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US 6,274,866 B1Granted
Systems and methods of mass spectrometry
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorGangqiang Li
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention provides mass spectrometer systems, including time-of-flight mass spectrometers, and methods of performing mass spectroscopy. The systems are capable of operating in tandem or conventional mode. The systems include an ion reflector that, when operating in tandem mode, provides a discontinuous voltage to control the collision energy of the parent ions with the dissociation element. By controlling the collision energy, particular compositional information from the sample may be examined, such as specific bonding energies.
Claims29
A system for mass spectrometry comprising:
- an ion source capable of generating a plurality of parent ions from a sample, a portion of the parent ions following a flight path;
- an ion reflector constructed and arranged to receive the parent ions following the flight path and to apply a first, discontinuous voltage that changes the energy of the parent ions following the flight path;
- a dissociation element positioned so that the parent ions, having an energy changed by the first, discontinuous voltage applied by the ion reflector, collide with the dissociation element thereby forming a plurality of fragmented ions, a portion of the fragmented ions continuing to follow the flight path;
- and
- a detector positioned to detect the fragmented ions that follow the flight path.
2 more elements
A system for mass spectrometry comprising:
- an ion source capable of generating a plurality of parent ions from a sample, a portion of the parent ions following a flight path;
- an ion reflector constructed and arranged to receive the parent ions following the flight path and to apply a discontinuous voltage that changes the energy of the parent ions following the flight path;
- a dissociation element positioned so that the parent ions, having an energy changed by the discontinuous voltage applied by the ion reflector, collide with the dissociation element thereby forming a plurality of fragmented ions, a portion of the fragmented ions continuing to follow the flight path;
- a second ion reflector constructed and arranged to receive the fragmented ions following the flight path and to apply a discontinuous voltage that changes the energy of the fragmented ions following the flight path;
- a second dissociation element positioned so that the fragmented ions, having an energy changed by the discontinuous voltage applied by the second ion reflector, collide with the dissociation element thereby forming a plurality of second fragmented ions, a portion of the second fragmented ions continuing to follow the flight path;
- and
- a detector positioned to detect the second fragmented ions that follow the flight path.
4 more elements
A system for mass spectrometry comprising:
- an ion source capable of generating a plurality of parent ions from a sample;
- an ion reflector positioned to receive parent ions generated by the ion source via a flight path;
- electrical pulse circuitry electrically connected to the ion reflector and constructed and arranged to apply a first, discontinuous ion reflector voltage that changes the energy of the parent ions following the flight path;
- a dissociation element positioned so that the parent ions, having an energy changed by the discontinuous voltage applied by the ion reflector, collide with the dissociation element thereby forming a plurality of fragmented ions, a portion of the fragmented ions continuing to follow the flight path;
- and
- a detector positioned to detect the fragmented ions that follow the flight path.
3 more elements
A method of mass spectrometry comprising:
- generating a plurality of parent ions from a sample;
- applying a first voltage that changes the energy of a portion of the parent ions following a flight path;
- turning the first voltage off;
- fragmenting said portion of parent ions to form a plurality of fragmented ions, a portion of the fragmented ions continuing to follow the flight path;
- and
- detecting the fragmented ions that follow the flight path.
3 more elements
A method of mass spectrometry comprising:
- generating a plurality of parent ions from a sample;
- applying a first voltage that changes the energy of a portion of the parent ions following a flight path;
- turning the first voltage off;
- fragmenting said portion of parent ions to form a plurality of fragmented ions, a portion of the fragmented ions continuing to follow the flight path;
- applying a discontinuous voltage that changes the energy of said portion of fragmented ions;
- fragmenting the fragmented ions having an energy changed by the discontinuous voltage to form a plurality of second fragmented ions, a portion of the second fragmented ions continuing to follow the flight path;
- and
- detecting the fragmented ions that follow the flight path.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.