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US 6,020,586 AGranted
Ion storage time-of-flight mass spectrometer
AssigneeAnalytica of Branford, Inc.
InventorsThomas Dresch, Erol E. Gulcicek, Craig Whitehouse
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and an apparatus which combines at least one linear two dimensional ion guide or a two dimensional ion storage device in tandem with a time-of-flight mass analyzer to analyze ionic chemical species generated by an ion source. The method improves the duty cycle, and therefore, the overall instrument sensitivity with respect to the analyzed chemical species.
Claims26
An apparatus for analyzing chemical species comprising:
- (a) a time-of-flight mass analyzer with ion pulsing region and detector,
- (b) an ion source configured external to said pulsing region of said time-of-flight mass analyzer for producing ions from said chemical species,
- (c) a multipole ion guide, said ion guide having an entrance end where said ions enter said ion guide from said ion source and an exit end where said ions exit said ion guide,
- (d) means to controllably trap ions in said ion guide and controllably release ions from said ion guide,
- (e) means to transfer said released ions into said pulsing region,
- (f) means for pulsing said ions transferred into said pulsing region into said time-of-flight mass analyzer for mass analysis, and
- (g) means for detecting said mass analyzed ions with said detector.
4 more elements
An apparatus for analyzing chemical species comprising:
- (a) a time-of-flight mass analyzer with an ion pulsing region bounded by flat plate electrodes positioned substantially perpendicular to a time-of-flight mass analyzer axis and a detector,
- (b) an ion source configured external to said pulsing region of said time-of-flight mass analyzer for producing ions from chemical species,
- (c) a multipole ion guide, said ion guide having an entrance end where said ions enter said ion guide from said ion source and an exit end where said ions exit said ion guide,
- (d) means to controllably trap ions in said ion guide and controllably release ions from said ion guide,
- (e) means to transfer said released ions into said pulsing region,
- (f) means for pulsing said ions transferred into said pulsing region into said time-of-flight mass analyzer for mass analysis, and
- (g) means for detecting said mass analyzed ions with said detector.
4 more elements
A method for analyzing chemical species comprising:
- (a) utilizing a time-of flight mass analyzer with an ion pulsing region and a detector, an ion source located external to said time-of-flight pulsing region, a multipole ion guide having an entrance and exit end, lens elements positioned in said ion guide entrance and exit regions,
- (b) producing ions from a sample substance in said external ion source,
- (c) directing said ions into said entrance end of said multipole ion guide,
- (d) trapping said ions in said multipole ion guide,
- (e) releasing said ions from said multipole ion guide,
- (f) transferring said ions through said lens elements into said time-of-flight ion pulsing region,
- (g) pulsing said ions into said time-of-flight mass analyzer for mass analysis, and
- (h) detecting said mass analyzed ions with said detector.
5 more elements
A method for analyzing chemical species comprising:
- (a) utilizing a time-of flight mass analyzer with an ion pulsing region comprised of flat plate lens elements and a detector, an ion source located external to said time-of-flight pulsing region, a multipole ion guide having an entrance and exit end, lens elements positioned in said ion guide entrance and exit regions,
- (b) producing ions from a sample substance in said external ion source,
- (c) directing said ions into said entrance end of said multipole ion guide,
- (d) trapping said ions in said multipole ion guide,
- (e) releasing said ions from said multipole ion guide,
- (f) transferring said ions through said lens elements into said time-of-flight ion pulsing region,
- (g) pulsing said ions into said time-of-flight mass analyzer for mass analysis, and
- (h) detecting said mass analyzed ions with said detector.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.