Atmospheric pressure afterglow ionization system and method of use, for mass spectrometer sample analysis systems

An electric discharge chamber system for use in mass spectrometer sample analysis systems using metastable species at atmospheric pressure to controllably fragment and ionize sample comprising:

• an electric discharge chamber, which electric discharge chamber is elongated and essentially tubular in shape and which electric discharge chamber is encompassed by an outer electrode at an extent thereof at which means for accessing a source of matrix carrier gas and an inner electrode present inside the electric discharge chamber are present;
• which electric discharge chamber, at an extent thereof distal to that at which the outer and inner electrodes and means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas are present, termed the "afterglow" portion of the electric discharge chamber, provides means for accepting sample and means for connecting to a mass spectrometer;
• such that during use electrical energy is provided between the outer and inner electrodes and matrix carrier gas is entered to the electric discharge chamber through the means for accessing a source of matrix carrier gas, such that interaction between electric energy and matrix carrier gas during electric discharge causes formation of metastable species, which metastable species are caused to be transported to the afterglow portion of the electric discharge chamber whereat the energy therein interacts with sample introduced thereto at the means for accepting sample, which introduced sample does not pass through the extent of the electric discharge chamber in which electric discharge occurs and, hence, is not directly affected by energy other than that released from said metastable species, to produce ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments;
• which ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments are, during use, transported into a mass spectrometer which is connected to the means for connection thereto present on the electric discharge chamber, for detection by an ion detector element therein.

An afterglow ionization system for use in mass spectrometer sample analysis systems using metastable species at atmospheric pressure to controllably fragment and ionize sample comprising:

• a. an source of electrical energy;
• b. an electric discharge chamber;
• c. a source of matrix carrier gas;
• d. a source of sample;
• which source of electrical energy is adjustable as regards the power intensity delivered and/or frequency of operation thereof and which source of electrical energy feeds to an outer electric coil and/or feeds between an inner electrode inside the electric discharge chamber and the outer electric coil or electrode, which outer electric coil or electrode encompasses the electric discharge chamber at an extent thereof at which means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas and said inner electrode when used, are present;
• which electric discharge chamber, at an extent thereof distal to that at which the outer electric coil or electrode, inner electrode when used and means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas are present, termed the "afterglow" portion of the electric discharge chamber, provides means for accepting sample from the source of sample and means for connecting to a mass spectrometer;
• such that during use electrical energy is provided to the outer electric coil and/or between the outer electric coil or electrode and inner electrode and matrix carrier gas is entered to the electric discharge chamber through the means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas, such that interaction during electric discharge causes formation of metastable species, which metastable species are caused to be transported to the afterglow portion of the electric discharge chamber whereat the energy therein interacts with sample introduced thereto, at the means for accepting sample, which introduced sample does not pass through the extent of the electric discharge chamber in which the electric discharge occurs and, hence, is not directly affected by energy other than that released from said metastable species, to produce ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments;
• which ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments are, during use, transported into a mass spectrometer which is connected to the means for connection thereto present on the electric discharge chamber, for detection by an ion detector element therein.

A method of controllably fragmenting and ionizing sample comprising the steps of:

• A. Obtaining an afterglow ionization system for use in mass spectrometer sample analysis systems using metastable species at atmospheric pressure to controllably fragment and ionize sample comprising:
• a. an source of electrical energy;
• b. an electric discharge chamber;
• c. a source of matrix carrier gas;
• d. a source of sample;
• which source of electrical energy is adjustable as regards the power intensity delivered and/or frequency of operation thereof and which source of electrical energy feeds to an outer electric coil and/or feeds between an inner electrode inside the electric discharge chamber and the outer electric coil or electrode, which outer electric coil or electrode encompasses the electric discharge chamber at an extent thereof at which means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas and said inner electrode when used, are present;
• which electric discharge chamber, at an extent thereof distal to that at which the outer electric coil or electrode, inner electrode when used and means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas are present, termed the "afterglow" portion of the electric discharge chamber, provides means for accepting sample from the source of sample and means for connecting to a mass spectrometer;
• such that during use electrical energy is provided to the outer electric coil and/or between the outer electric coil or electrode and inner electrode and matrix carrier gas is entered to the electric discharge chamber through the means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas, such that during electric discharge formation of metastable species occurs, which metastable species are caused to be transported to the afterglow portion of the electric discharge chamber whereat the energy therein interacts with sample introduced thereto at the means for accepting sample, which introduced sample does not pass through the extent of the electric discharge chamber in which electric discharge occurs and, hence, is not directly affected by energy other than that released from said metastable species, to produce ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments;
• which ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments are, during use, transported into a mass spectrometer which is attached to the electric discharged chamber at the means for connecting thereto on the electric discharge chamber, for detection by an ion detector element therein;
• B. providing electrical energy to the outer electric coil and/or between the outer electric coil or electrode and the inner electrode to cause an electric discharge to occur inside the electric discharge chamber;
• C. entering a flow of matrix carrier gas to the electric discharge chamber such that interaction between the matrix carrier gas and the electrical discharge energy produces metastable speciess;
• D. causing the metastable species to be transported to the afterglow portion of the electric discharge chamber;
• E. entering sample to the afterglow portion of the electric discharge chamber by a pathway not requiring said sample to pass through the extent of the electric discharge chamber in which electric discharge occurs during use, such that interaction between the energy released from metastable species and the entered sample produces a desired relative proportion of ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments.

A mass spectrometer sample analysis system which uses afterglow metastable species at atmospheric pressure to controllably fragment and ionize sample comprising:

• a. an source of electrical energy;
• b. an electric discharge chamber;
• c. a source of matrix carrier gas;
• d. a source of sample;
• e. a momentum separator;
• f. one or more skimmers;
• and
• g. a mass spectrometer ion detector element;
• which source of electrical energy is adjustable as regards the power intensity delivered and/or frequency of operation thereof and which source of electrical energy feeds to an outer electric coil, and/or feeds between an inner electrode present inside the electric discharge chamber, and the outer electric coil or electrode, which outer electric coil or electrode encompasses the electric discharge chamber at an extent thereof at which means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas and said inner electrode when used, are present;
• which electric discharge chamber, at an extent thereof distal to that at which the outer electric coil or electrode, inner electrode when used and means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas are present, termed the "afterglow" portion of the electric discharge chamber, provides means for accepting sample from the source of sample and means for connecting to the momentum separator, at one extent thereof, which momentum separator, at a distally located extent thereof, connects to one extent of the one or more skimmers, at one extent thereof, and which one or more skimmers, at a distally located extent thereof, can connect to a mass spectrometer;
• such that during use electrical energy is provided to the outer electric coil and/or between the outer electric coil or electrode and inner electrode, and matrix carrier gas is entered to the electric discharge chamber through the means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas, such that during electric discharge formation of metastable species occurs, which metastable species are caused to be transported to the afterglow portion of the electric discharge chamber whereat the energy therein interacts with sample introduced thereto at the means for accepting sample, which introduced sample does not pass through the extent of the electric discharge chamber in which electric discharge occurs and, hence, is not directly affected by energy other than that released from said metastable species, to produce ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments;
• which ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments are, during use, caused to be transported through the momentum separator and one or more skimmers into the mass spectrometer for detection by an ion detector element therein.

