# US 12,112,935 B2 · Ion guide > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,112,935 B2 - Document ID: US12112935B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/613,796 - Filed: 2020-05-29 - Published: 2022-07-07 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-31 - Assignees: Micromass UK Limited - Applicants: Micromass UK Limited - Inventors: Kevin Giles; Jakub Ujma; James Harrison; Bharat Chande; Graham Scambler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112935B2 ## CPC - H01J 49/02: Details - H01J 49/065: {having stacked electrodes, e.g. ring stack, plate stack} - G01N 27/622: Ion mobility spectrometry - H01J 49/022: {Circuit arrangements, e.g. for generating deviation currents or voltages (regulating electric or magnetic variables in general, e.g. current, magnetic field G05F); Components associated with high voltage supply (high voltage supply per se H02M)} - H01J 49/025: {Detectors specially adapted to particle spectrometers (data acquisition H01J49/0036; detectors per se G01T, e.g. G01T1/28, G01T1/29)} - H01J 49/42: Stability-of-path spectrometers, e.g. monopole, quadrupole, multipole, farvitrons - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - 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) ## Abstract An ion guide or ion trap that comprises a plurality of electrodes (102) is disclosed. The ion guide or ion trap includes a detector (205) that can detect light or particles (114) emitted from the ion guide or ion trap due to electrical breakdown, and a control circuit (111) that can control the ion guide or ion trap in response to the detector (205) detecting light or particles (114) emitted from the ion guide or ion trap. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ion guide and/or trap comprising: a plurality of electrodes; a detector configured to detect light or particles emitted from the ion guide and/or ion trap due to electrical breakdown; and a control circuit configured to control the ion guide and/or ion trap in response to the detector detecting light or particles emitted from the ion guide and/or ion trap. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ion guide and/or trap of claim 1, comprising one or more voltage sources configured to apply one or more voltages to the plurality of electrodes; wherein the control circuit is configured to control the ion guide and/or ion trap by controlling the one or more voltages applied to the plurality of electrodes. ### Claim 3 An ion guide and/or trap comprising: a plurality of electrodes; one or more voltage sources configured to apply one or more voltages to the plurality of electrodes; a detector configured to detect light in the vicinity of the electrodes; and a control circuit configured to reduce, remove or turn off one or more of the one or more voltages in response to the detector detecting light in the vicinity of the electrodes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The ion guide and/or trap of claim 2, wherein the one or more voltage sources comprise an RF voltage source configured to apply an RF voltage to the electrodes; and wherein the control circuit is configured to reduce, remove or turn off the RF voltage in response to the detector detecting light or particles. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ion guide and/or trap of claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a photodiode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The ion guide and/or trap of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged within a housing, and wherein an inner surface of the housing is reflective. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ion guide and/or trap of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged to form an ion guiding path having a length selected from the group consisting of: (i) ≥5 cm; (ii) ≥10 cm; (iii) ≥20 cm; (iv) ≥30 cm; (v) ≥40 cm; and (vi) ≥50 cm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ion guide and/or trap of claim 1, wherein the ion guide and/or ion trap is configured such that ions have a residence time within the ion guide and/or ion trap selected from the group consisting of: (i) ≥50 ms; (ii) ≥100 ms; (iii) ≥200 ms; (iv) ≥300 ms; and (v) ≥400 ms. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ion guide and/or trap of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged to form a closed-loop ion guiding path. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An ion mobility separator comprising the ion guide and/or trap of claim 1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An analytical instrument comprising the ion guide and/or trap of claim 1. ### Claim 12 A method of operating an ion guide and/or trap comprising a plurality of electrodes, the method comprising: detecting light or particles emitted from the ion guide and/or ion trap due to electrical breakdown; and controlling the ion guide and/or trap in response to detecting light or particles emitted from the ion guide due and/or ion trap to electrical breakdown. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising applying one or more voltages to the plurality of electrodes, and controlling the ion guide and/or trap by controlling the one or more voltages applied to the plurality of electrodes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising applying an RF voltage to the electrodes; and reducing, removing or turning off the RF voltage in response to detecting light or particles emitted from the ion guide and/or ion trap. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the detector comprises a photodiode, and the method comprises detecting light emitted from the ion guide and/or trap using the photodiode. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged within a housing, and wherein an inner surface of the housing is reflective. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged to form an ion guiding path having a length selected from the group consisting of: (i) ≥5 cm; (ii) ≥10 cm; (iii) ≥20 cm; (iv) ≥30 cm; (v) ≥40 cm; and (vi) ≥50 cm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising operating the ion guide and/or ion trap such that ions have a residence time within the ion guide and/or ion trap selected from the group consisting of: (i) ≥50 ms; (ii) ≥100 ms; (iii) ≥200 ms; (iv) ≥300 ms; and (v) ≥400 ms. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged to form a closed-loop ion guiding path. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) A method of mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry comprising the method of claim 12.