to the extraction region than in the prior art, and additionally at a lower pressure within the extraction regions. These two distinctions provide for greater resolving power from the ToF analyser. Furthermore the invention provides for all necessary pulsed voltages for effective operation and high duty cycle and high scan speed as described within PCT/GB2012/000248. Thus in general the current invention provides a device for manipulations with charged particles, containing a series of electrodes located so as to form a channel used for transportation of charged particles; a power supply unit to provide supply voltages to be applied to said electrodes for the purpose of creation of a non-uniform high-frequency electric field within said channel; pseudopotential of said field having one or more local extrema along the length of said channel for transportation of charged particles, at least within a certain interval of time; whereas at least one of said extrema of the pseudopotential is transposed with time, at least within a certain interval of time, at least within a part of the length of the channel used for transportation of charged particles, and wherein: the supply voltages are in the form of periodic non-harmonic high-frequency voltages synthesised using a digital method, or otherwise, a superposition of the said voltages and wherein additional voltages are applied to electrodes; said voltages being DC voltages, and/or quasi-static voltages, and/or AC voltages, and/or pulsed voltages, and/or high-frequency voltages, thus providing control of time synchronisation of the transportation of packets of charged particles. Wherein the device maybe further configured so that the injection of ions into the device can takes place at a higher pressure compared to the ion outlet region. And wherein the device is further configured to be time-synchronised with the operation of a device for detection of charged particles. And wherein the device is configured at least one point along its length to extract charged particles in the direction orthogonal or slanting with respect to the direction of charged particle transportation.

Collision Cell

[0473] In embodiments, the device is used within (suitably forms part of) the structure of a cell for fragmentation of ions, wherein, the fragmentation of ions is caused by injecting of ions into said device with sufficiently high kinetic energy. The device overcomes a well understood problem of collision cell operationstanding for several years, which can be explained by means of the following example: In quantative analysis of known anlaytes, for example drug samples, one knows the species, under investigation, and the analysis seeks to find out how much of that drug exists relating to a particular circumstance. In such cases on uses a calibration standard at a constant concentration to provide a relative measure of the concentration of the drug under analysis. Frequently analysts use a Deuterated analogue of the drug as the calibration standard, that is a function group has Deuteron atoms instead of Hyrdrogen atoms. In such cases the analyte and the calibrant have a parent mass that differs by for example 2 Da, but both have a common fragment ion when the ions when the ions are submitted for analysis by MS2. MS2 analysis may be used in preference to MS1 for superior sensitivity and specivity. As the two species are chemically identical they co-elute from an LC column, and thus enter the mass spectrometer at the same time. In the case the physical instrument under consideration is a Triple quadrupole (QqQ) or a quadrupole ToF (Q-ToF). In either case the quadrupole is made to select or transmit the analyte and the calibrant precursor sequentially, typically switching periodically back and forth between the two ions for example at a rate of 50 or 100 or even 200 times a second, or in some cases preferably higher. The problem relates to the transit times of the fragment ions through the collision cell body once formed and after the energetic injection of the parent ion. Due to the high pressure within the collision cell, at least some fragment ions can be cooled to thermal energies and spend several 10s or even 100s of milli seconds to pass through the device and in the absence of any propelling means, and in some cased become trapped for considerably longer time. The detrimental effect is that the mass spectrometer measured the incorrect concentration because some calibrant ions are mistaken for analyte ions.

[0474] There are already several methods to address this problem, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,250 a DC gradient is introduced by various means between the entrance and exit of the collision cell so as to keep fragment ions moving through the device and limiting residence time. U.S. Pat. No. 6,800,846 teaches the use of a transient DC applied to segmented rods to overcome the same problem using a different method. There are also other methods employed such as RF gradients, inclined rods, auxiliary rods, all aimed to reduce the transit times of fragment.

