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US 2002/0162957 A1Published application
Ion storage system
AssigneeMKS Instruments, Inc.
InventorsDonald K. Smith, Stephen F. Horne, Matthew M. Besen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ion storage system is described that includes an ion trap that defines a volume for storing a plurality of ions. A radio frequency (RF) generator is electromagnetically coupled to the volume defined by the ion trap. The RF generator generates an RF electrical field that stores the plurality of ions in the ion trap. A switching device terminates the RF electrical field, which ejects the plurality of ions from the ion trap. An ion detector detects at least a portion of the plurality of ions that are ejected from the ion trap.
Claims46
An ion storage system comprising:
- a) an ion trap that defines a volume for storing a plurality of ions;
- b) a radio frequency (RF) generator that is electromagnetically coupled to the volume defined by the ion trap, the RF generator generating an RF electrical field that stores the plurality of ions in the ion trap;
- c) a switching device that terminates the RF electrical field, the termination of the RF electrical field ejecting the plurality of ions from the ion trap;
- and
- d) an ion detector that is substantially synchronized to the switching device, the ion detector detecting at least a portion of the plurality of ions that are ejected from the ion trap.
2 more elements
An ion storage system comprising:
- a) an ion source that generates a plurality of ions;
- b) an ion trap that defines a volume for storing the plurality of ions;
- c) a radio frequency (RF) generator that is electromagnetically coupled to the volume defined by the ion trap, the RF generator generating a RF electrical field that stores the plurality of ions in the ion trap;
- d) a switching device that terminates the RF electrical field, the termination of the RF electrical field ejecting the plurality of ions from the ion trap;
- e) an ion detector that detects at least a portion of the plurality of ions that are ejected from the ion trap;
- and
- f) a clock that is electrically connected to at least two of the ion source, RF generator, the switching device, and the ion detector, the clock substantially synchronizing the at least two of the ion source, the RF generator, the switching device, and the ion detector.
4 more elements
An ion storage system comprising:
- a) means for generating a plurality of ions from neutral gas molecules or atoms;
- b) means for establishing a radio frequency (RF) electrical field proximate to the plurality of ions, thereby trapping the plurality of ions in a volume;
- c) means for terminating the RF electrical field, thereby ejecting the plurality of ions from the volume;
- and
- d) means for detecting at least a portion of the plurality of ions ejected from the volume at a predetermined time after terminating the RF electrical field.
2 more elements
A method for detecting ions, the method comprising:
- a) establishing a radio frequency (RF) electrical field proximate to a plurality of ions, thereby trapping the plurality of ions in a volume;
- b) terminating the RF electrical field, thereby ejecting the plurality of ions from the volume;
- and
- c) detecting at least a portion of the plurality of ions ejected from the volume at a predetermined time after terminating the RF electrical field.
1 more element
A leak detector comprising:
- a) an ion source that receives a tracer gas and that generates a plurality of ions of the tracer gas;
- b) an ion trap that defines a volume for storing the plurality of ions of tracer gas;
- c) a radio frequency (RF) generator that is electromagnetically coupled to the volume defined by the ion trap, the RF generator generating a RF electrical field that stores the plurality of ions of the tracer gas in the ion trap;
- d) a switching device that terminates the RF electrical field, the termination of the RF electrical field ejecting the plurality of ions from the ion trap;
- e) an ion detector that detects at least a portion of the plurality of ions that are ejected from the ion trap;
- and
- f) a clock that is electrically connected to at least two of the ion source, RF generator, the switching device, and the ion detector, the clock substantially synchronizing the at least two of the ion source, the RF generator, the switching device, and the ion detector.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.