Controlling ion populations in a mass analyzer having a pulsed ion source
AssigneeThermo Finnigan LLC
InventorViatcheslav V. Kovtoun
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mass spectrometer is operated by generating a test packet of ions from a pulsed ion source. A population of ions derived from the test packet of ions is detected. A number of ionization events of the pulsed ion source is determined that will be required to provide an analysis packet of ions expected to have a desired population of ions. An analysis packet of ions is produced by accumulating ions for the determined number of ionization events.
Claims39
A method for operating a mass spectrometer, the method comprising:
- a) generating a test packet of ions from a pulsed ion source;
- b) detecting a population of ions derived from the test packet of ions;
- c) based on the detected population, determining a number of ionization events of the pulsed ion source required to provide an analysis packet of ions expected to have a desired population of ions;
- and
- d) providing an analysis packet of ions by accumulating ions for the determined number of ionization events.
A mass analyzing apparatus, comprising:
- a pulsed source of ions;
- a detector disposed to receive ions generated by the source of ions;
- an ion storage device disposed and configured to receive ions derived from the ions generated by the source of ions;
- a programmable processor in communication with the detector and the ion storage device, the processor being operable to:
- determine a number of pulsed ionization events required to produce an analysis packet of ions expected to have a desired population of ions;
- cause the pulsed source of ions to generate the determined number of pulsed ionization events;
- and
- cause the ion storage device to accumulate substantially all of the analysis packet of ions.
A computer program product, tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium, for controlling the operation of a mass spectrometer, the product including instructions operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
- causing a pulsed ion source to generate a test packet of ions from a pulsed ion source;
- receiving a signal indicative of detecting a population of ions derived from the test packet of ions;
- determining, based on the received signal, a number of ionization events of the pulsed ion source required to provide an analysis packet of ions expected to have a desired population of ions;
- causing the pulsed ion source to generate ions for the determined number of ionization events;
- and
- causing an ion storage device to accumulate an analysis packet of ions derived from the ions generated for the determined number of ionization events.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.