[0475] Embodiments of the present invention address the same problem, and provide additional improvement in performance: In preferred embodiments the device is used within the structure of the inlet intermediate device, within the structure of the of the collision cell and within the structure of the outlet intermediate device, hereafter referred as region 1, region 2 and region 3. The capabilities and features of the device hereto described, allow ions to be transmitted within bunches through all three regions of the said device. Fragmentation of the parent ions, is provided in the normal way, that is by injecting of ions into said device, that is from region 1 into region 2 with sufficiently high kinetic energy, resulting in excitation of internal energy of ions through multiple collisions with buffer has atoms. In another view a DC potential is applied between region 1 and region 2. Such a process is commonly known as Collision Induced Dissociation (CID). By application of the features of the present invention the bunches of parent ions propagate into the device confined within discrete bunches and the resulting fragment (or daughter ions) remain within the same propagating bunch as the parent they were derived from and without mixing with ions from the proceeding or proceeding bunches, where the confinement of ions can be realised due to aspects of the claimed device as previously described. Wherein suitably the device provides that the time interval between successive packets of charged particles may be matched to the time intervals required by anoutput device to perform further processing, to avoid losses of the charged particles. For the output device, one can use a device, which performs analysis of charged particles (for example, time-of-flight mass spectrometer or RF ion trap).

[0476] Further advantages may be understood with respect to the prior art, for example the speed of propagation of the Archimedean wave as it passes through the device may be suitably slowed, such that daughter ions are suitable cooled to gain or regain thermal equilibrium with the buffer gas, before transmission to the lower pressure region 3, and for onward processing or detection, a feature not available in any prior art device, for the reasons explained elsewhere. Thus the flexibility of the current invention provides physical simplification, for example the length of the device, and thus the physical size not only of the device itself, but the associated structure of the physical instrument. The reduction in the length also provides a reduction in the multiple of pressure and length, it may be made optionally lower than is possible in prior art device. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,875 for reference to the importance of this parameter.

[0477] The electrode structure of each region maybe selected from general types shown and previously described in FIGS. 1, 2, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60 and 79. One preferred embodiment is when the selected electrodes are of the type shown in FIG. 55, a quadrupole formed from planar electrodes. Another preferred embodiment is when the selected electrodes are of the type shown in FIG. 57, a quadrupole formed from triangular electrodes. These types, and similar types lend themselves most effectively to be enclosed by the electrically insulating supporting structure, as for example as shown in FIG. 87, which is formed from four electrodes (6) and four insulators where the four insulators (5) form part of a supporting structure.

[0478] Another preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 88 having four electrodes (8) and an insulator (7) where the insulator (7) forms the supporting structure. These preferred embodiments of the claimed device provide the possibility in construction to designate one or more segments of the claimed device, as conductance segments and used for establishing pressure differentials within the device. Thus returning to the case that the device is used within the structure of a cell for fragmentation of ions, the said central region may be held at elevated pressure with respect to the said first and third regions, this one preferred embodiment is represented in FIG. 89 having regions 1 to 3, and region 2 having at least two conductance limiting segments (4). This physical construction of a collision cell when in combination with the device (e.g. in an instrument/apparatus) provides for the efficient transporting of ions between differing pressure regions compared to prior art collision cell device where apertures are used for proving the conductance limits. In a most preferred embodiment the arrangement represented in FIG. 89 is located within a single vacuum chamber having at least one vacuum pump for pumping away gas.

[0479] When electrodes are formed from the type shown in FIG. 1, 34, 35 or 53, the conductance limiting segments may also be readily introduced in construction, see one embodiment in FIG. 90. Having regions 1 to 3 for conveying ions according to methods of the present invention, where the region 2 is designated to be the collision cell region having a gas inlet 4, two conductance limiting sections and which are connected by tube 7 such that the collision cell region 2 may be maintained at a higher pressure than regions 1 and 3, and further that regions 1 to 3 are located within a single vacuum chamber with at least one pump for pumping away gas.

