# US 12,111,286 B2 · Ion mobility analysis apparatus

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,111,286 B2
- Document ID: US12111286B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/712,506
- Filed: 2022-04-04
- Published: 2022-10-27
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-21
- Assignees: Shimadzu Corporation
- Applicants: Shimadzu Corporation
- Inventors: Xiaoqiang Zhang; Keke Wang; Wenjian Sun
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111286B2

## CPC

- G01N 27/622: Ion mobility spectrometry
- G01N 27/623: combined with mass spectrometry
- H01J 49/004: {Combinations of spectrometers, tandem spectrometers, e.g. MS/MS, MSn}
- H01J 49/40: Time-of-flight spectrometers (H01J49/36 takes precedence)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

A high duty cycle ion mobility analysis apparatus includes an ion source, first and second ion storage zones, and an ion mobility analyzer. The ion mobility analyzer includes first and second channels containing a gas flow coaxial with an ion migration direction and a direct current electric field in the opposite direction of the gas flow, and the direct current electric fields in the channels are different in strength. In a continuous scanning period, ions that have not reached appropriate scanning conditions or have missed the appropriate scanning conditions and thus are unable to pass through the mobility analyzer are temporarily stored in two independent ion storage zones without being lost to be analyzed by the mobility analyzer until conditions of the scanning period or a next scanning period are appropriate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ion mobility analysis apparatus, comprising:
an ion source for continuously generating ions, which contain analyte ions;
a first ion storage zone located downstream of the ion source;
a second ion storage zone located downstream of the ion source; and
an ion mobility analyzer located downstream of the ion source for receiving the ions generated by the ion source and performing mobility analysis;
wherein the ion mobility analyzer comprises an ion inlet, a first channel, a second channel and an ion outlet, wherein after the ions generated by the ion source enter the ion inlet, they pass through the first channel and the second channel successively and leave the ion mobility analyzer from the ion outlet, wherein the first ion storage zone is located at an end of the second channel distal to the ion outlet, and the second ion storage zone is located at an end of the first channel proximal to the ion inlet;
wherein the ion mobility analyzer is configured to scan at least one operating parameter that varies according to time t as a function f(t) in an operating period from t0 to t1, so that ions with different mobilities pass through the ion mobility analyzer sequentially, the function f(t) is a monotonic function of time t, the analyte ions pass through the ion mobility analyzer in an operating parameter range of [f(tA), f(tB)], and t0<tA<tB<t1;
the operating period is repeated multiple times, and in each operating period excluding the first operating period:
in the stage of t0≤t<tA, the analyte ions generated by the ion source in the stage of t0≤t<tA pass through a part of the ion mobility analyzer to enter the first ion storage zone;
in the stage of tB≤t<t1, the analyte ions generated by the ion source in the stage of tB≤t<t1 pass through a part of the ion mobility analyzer to enter the second ion storage zone; and
in the stage of tA≤t≤tB, the analyte ions generated by the ion source in the stage of tA≤t≤tB, the analyte ions stored in the first ion storage zone in the operating period, and the analyte ions stored in the second ion storage zone in a previous operating period pass through the ion mobility analyzer to enter a next stage analysis apparatus or be detected by a detector.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ion mobility analysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
only ions with mobility larger than a pre-set ion mobility K1 pass through the first channel, and only ions with mobility smaller than a pre-set ion mobility K2 pass through the second channel, wherein K1<K2, so that only ions with mobility between K1 and K2 pass through the ion mobility analyzer; or
only ions with mobility smaller than a pre-set ion mobility K1 pass through the first channel, and only ions with mobility larger than a pre-set ion mobility K2 pass through the second channel, wherein K2<K1, so that only ions with mobility between K1 and K2 pass through the ion mobility analyzer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The ion mobility analysis apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first channel and the second channel contain a gas flow coaxial with an ion migration direction and a direct current electric field in the opposite direction of the gas flow, and the direct current electric field in the first channel and the direct current electric field in the second channel are different in field strength.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The ion mobility analysis apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operating parameter is an electric field strength.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The ion mobility analysis apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first channel and the second channel are both linear structures, and an included angle between the two channels is not less than 90 degrees.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The ion mobility analysis apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the mode of scanning the electric field strength is linear continuous scanning, curvilinear continuous scanning, segmented scanning or a combination of the above scanning mode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The ion mobility analysis apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first ion storage zone is located in front of the second channel, and the second ion storage zone is located in front of the first channel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The ion mobility analysis apparatus according to claim 7 wherein a radio frequency electric field and a direct current electric field are applied into the first ion storage zone and the second ion storage zone to store the ions.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The ion mobility analysis apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first ion storage zone is located in front of the first channel, and the second ion storage zone is located in front of the second channel.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The ion mobility analysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein further comprising a mass analyzer downstream of the ion mobility analyzer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The ion mobility analysis apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the mass analyzer is a quadrupole mass filter or a magnetic mass analyzer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The ion mobility analysis apparatus according to claim 10, wherein in the stage of tA≤t≤tB, the analyte ions pass through the ion mobility analyzer and enter the mass analyzer, at this time, the operating parameters of the mass analyzer are also set to be suitable for the analyte ions to pass through the mass analyzer.

