# US 2024/0203718 A1 · Interface ion guide

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- Number: US 2024/0203718 A1
- Document ID: US20240203718A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/537,674
- Filed: 2023-12-12
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-16
- Assignees: Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH
- Applicants: Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH
- Inventors: Ralf Günter HARTMER; Dmitry GRINFELD; Mathias GERSMANN; Frederik BUSSE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240203718A1

## CPC

- H01J 49/062: {Ion guides (linear ion traps performing mass selection H01J49/4225, mass filters H01J49/421)}
- H01J 49/063: {Multipole ion guides, e.g. quadrupoles, hexapoles}
- H01J 49/065: {having stacked electrodes, e.g. ring stack, plate stack}
- H01J 49/4255: {with particular constructional features}
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

An interface ion guide for transmitting ions from a stacked ring ion guide (SRIG) to a multipole ion guide, the interface ion guide having a longitudinal axis and comprising n set(s) of plate electrode(s), wherein n≥1; each set of plate electrodes comprising two or more plate electrodes; each plate electrode comprising a plate, the plate comprising a planar surface and an aperture formed in the planar surface for transmission of ions therethrough along the longitudinal axis, wherein the plate of each plate electrode is spaced apart from the plate of an adjacent plate electrode along the longitudinal axis; each plate electrode further comprising one or more protrusions, wherein each protrusion extends at a respective non-zero angle to the planar surface, wherein the protrusion(s) of each set of plate electrodes are configured to generate an RF multipole field to focus ions towards the longitudinal axis. A method of transmitting ions from a stacked ring ion guide (SRIG) to a multipole ion guide using the interface ion guide is provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An interface ion guide for transmitting ions from a stacked ring ion guide (SRIG) to a multipole ion guide, the interface ion guide having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
n set(s) of plate electrode(s), wherein n≥1;
each set of plate electrodes comprising two or more plate electrodes;
each plate electrode comprising a plate, the plate comprising a planar surface and an aperture formed in the planar surface for transmission of ions therethrough along the longitudinal axis, wherein the plate of each plate electrode is spaced apart from the plate of an adjacent plate electrode along the longitudinal axis; and
each plate electrode further comprising one or more protrusions, wherein each protrusion extends at a respective non-zero angle to the planar surface, wherein the protrusion(s) of each set of plate electrodes are configured to generate an RF multipole field to focus ions towards the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The interface ion guide of claim 1, wherein the non-zero angle is approximately 80-100°, preferably approximately 85-95°, more preferably approximately 89-91°, most preferably approximately 90°.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The interface ion guide of claim 1, wherein n≥2, wherein each set of plate electrodes are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis, wherein a 1st set of plate electrodes are upstream of an nth set of plate electrodes, preferably wherein the 1st set of plate electrodes defines an ion inlet of the interface ion guide and the nth set of plate electrodes defines an ion outlet of the interface ion guide.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The interface ion guide of claim 3, wherein the protrusions of the nth set of plate electrodes are configured to generate an RF multipole field of a lower order than the protrusions of the 1st set of plate electrodes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The interface ion guide claim 3, wherein the protrusions of the 1st set of plate electrodes are configured to generate a RF multipole field of the 6th order and/or wherein the protrusions of the nth set of plate electrodes are configured to generate an RF multipole field of the 2nd order.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The interface ion guide of claim 1, wherein each protrusion extends from the plate of the respective plate electrode, preferably wherein each protrusion extends from a periphery of the aperture of the respective plate electrode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The interface ion guide of claim 1, wherein the protrusions of each set of plate electrodes are spaced apart from each other about the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The interface ion guide of claim 1, wherein each protrusion longitudinally extends at the non-zero angle to the planar surface through the aperture of at least two of the plate electrodes within the respective set of plate electrodes.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The interface ion guide of claim 1, wherein each protrusion extends longitudinally at the non-zero angle to the planar surface and radially inward from a periphery of the aperture of the respective plate electrode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The interface ion guide of claim 9, wherein n≥3, wherein a 1st set of plate electrodes are upstream of an nth set of plate electrodes, wherein the protrusions of each set of plate electrodes between the 1st set of plate electrodes and the nth set of plate electrodes are configured such that a radial distance from at least one of the protrusions to the longitudinal axis is greater than the radial distance from the corresponding protrusion(s) of the upstream set of plate electrodes to the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The interface ion guide of claim 9, wherein n≥3, wherein each protrusion comprises an inner surface radially inward of the periphery of the aperture, wherein the inner surface has a length extending at the non-zero angle and a width extending perpendicular to the length, wherein a 1st set of plate electrodes are upstream of an nth set of plate electrodes, wherein the protrusions of each set of plate electrodes between the 1st set of plate electrodes and the nth set of plate electrodes are configured such that the width of the inner surface at least one of the protrusions is greater than the width of the inner surface of the corresponding protrusion(s) of the upstream set of plate electrodes.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The interface ion guide of claim 9, wherein each protrusion extends longitudinally at the non-zero angle to the planar surface between a first end and a second end, wherein one or more of the protrusion(s) are configured such that a radial distance from the protrusion to the longitudinal axis is constant between its first end and its second end.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The interface ion guide of claim 10, wherein one or more of the protrusions are configured such that a radial distance between the protrusion and the periphery of the apertures of the plate electrodes increases with longitudinal distance from the periphery of the respective aperture.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The interface ion guide of claim 1, wherein each protrusion is a curved surface that extends radially inward from an inner periphery of the aperture and bends through the non-zero angle.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The interface ion guide of claim 1, wherein the plate of each plate electrode has a thickness of between 0.1 and 1.5 mm, wherein the spacing between the plates of adjacent plate electrodes within each set of plate electrodes along the longitudinal axis is between 0.1 and 1.5 mm, preferably wherein the spacing between each set of plate electrodes is between 0.20 and 0.75 mm along the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