Electron Transfer Dissociation (ETD)

[0480] In further embodiments, the device is used as (suitably is, or is part of) an ion-ion reaction cell. Features of the present invention may be advantageously applied to existing methods of ion-ion reaction cells providing additional improved characteristics and solving problems of prior art ETD devices. The most common method of ion fragmentation involving ion-ion reactions is that of Electron Transfer Dissociation (ETD). ETD is particularly applied to the fragmentation of protein and peptide ions. This method provides advantages in the field of protein sequencing as the fragmentation mechanism is largely independent of the amino acid sequence. ETD was previously implemented in commercial mass spectrometers, its implementation within an adapted Linear Ion Trap instrument is described within [John E. P. Syka et al., PNAS, vol. 101, No. 26, pp. 9528-9533]. Therein a method to trap positive (analyte) and negative (reactant) ions is described within a Linear Ion Trap (LIT) mass spectrometer. Confinement along the axis is achieved by establishing pseudo potential barriers in the end segments of the device. A reaction time of 10 ms or more is needed for the reaction to fully take place, that is for the generation of the product ions from the parent analyte ions. For this reason the implementation of ETD as described by Syka, is not suitable for application to high throughput mass spectrometers of the Q-ToF or QqQ configuration. These issues were addressed in part by EP1956635, where analyte ions and reactant ions are transmitted together in bunches by moving pseudo potential wells. Essentially, reactions take place as the ion bunches are moving along the ion guide, the resultant fragment ions thus delivered for analysis on arrival at a downstream mass analyser. This invention in principle provides the possibility to implement the ETD method with the Q-ToF or QqQ device without reduction in throughput or sensitivity, and is able to preserve the time order in which ion bunches entered the device, and thus may preserve chromatographic resolution when the physical instrument is to be employed in LCMS applications. All details for effective implementation are not taught within EP1956635. There is described therein a device those structure is limited to a plurality of electrodes each having a circular hole opened therein, and the method of providing the moving pseudo potential wells is limited to amplitude modulated sinusoidal RF waveforms.

[0481] EP1956635 does not teach methods to introduce ions of both polarity to the device with high efficiency, or to match the ETD device to the proceeding device, the output intermediate device, nor to time synchronize to an output device, nor does it teach the most practical methods for its implementation. The generalised methods taught by the present invention and devices described may be applied to provide a high throughput ETD method applicable for a wide range of devices and instrument formats. The present invention provides methods for overcoming the limitations within EP1956635. In principle any reaction time may be accommodated in the high throughput device by proper choice of the device length and the speed of propagation of the pseudo potential wells through the device. The requirements of the output device may also dictate the length of the device with regard the frequency of operation of the output intermediate device. For example, if the reaction time is 50 ms and the output devices has a frequency of operation of 1000 Hz, then there must be 50 bunches simultaneously transmitting at any one time. Thus for a wavelength of the Archimedean wave fixed at 40 mm, at total length in the prior art device would be 40×50 mm or 2 m in length, which in practice is much too long. As one aspect of the current invention is to provide for variation of the repetition distance of ion bunches within the device as they propagate. Thus in the currently discussed application of ETD the separation of the ion bunched can be spaced at the entrance and exit regions for the effective matching to the requirements of intermediate input and output devices, but may be made significantly smaller in the central region such that the overall device length may be reduced, that means that ion bunches would move slower but would become more closed space along the axis and thus the residence time may be maximised for a given device length. Similarly the frequency of the Archimedean waveform could alternatively be adjusted, that is reduced in the central portion. Alternatively in the case long reaction times must be accommodated in a high throughput device, an curved or semi-circular ion guide of the form illustrated in FIG. 32 may be employed, equally for providing a compact device. All these measures provide a high throughput ETD device, with minimised space the requirements within an instrument.

