US 2025/0087474 A1 · Electron Emitter for an Ion Reaction Device of a Mass Spectrometer and Methods of Operating the Same

Abstract

Methods and systems for controlling a filament of an electron emitter associated with an ion reaction cell in accordance with various aspects of the present teachings may account for inter-filament and inter-instrument variability and can provide improved reproducibility in EAD experiments and ease of use. In some aspects, a method of operating an ion reaction device of a mass spectrometer system is provided. The method comprises applying a calibration drive voltage to a filament of an electron emitter associated with an ion reaction cell and determining a value representative of the calibration electron emission current generated by the filament while having the calibration drive voltage applied thereto. A calibration saturation voltage can be determined by iteratively increasing the calibration drive voltage applied to the filament and determining the value of the calibration electron emission current at each corresponding calibration drive voltage until the filament reaches a saturation condition.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of operating an ion reaction device of a mass spectrometer system, comprising:

applying a calibration drive voltage to a filament of an electron emitter associated with an ion reaction cell;
determining a value representative of the calibration electron emission current generated by the filament while having the calibration drive voltage applied thereto;
determining a calibration saturation voltage by iteratively increasing the calibration drive voltage applied to the filament and determining the value of the calibration electron emission current at each corresponding calibration drive voltage until the filament reaches a saturation condition;
and
based on said calibration saturation voltage, determining an operating range for a drive voltage applied to the filament.

2 more elements

A mass spectrometer, comprising:

an ion reaction cell configured to receive ions from an ion source;
an electron emitter configured to transmit into the ion reaction cell, the electron emitter having a filament configured to generate electrons when a drive voltage is applied thereto;
one or more voltage sources for providing the drive voltage to the filament;
and
a controller, operably coupled to the one or more voltage sources, configured to:
apply a calibration drive voltage to the filament of the electron emitter;
determine a value representative of a calibration electron emission current generated by the filament while having the calibration drive voltage applied thereto;
determine a calibration saturation voltage by iteratively increasing the calibration drive voltage applied to the filament and determining the value of the calibration electron emission current at each corresponding calibration drive voltage until the filament reaches a saturation condition;
and
based on said calibration saturation voltage, determine an operating range for the drive voltage applied to the filament during an ion-electron reaction experiment.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electron Emitter for an Ion Reaction Device of a Mass Spectrometer and Methods of Operating the Same

Life of this patent

Electron Emitter for an Ion Reaction Device of a Mass Spectrometer and Methods of Operating the Same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20