Back to results
US 2012/0074313 A1Published application
Microwave Cavity Detector for Mass Spectrometry
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsRobert H. Blick, Jonghoo Park
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A detector for time of flight mass spectroscopy uses a microwave resonant cavity excited into resonance by the passage of charged particles as an ion detector. With proper configuration of the frequency of resonance of the cavity, its modes and its quality factor, nanosecond time resolution, should be possible.
Claims20
In a mass spectrometer providing a source of ionized molecules for analysis and an acceleration field accelerating the ionized molecules in an electric field, a time of flight detector comprising:
- a cavity of conductive material providing an electromagnetically tuned cavity, the cavity having an opening positioned to receive molecules after acceleration by the acceleration field along an axis into the cavity;
- an antenna communicating with the cavity to receive an electrical signal caused by electromagnetic resonance of the cavity;
- and
- detection electronics receiving the electrical signal to distinguish a time of arrival of the ionized molecule in the cavity.
1 more element
A method of characterizing molecular weights comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a source of ionized molecules for analysis;
- (b) accelerating the ionized molecules in an electric field;
- (c) receiving the accelerated ionized molecules in a cavity of conductive material providing an electromagnetically tuned cavity, the cavity having an opening positioned to receive molecules after acceleration by the acceleration field along an axis into the cavity;
- (d) detecting an electrical signal induced within the cavity by the received molecules through an antenna communicating with the cavity to receive an electrical signal caused by electromagnetic resonance of the cavity;
- and
- (e) analyzing the electrical signal with detection electronics to distinguish a time of arrival of the ionized molecules in the cavity.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.