Cryogenic collimator apparatus and method
AssigneeUniversity of Utah
InventorsGregory J. Wells, Kent J. Voorhees
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cryogenic collimator apparatus and method for collimating pyrolysis fragments produced by a pyrolysis unit. The apparatus includes a cryogenic plate having an aperture therein, the plate being adapted to be interposed between the pyrolysis unit and an ionization center so that the aperture is in a direct line between the pyrolysis unit and the ionization center. The method includes using the cryogenic plate for trapping pyrolysis fragments not passing through the aperture directly from the pyrolysis unit.
Claims7
An improved ion source for a mass spectrometer wherein pyrolysis fragments from a pyrolysis unit are directed into an ionization center for ionization and the ionized particles of pyrolysis fragments are directed into the mass spectrometer for analysis, the improvement comprising a cryogenic means having an aperture therethrough, the cryogenic means being adapted to be placed adjacent the pyrolysis unit with the aperture in a direct line between the pyrolysis unit and the ionization center, the cryogenic means thereby holding pyrolysis fragments impinging thereon with the aperture collimating pyrolysis fragments from the pyrolysis unit into the ionization center.
A collimator apparatus for collimating pyrolysis fragments between a pyrolysis unit and an ionization center comprising:
- cryogenic means adapted to be interposed between the pyrolysis unit and the ionization center, the cryogenic means having an aperture for placement in a direct line between the pyrolysis unit and the ionization center, the aperture collimating pyrolysis fragments passing therethrough and the cryogenic means holding pyrolysis fragments impinging thereon.
A method for collimating pyrolysis fragments produced by a pyrolysis unit comprising:
- obtaining a cryogenic means, the cryogenic means including a cryogenic source;
- forming an aperture in the cryogenic means;
- placing the cryogenic means adjacent the pyrolysis unit with the aperture in juxtaposition with the pyrolysis unit;
- emitting pyrolysis fragments from the pyrolysis unit by heating a sample in the pyrolysis unit;
- and
- collimating pyrolysis fragments emitted from the pyrolysis unit by allowing a portion of the pyrolysis fragments to pass through the aperture while capturing the remainder of the pyrolysis fragments impinging on the cryogenic means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.