Viscous Flow

[0482] An important application Archimedean device is the transport of ions through viscous gases, define by pressures that give rise to the quantity L/λ>0.01, where L is the dimension of the of guide and λ is the mean free path. By particular example the device may be applied/used to transporting ions from the interface region of high pressure ion sources, or in the transporting of ions to, from and within analytical devices operating under viscous flow conditions such as ion mobility or differential ion mobility devices. There will be several apparent advantages of those skilled in the art. One apparent advantage, compared to prior art methods, is in the transport of fragile ions, such as those commonly encountered in organic mass spectrometer. These molecular ions forced to move through gas media by electrical field may readily fragment due to increasing of their internal energy. Prior art systems attempting to focus ions by static localized in space fields, particularly in the interface region between chambers of differing pressures. Such focusing schemes subjected them to short impulse forces, and the voltages that may be applied is limited by the onset of fragmentation of the transported molecular ions. In contract the current device may apply a continuous field to accomplish the focusing and thus may achieve high transport efficiency at lower field strength and thus reduce fragmentation than prior art devices

[0483] The following passage teaches the parameters relating an Archimedean device that must be considered to transport ions in bunches taking into account the gas flow and viscosity. The following examples illustrate the correct parameter in use independent of gas pressure and flow velocity. While for low gas pressures the gas media performs the cooling of ions and nearly does not influence their transitional movement, for higher gas pressures this is not so. Let us first consider the transportation in a motionless gas. With reasonably good approximation the ion movement in a gas media can be represented by the effective Stokes' force (or drag force) proportional to the difference between the ion velocity and gas velocity. For the motionless gas media the only velocity is the ion's velocity induced by the Archimedean wave with the pseudopotential Ū(z,t)=(qU.sub.RF.sup.2/4m L.sup.2ω.sup.2)cos.sup.2 (z/L−t/T), where U.sub.RF is the amplitude of the amplitude-modulated RF voltages applied to the electrodes, L is the characteristic length between the electrodes and between the local Archimedean wells, ω is the frequency of the RF voltages, T is the characteristic time of the amplitude modulation which controls the characteristic time of the Archimedean wave shift, q is the ion's charge, m is the ion's mass, z is the coordinate along the axis, t is time (FIG. 91). The pseudopotential's minima points at time t have the coordinates z.sub.k=t(L/T)+πL(k+½). The maximal driving pseudo force corresponding to the k-th minima is near the trailing front end of the wave at z.sub.k=(−π/4)+t(L/T)+πL(k+½), and it is equal to F=(q.sup.2U.sub.RF.sup.2/4m L.sup.3ω.sup.2). However, the velocity of the pseudopotential wall at this point is equal to ż=L/T. If the ion is moving at least with the same velocity, as the Archimedean wave trailing front end does, the Stokes' frictional force acting on it is given by F=−γż=−γL/T, where γ is an effective friction coefficient characterizing the influence of collisions with the neutral gas molecules. It can be seen that when γ(L/T)>(q.sup.2U.sub.RF.sup.2/4mL.sup.3ω.sup.2) the ion cannot move with the same velocity as the Archimedean wave does. That is, for sufficiently big γ (for sufficiently dense gas media) the ion cannot follow the Archimedean wave in a synchronized way, its velocity is lower.

[0484] The following figures correspond to the model simulations performed in normalized coordinates. It is most informative to illustrate the behavior in normalized coordinates because in this way it is possible to separate the important characteristic features of the movement from the unimportant ones. By introducing the normalized variables x=L.sub.d.Math.X, y=L.sub.d.Math.Y, z=L.sub.d.Math.Z, U=L.sub.u.Math.u, t=L.sub.t.Math.τ, V.sub.x=L.sub.v.Math.v.sub.x, V.sub.y=L.sub.v.Math.v.sub.y, V.sub.z=L.sub.v.Math.v.sub.z, γ=L.sub.g.Math.g, where L.sub.d, L.sub.u, L.sub.t, L.sub.g, etc., are some scaling coefficients and X, Y, Z, u, τ, v.sub.x, v.sub.y, v.sub.z, g, etc., are the corresponding dimensionless variables, in particular, for the Archimedean wave described by the pseudopotential Ū(z,t)=(qU.sub.RF.sup.2/4mL.sup.2ω.sup.2)cos.sup.2(z/L−t/T), where U.sub.RF is the amplitude of the amplitude-modulated RF voltages applied to the electrodes, L is the characteristic length between the electrodes and between the local Archimedean wells, a is the frequency of the RF voltages, T is the characteristic time of the amplitude modulation which controls the characteristic time of the Archimedean wave shift, q is the ion's charge, m is the ion's mass, z is the coordinate along the axis, t is time, it is useful to select the scaling coefficients like L.sub.t=T/2π, L.sub.d=L/2π, L.sub.u=mL.sup.2/qT.sup.2, L.sub.v=L/T, L.sub.g=2πm/T.