### Claim 13

An ion mobility analysis method, comprising:
providing an ion source for continuously generating ions, which contain analyte ions;
providing a first ion storage zone located downstream of the ion source;
providing a second ion storage zone located downstream of the ion source; and
providing an ion mobility analyzer located downstream of the ion source for receiving the ions generated by the ion source and performing mobility analysis;
wherein the ion mobility analyzer comprises an ion inlet, a first channel, a second channel and an ion outlet, wherein after the ions generated by the ion source enter the ion inlet, they pass through the first channel and the second channel successively and leave the ion mobility analyzer from the ion outlet, wherein the first ion storage zone is located at an end of the second channel distal to the ion outlet, and the second ion storage zone is located at an end of the first channel proximal to the ion inlet;
wherein the ion mobility analyzer is configured to scan at least one operating parameter that varies according to time t as a function f(t) in an operating period from t0 to t1, so that ions with different mobilities pass through the ion mobility analyzer sequentially, the function f(t) is a monotonic function of time t, the analyte ions pass through the ion mobility analyzer in an operating parameter range of [f(tA), f(tB)], and t0<tA<tB<t1;
the operating period is repeated multiple times, and in each operating period excluding the first operating period:
in the stage of t0≤t<tA, the analyte ions generated by the ion source in the stage of t0≤t<tA pass through a part of the ion mobility analyzer to enter the first ion storage zone;
in the stage of tB<t≤t1, the analyte ions generated by the ion source in the stage of tB<t≤t1 pass through a part of the ion mobility analyzer to enter the second ion storage zone; and
in the stage of tA≤t≤tB, the analyte ions generated by the ion source in the stage of tA≤t≤tB, the analyte ions stored in the first ion storage zone in the operating period, and the analyte ions stored in the second ion storage zone in a previous operating period pass through the ion mobility analyzer to enter a next stage analysis apparatus or be detected by a detector.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The ion mobility analysis method according to claim 13, wherein
only ions with mobility larger than a pre-set ion mobility K1 pass through the first channel, and only ions with mobility smaller than a pre-set ion mobility K2 pass through the second channel, wherein K1<K2, so that only ions with mobility between K1 and K2 pass through the ion mobility analyzer; or
only ions with mobility smaller than a pre-set ion mobility K1 pass through the first channel, and only ions with mobility larger than a pre-set ion mobility K2 pass through the second channel, wherein K2<K1, so that only ions with mobility between K1 and K2 pass through the ion mobility analyzer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The ion mobility analysis method according to claim 14, wherein the first channel and the second channel contain a gas flow coaxial with an ion migration direction and a direct current electric field in the opposite direction of the gas flow, and the direct current electric field in the first channel and the direct current electric field in the second channel are different in field strength.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The ion mobility analysis method according to claim 14 wherein the operating parameter is an electric field strength.