# US 2021/0242006 A1 · Ion interfaces and systems and methods using them

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- Number: US 2021/0242006 A1
- Document ID: US20210242006A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/836,708
- Filed: 2020-03-31
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2020-02-04
- Assignees: PerkinElmer Health Sciences Canada, Inc.
- Applicants: Perkinelmer Health Sciences Canada, Inc.
- Inventors: Hamid Badiei; William Fisher; Serguei Savtchenko; Andrew Icasiano
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242006A1

## CPC

- H01J 49/067: {Ion lenses, apertures, skimmers}
- H01J 49/0495: {Vacuum locks; Valves (valves per se F16K)}
- H01J 49/10: Ion sources; Ion guns
- H01J 49/4225: {Multipole linear ion traps, e.g. quadrupoles, hexapoles}
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

Certain embodiments of ion interfaces are described that can provide higher sensitivities improved ion transmission and multiple operating modes. In some configurations, the ion interface may comprise a first element and a second element each of which can receive a non-zero voltage. In one configuration, the first element can be a hyperskimmer cone and the second element can be a cylindrical lens. Systems and methods using the interface are also described.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ion interface comprising:
a first element comprising a first orifice configured to receive ions from an ionization source and provide the received ions to a first region downstream of the first orifice;
a second element comprising a second orifice configured to receive the ions in the first region and provide the received ions to a second region downstream of the second orifice;
a third element comprising a third orifice configured to receive the ions in the second region and provide the received ions to a third region downstream of the third orifice, wherein the third element is configured to receive a first non-zero voltage; and
a fourth element comprising a first aperture configured to receive ions in the third region and focus the received ions prior to providing the focused, received ions to a downstream component, wherein the fourth element is configured to receive a second non-zero voltage.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ion interface of claim 1, wherein each of the first element, the second element and the third element comprises a conically shaped body.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The ion interface of claim 1, wherein the fourth element is configured as a lens.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The ion interface of claim 3, wherein the lens is a ring lens positioned directly downstream of the third element, and wherein an inner diameter of the first aperture of the ring lens is equal to or greater than an outer diameter of the third element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The ion interface of claim 4, comprising a non-conductive holder configured to hold the ring lens and the third element.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The ion interface of claim 1, wherein the first non-zero voltage is a positive voltage and the second non-zero voltage is a negative voltage.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The ion interface of claim 6, wherein the positive voltage is greater than zero and less than about +30 Volts, and the negative voltage is less than zero and greater than about −300 Volts.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The ion interface of claim 1, wherein:
the first non-zero voltage is less than zero;
the second non-zero voltage is less than zero; and
the second non-zero voltage is less than the first non-zero voltage.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The ion interface of claim 1, wherein:
the first non-zero voltage is greater than zero;
the second non-zero voltage greater than zero; and
the first non-zero voltage is less than the second non-zero voltage.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The ion interface of claim 1, wherein the third element and the fourth element are each independently controllable to alter the first non-zero voltage and the second non-zero voltage during operation of a system comprising the ion interface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The ion interface of claim 1, wherein the first element comprises a first cone comprising the first orifice, the second element comprises a second cone comprising the second orifice, the third element comprises a third cone comprising the third orifice, wherein a cone opening angle of the third cone is less than a cone opening angle of the second cone, wherein the fourth element comprises a ring lens, and wherein an inner diameter of the ring lens is greater than or equal to an outer diameter of the third cone.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The ion interface of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first element and the second element is configured to electrically couple to ground.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A mass spectrometer comprising:
an ionization source;
the ion interface of claim 1 fluidically coupled to the ionization source; and
a mass analyzer fluidically coupled to the ion interface.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The mass spectrometer of claim 13, further comprising an ion guide between the mass analyzer and the ion interface.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The mass spectrometer of claim 14, wherein the ion guide is positioned directly downstream of the fourth element of the ion interface.

### Claim 16

A method of providing ions from an ionization source to a mass spectrometer component through a mass spectrometer interface, the method comprising:
providing ions from an ionization source into a first vacuum region through a first orifice of an electrically coupled to ground first element of the mass spectrometer interface;
providing ions in the first vacuum region to a second vacuum region through a second orifice of an electrically coupled to ground second element of the mass spectrometer interface, wherein a pressure of the second vacuum region is lower than a pressure of the first vacuum region;
providing ions in the second vacuum region to a third vacuum region through a third orifice of a third element of the mass spectrometer interface, wherein a pressure of the third vacuum region is lower than a pressure of the second vacuum region, and wherein the third element comprises a first non-zero voltage;
providing ions in the third vacuum region through a fourth element to the mass spectrometer component, wherein the fourth element comprises a second non-zero voltage and is configured to focus the provided ions prior to providing the focused ions to the mass spectrometer component.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the fourth element is sized and arranged with an inner diameter that is greater than or equal to an outer diameter of the third element.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising applying a positive voltage to the third element.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising applying a negative voltage to the fourth element.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising applying the second non a non-zero voltage to the fourth element to provide an electric field with an inflection point.