# US 2019/0355568 A1 · Control of ions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0355568 A1 - Document ID: US20190355568A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/411,079 - Filed: 2019-05-13 - Published: 2019-11-21 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-15 - Assignees: Fasmatech Science & Technology Ltd. - Applicants: Fasmatech Science & Technology Ltd. - Inventors: DIMITRIS PAPANASTASIOU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190355568A1 ## CPC - H01J 49/0045: {characterised by the fragmentation or other specific reaction} - H01J 49/36: Radio frequency spectrometers, e.g. Bennett-type spectrometers, Redhead-type spectrometers - G01N 27/623: combined with mass spectrometry - H01J 49/0031: {Step by step routines describing the use of the apparatus (H01J49/0081 takes precedence)} - 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 A mass spectrometer for analyzing fragment ions includes an ion source, an ion mobility spectrometer, and a system of electrodes. The ion source is configured to produce fragment ions. The ion mobility spectrometer is configured to receive fragment ions produced by the ion source and to separate at least a fraction of the received fragment ions according to their ion mobility into mobility-separated fragment ions. The system of electrodes is configured to receive DC electrical potentials to transfer at least a fraction of the mobility-separated fragment ions to a mass analyzer for generating a mass-to-charge (m/z) spectrum exhibiting reduced spectral complexity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mass spectrometer for analyzing fragment ions, the mass spectrometer comprising: an ion source for producing fragment ions; an ion mobility spectrometer for receiving fragment ions produced by the ion source and for separating at least a fraction of the received fragment ions according to their ion mobility into mobility-separated fragment ions; and a system of electrodes configured to receive DC electrical potentials to transfer at least a fraction of the mobility-separated fragment ions to a mass analyzer for generating a mass-to-charge (m/z) spectrum exhibiting reduced spectral complexity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A mass spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein the system of electrodes is further configured to receive RF electrical potentials; and wherein at least one region along an ion optical path of the ion mobility spectrometer is arranged for storing the at least a fraction of the mobility-separated fragment ions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A mass spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein the system of electrodes is configured to receive switched DC electrical potentials to transfer the at least a fraction of the mobility-separated fragment ions to the mass analyzer for generating the m/z spectrum. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A mass spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein the ion source for producing fragment ions comprises an RF ion trap. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A mass spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein the at least a fraction of the mobility separated fragment ions is transmitted through the system of electrodes and sampled by a time-of-flight mass analyzer at the highest possible sampling rate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A mass spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein the ion mobility spectrometer is configured to separate multiple fractions of the received fragment ions according to their ion mobility into mobility-separated fragment ions; and wherein the system of electrodes is configured to receive DC electrical potentials to transfer multiple fractions of the mobility-separated fragment ions to the mass analyzer for generating consecutive m/z spectra, with each m/z spectrum of the generated consecutive m/z spectra corresponding to one of the multiple fractions of mobility-separated fragment ions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) A mass spectrometer according to claim 4, further comprising an RF multipole ion guide; wherein the mass spectrometer is arranged to eject ions from the RF ion trap, to re-trap the ejected ions within the RF multipole ion guide, and subsequently to gate the re-trapped ions into the ion mobility spectrometer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A mass spectrometer according to claim 7, wherein the system of electrodes is configured to receive DC electrical potentials so as to raise the potential energy level of the ions stored in the RF multipole ion guide and simultaneously to raise the DC voltage gradient established across the ion mobility spectrometer that induces separation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A mass spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein the system of electrodes of the ion mobility spectrometer is configured to receive a series of RF and DC electrical potentials for generating electric fields defining ion trapping regions disposed toward an exit end of the ion mobility spectrometer, for trapping the mobility-separated fragment ions thereat. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A mass spectrometer according to claim 9, wherein the system of electrodes is configured to receive at least one switched DC electrical potential from amongst the series of DC electrical potentials applied to the ion mobility spectrometer, for separating, partitioning or splitting the mobility-separated fragment ions into spatially separate groups. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A mass spectrometer according to claim 10, wherein the system of electrodes is configured to receive the at least one switched DC electrical potential applied to the ion mobility spectrometer to release the spatially separate groups of ions in temporally consecutive steps to permit the m/z spectra to be generated therefrom. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A mass spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein a Bradbury-Nielsen gate is integrated with the system of electrodes and configured for transmitting a narrow m/z window of the mobility-separated fragment ions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A mass spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein the system of electrodes is configured to receive RF and DC electrical potentials for transmitting the widest possible m/z range of the fragment ions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) A mass spectrometer according to claim 10, wherein the system of electrodes is operable and configured such that to receive an electric field, which is applied to the ion mobility spectrometer to cause ion motion therealong and is reversible in direction to reverse the direction of ion motion to re-direct the spatially separate groups of fragment ions which are stored in the ion trapping regions of the ion mobility spectrometer in the upstream direction in a sequential manner for release from the ion mobility spectrometer. ### Claim 15 A method for separating fragment ions in a mass spectrometer incorporating an ion mobility spectrometer and a mass analyzer, the method comprising: receiving a population of fragment ions; separating, by the ion mobility spectrometer, the received population of fragment ions according to their ion mobility into mobility-separated fragment ions; and applying to electrodes DC electrical potentials to transfer at least a fraction of the mobility-separated fragment ions to the mass analyzer for generating a mass-to-charge (m/z) spectrum exhibiting reduced spectral complexity to facilitate spectral interpretation. ### Claim 16 A method comprising: generating a population of fragment ions in an ion trap; injecting the generated population of fragment ions into a pressurized ion mobility drift cell and separating the injected population of fragment ions inside the pressurized ion mobility drift cell; trapping at least a fraction of the separated population of fragment ions; and transferring the at least a fraction of trapped fragment ions towards a mass analyzer to produce at least one m/z spectrum containing reduced information compared to a m/z spectrum that includes the population of fragment ions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the ion trap is a RF linear ion trap.