[0485] In this case the voltages applied to the electrodes are represented as ±u.sub.RF cos(2πτ)cos(Ωτ+φ), ±u.sub.RF sin(2πτ)cos(Ωτ+φ) where u.sub.RF is the dimensionless voltage applied to the electrodes and Ω=ωT/2π=vT is the dimensionless RF circular frequency, the Archimedean wave is represented as ū.sub.0 cos.sup.2(2π(Z−τ)), where ū.sub.0˜(u.sub.RF.sup.2/4Ω.sup.2) is the dimensionless pseudopotential amplitude, etc. In particular, the dimensionless equations of motion are represented as {umlaut over (X)}=(∂u/∂X)−g({dot over (X)}−v.sub.x), Ÿ=(∂u/∂Y)−g({dot over (Y)}−v.sub.y), {umlaut over (Z)}=−(∂u/∂Z)−g(Ż−v.sub.z) and the motion depends on dimensionless values u.sub.RF, Ω, g, v.sub.x, v.sub.y, v.sub.z only. This enables scaling of geometrical sizes and/or to scale the amplitudes and frequency of the RF voltages applied to the electrodes, and or the A-wave velocity in a wide range.

[0486] The following examples are illustrated for the simplified case where γ=q/K where mobility data is widely available both theoretically and experimentally. This limits the present treatment to values of ratio of electrical field strength to number density to <20 Townsends. More general the viscosity should be considered as by γ(ω)≈const.sub.1+const.sub.2.Math.w where w=√{square root over (({dot over (x)}−V.sub.x).sup.2+({dot over (y)}−V.sub.y).sup.2+(ż−V.sub.z).sup.2)} is the relative velocity between the ion and the gas flow. However, limitation is not important for the purpose of current teaching. The invention is not limited to constant viscosity region, but may expanded to more general case where γ(w) is dependent on the relative velocity between the ion and the gas flow.

[0487] Further aspects of the invention will become apparent by way of example FIG. 92 shows the movement of two ions placed inside neighboring Archimedean wells when the gas pressure is zero. It can be seen that the ions move with the same constant averaged velocities making oscillations inside the local Archimedean wells, as it should be in according with the theory. FIG. 93 shows the same ions at some gas pressure (normalized gas viscosity is 10), transported within motionless gas media. It can be seen that here the ions also move with the same constant averaged velocities making oscillations inside the local Archimedean wells, however, more detailed view discloses that the viscous Archimedean wave velocity is damped here proportionally to the damping coefficient characterizing the pseudopotential in a gas media. FIG. 94 shows the same system at higher gas pressure (normalized gas viscosity is 50), and it can be seen that here the ions do not follow the Archimedean wave, but they continue to move from entry to exit with some independent and non-uniform velocities (lower than that stimulated by the Archimedean wave). However, FIG. 95 shows that for higher gas pressure (normalized gas viscosity is 73) ion can no longer move with the Archimedean wave, every two cycles ion slit to the preceding well. At a critical value of normalized gas viscosity is 162, the ions stop moving altogether, making only the oscillations near some equilibrium position. FIG. 96 shows the movement of a sample ion at various gas pressures, it demonstrates the dependence of the effective velocity of an ion on the gas pressure values.