An ion transfer assembly configured to receive ions from an ion source and transfer ions to a downstream RF multipole ion guide and/or mass analyser, the ion transfer assembly having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
a stacked ring ion guide (SRIG) configured to receive ions from the ion source and having a longitudinal axis; and
the interface ion guide of claim 1 coupled to and downstream from the SRIG; SRIG.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The ion transfer assembly of claim 16, wherein the SRIG comprises two or more SRIG plate electrodes, wherein each SRIG plate electrode comprises a plate comprising a planar surface and an aperture formed in the planar surface for transmission of ions therethrough along the longitudinal axis of the SRIG, wherein the plate of each SRIG plate electrode is spaced apart from the plate of an adjacent SRIG plate electrode along the longitudinal axis of the SRIG;
wherein the longitudinal axis of the SRIG and the longitudinal axis of the interface ion guide are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the ion transfer assembly.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The ion transfer assembly of claim 17, wherein the spacing between the plates of adjacent plate electrodes of the interface ion guide along the longitudinal axis of the interface ion guide is approximately the same as the spacing between the plates of adjacent SRIG plate electrodes along the longitudinal axis of the SRIG, and/or wherein a thickness of each plate of the interface ion guide is approximately the same as a thickness of each plate of the SRIG.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

A method of transmitting ions from a stacked ring ion guide (SRIG) to a multipole ion guide using the interface ion guide of claim 1, the method comprising:
applying RF voltages to pairs of adjacent plate electrodes within each set of plate electrodes to generate an RF multipole field for each set of plate electrodes that focuses ions towards the longitudinal axis, wherein the RF voltage applied to a first plate electrode of each pair is out of phase with the RF voltage applied to a second plate electrode of the same pair; and
preferably applying a DC voltage to one or more of the plate electrodes such that a DC field that drives ions along the longitudinal axis is generated.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the RF voltage applied to the first plate electrode of each pair is at least 120 degrees out of phase with the RF voltage applied to the second plate electrode of the same pair.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the SRIG comprises two or more SRIG plate electrodes that are spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the SRIG, wherein each SRIG plate electrode comprises a planar surface and an aperture formed in the planar surface for transmission of ions therethrough along the longitudinal axis, wherein the plate of each SRIG plate electrode is spaced apart from the plate of an adjacent SRIG plate electrode along the longitudinal axis of the SRIG,
wherein the method further comprises applying RF voltages to pairs of adjacent SRIG plate electrodes to generate an RF field that focuses ions towards the longitudinal axis of the SRIG, wherein the RF voltage applied to a first SRIG plate electrode of each pair is out of phase with the RF voltage applied to a second SRIG plate electrode of the same pair;
wherein the RF voltages applied to the pairs of adjacent plate electrodes of the interface ion guide are at the same frequency and/or amplitude as the RF voltages applied to the pairs of adjacent SRIG plate electrodes,
preferably wherein (i) the spacing between the plates of adjacent plate electrodes of the interface ion guide along the longitudinal axis of the interface ion guide is approximately the same as the spacing between the plates of adjacent SRIG plate electrodes along the longitudinal axis of the SRIG, and/or (ii) wherein a thickness of the plates of the plate electrodes of the interface ion guide is approximately the same as the thickness of the plates of the SRIG plate electrodes.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the RF voltage applied to the first plate electrode of each pair is at least 120 degrees out of phase with the RF voltage applied to the second plate electrode of the same pair.