Multipole Ion Guide
AssigneeDH Technologies Development Pte. Ltd.
InventorMircea Guna
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods described herein utilize an ion guide for use in mass spectrometer systems, which ion guide can receive ions from an ion source for transmission to downstream mass analyzers, while preventing debris (e.g., unsolvated droplets, neutral molecules, heavy charged clusters) from being transmitted into a high-vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer system. In various aspects, systems and methods in accordance with the present teachings can increase throughput, improve the robustness of the system, and/or decrease the downtime typically required to disassemble/clean sensitive components within the high-vacuum portions of the mass spectrometer system.
Claims19
A mass spectrometer system, comprising:
- an ion source for generating ions;
- an ion guide chamber, the ion guide chamber comprising an inlet orifice for receiving the ions generated by the ion source and at least one exit aperture for transmitting the ions from the ion guide chamber;
- an ion guide disposed in the ion guide chamber, the ion guide comprising a plurality of elongate electrodes extending from a proximal end adjacent the inlet orifice to a distal end adjacent the exit aperture, the plurality of electrodes spaced from and extending alongside a central longitudinal axis of the ion guide so as to define an elongated space between the plurality of electrodes through which the ions are transmitted from the proximal end of the ion guide to the distal end of the ion guide, wherein the inlet orifice is disposed on the central longitudinal axis of the ion guide and the at least one exit aperture is disposed offset from the central longitudinal axis;
- and
- a power supply connected to the ion guide, wherein the power supply is configured to apply a signal to the plurality of elongate electrodes so as to generate an electric field at least at a distal portion of the ion guide that provides an average radial force on the ions away from the central longitudinal axis of the ion guide for transmission through the exit aperture.
A method of processing ions, comprising:
- receiving ions generated by an ion source through an inlet orifice of an ion guide chamber;
- transmitting ions through an ion guide disposed in the ion guide chamber, the ion guide comprising a plurality of elongate electrodes extending from a proximal end adjacent the inlet orifice to a distal end adjacent at least one exit aperture of the ion guide chamber, the plurality of electrodes spaced from and extending alongside a central longitudinal axis of the ion guide so as to define an elongated space between the plurality of electrodes through which the ions are transmitted from the proximal end of the ion guide to the distal end of the ion guide, wherein the inlet orifice is disposed on the central longitudinal axis of the ion guide and the at least one exit aperture is disposed offset from the central longitudinal axis;
- and
- applying an electrical signal to the plurality of elongate electrodes so as to generate an electric field at least at a distal portion of the ion guide that provides an average radial force on the ions away from the central longitudinal axis of the ion guide;
- and
- transmitting the ions from the ion guide through the exit aperture to one or more downstream mass analyzers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.