[0488] Similar effect happens when there is a gas flow that forces the ions to move with its velocity (due to gas viscosity) while the Archimedean wave tries to synchronize the ion movement with its own velocity. The Archimedean wave Ū(z,t)=(qU.sub.RF.sup.2/4m L.sup.2ω.sup.2)cos.sup.2(z/L−t/T) here is the same as that in the previous example; however, here we are looking for the retarding force at the leading edge of the wave (FIG. 91). The maximal retarding pseudo force corresponding to the k-th minima is near the leading front end at z.sub.k=(+π/4)+t(L/T)+πL(k+½) and it is equal to F=(q.sup.2U.sub.RF.sup.2/4m L.sup.3ω.sup.2). However, the velocity of the pseudopotential wall at this point is equal to ż=L/T, and if the ion is moving with a velocity which is not greater than that for the Archimedean wave leading front edge, the driving Stokes' frictional force is no less than F=γ(V−ż)=γ(V−L/T), where γ is an effective friction coefficient characterizing the influence of collisions with the neutral gas molecules and V is the velocity of the gas flow. It can be seen that when V>(q.sup.2U.sub.RF.sup.2/4mL.sup.3ω.sup.2)/γ+L/T the ion cannot move with the same velocity as the Archimedean wave. It means that for sufficiently big V (for sufficiently strong gas flow) and/or for sufficiently big γ (for sufficiently dense gas media) the ion cannot follow the Archimedean wave in a synchronized manner, to do so the velocity of the Archimedean wave should be greater, or the maximal retarding pseudo force should be greater. Similar effects takes place for the retarding gas flows: the ions are away from the wave because they are too strongly forced to follow the gas flow due to the viscosity effects.

[0489] The following figures illustrate this effect. FIG. 97 shows the movement of two ions characterized by slightly different viscosity coefficients (corresponding to slightly different mobility data) placed inside neighboring Archimedean wells while the gas flow is zero. It can be seen that the ions move with the same constant averaged velocities making small oscillations inside the local Archimedean wells, as it should be in accordance with the theory. FIG. 98 illustrates the behavior of the system at the same gas pressure with a non-zero assisting gas flow in the same direction as that of the Archimedean wave (the normalized gas flow velocity is 2.0, and is greater than that of the Archimedean wave itself). Under these conditions the -wave effect is conserved in this case but the equilibrium position is shifted by +0.05 from the well minimum in normalized units. FIG. 99 shows the same ions at a higher assisting gas flow (normalized gas velocity is 50 and normalized gas flow of 2.7), the gas flow velocity is above a critical and the Archimedean wave effect is destroyed, the equilibrium point is shifted too much and the gas flow pushes the ions through the RF barriers of the Archimedean wave and forces the ions to jump forward between the local Archimedean wells. At still higher normalized gas flow the Archimedean-Wave effect becomes negligible as compared to the gas flow. FIG. 100 demonstrates the dependence of the asymptotic velocity of the sample ion for different gas flow velocities.

[0490] These examples demonstrate that for transporting ions in bunches defined bunches using an Archimedean wave the Archimedean wave properties should be chosen according to the gas viscosity and the gas velocity, this is important when the Archimedean ion guide is used to transport the ions from the high pressure region to the low pressure region (or to the vacuum region), may be by passing several stages of the differential pumping. The same examples demonstrate that when the parameters of the Archimedean wave are controlled correctly, the Archimedean effect exists and can be utilized effectively for high pressure transporting of ions, even when there is a flowing gas.

[0491] Furthermore in embodiments the device is used in (suitably is part of or is) an interface for transportation of charged particles from gas-filled ion sources into mass analyser, and in the case of its application in an interface for transportation of charged particles into mass analyser, and in particular, when the device transports through several stages of differential pumping, and wherein the parameters of Archimedean wave are adjusted in at least some of one or more said stages, so as to maintain bunched ion transport in all of one or mare stages.