A method of producing ionized sample molecules and/or fragmented sample elements for analysis in mass spectrometer sample analysis systems which comprises the steps of:

• A. Obtaining a mass spectrometer sample analysis system which uses afterglow metastable species at atmospheric pressure to controllably fragment and ionize sample comprising:
• a. an source of electrical energy;
• b. an electric discharge chamber;
• c. a source of matrix carrier gas;
• d. a source of sample;
• e. a momentum separator;
• f. one or more skimmers;
• and
• g. a mass spectrometer ion detector element;
• which source of electrical energy is adjustable as regards the power intensity delivered and/or frequency of operation thereof and which source of electrical energy feeds to an outer electric coil, and/or feeds between an inner electrode inside the electric discharge chamber and the outer electric coil or electrode, which outer electric coil or electrode encompasses the electric discharge chamber at an extent thereof at which means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas and said inner electrode when used, are present;
• which electric discharge chamber, at an extent thereof distal to that at which the outer electric coil or electrode, inner electrode when used and means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas are present, termed the "afterglow" portion of the electric discharge chamber, provides means for accepting sample from the source of sample and means for connecting to the momentum separator, at one extent thereof, which momentum separator, at a distally located extent thereof, connects to one extent of the one or more skimmers, at one extent thereof, and which one or more skimmers, at a distally located extent thereof, connects to a mass spectrometer;
• such that during use electrical energy is provided to the outer electric coil and/or between the outer electric coil or electrode and inner electrode, and matrix carrier gas is entered to the electric discharge chamber through the means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas, such that during electric discharge formation of metastable species occurs, which metastable species are caused to be transported to the afterglow portion of the electric discharge chamber whereat the energy therein interacts with sample introduced thereto at the means for accepting sample, which introduced sample does not pass through the extent of the electric discharge chamber in which electric discharge occurs and, hence, is not directly affected by energy other than that released from said metastable species, to produce ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments;
• which ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments are, during use, caused to be transported through the momentum separator and one or more skimmers into the mass spectrometer for detection by an ion detector element therein;
• B. providing electrical energy to the outer electric coil and/or between the outer electric coil or electrode which encompasses the electric discharge chamber, and the inner electrode, of a desired power intensity and operational frequency;
• C. entering a flow of matrix carrier gas to the electric discharge chamber such that interaction between the matrix carrier gas and the discharge of electrical energy provided to the outer electric coil and/or between the outer electric coil or electrode which encompasses the electric discharge chamber, and the inner electrode, produces metastable species;
• D. causing said metastable species to be transported to the afterglow portion of the electric discharge chamber;
• E. entering sample to the afterglow portion of the electric discharge chamber by a pathway not requiring said sample to pass through the extent of the electric discharge chamber in which electric discharge occurs during use, such that interaction between the energy released from metastable species and the entered sample produces a desired relative proportion of ionized sample molecules and ionized sample fragments;
• and
• F. causing the ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments to be transported through the momentum separator, one or more skimmers and into the mass spectrometer ion detector element for detection.

An electric discharge chamber system for use in low internal pressure sample analysis systems using metastable species at atmospheric pressure to controllably fragment and ionize sample comprising:

• an electric discharge chamber, which electric discharge chamber is elongated and essentially tubular in shape, and which electric discharge chamber is provided a means for entering electrical energy at an extent thereof at which means for accessing a source of matrix carrier gas is present;
• which electric discharge chamber, at an extent thereof distal to that at which the means for entering electrical energy and means for accessing the source of matrix carrier gas are present, termed the "afterglow" portion of the electric discharge chamber, provides means for accepting sample and means for connecting to a low internal pressure sample analysis system;
• such that during use electrical energy is provided to the means for entering electrical energy and matrix carrier gas is entered into the electric discharge chamber through the means for accessing a source of matrix carrier gas, such that interaction between the entered electrical energy and matrix carrier gas during the entering of electrical energy causes formation of metastable species, which metastable species are caused to be transported to the afterglow portion of the electric discharge chamber whereat the energy therein interacts with sample introduced thereto at the means for accepting sample, which introduced sample does not pass through the extent of the electric discharge chamber in which electrical energy is entered and, hence, is not directly affected by energy other than that, released from said metastable species, to produce ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments;
• which ionized sample molecules and/or ionized sample fragments, during use, transported into a low internal pressure sample analysis system which connected to the means for connection thereto present on the electric discharge chamber, for detection by an ion detector element therein.