Method and apparatus for selective ion delivery using ion polarity independent control
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsSteven M. Fischer, Charles W. Russ, IV
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for selectively delivering ions to a mass analyzer operating in a vacuum region. The method involves providing a dielectric conduit having an axial bore originating in an inlet opening that communicates with an ion source and terminating in an exit opening disposed within the vacuum region. A gas stream comprising an ion having a polarity and traveling at a drift velocity is flowed through the bore from the inlet opening toward the exit opening. A motion component is altered in a manner that does not substantially depend on the polarity of the ion to effect a change in the drift velocity of the ion. The invention also provides an apparatus to carry out the method.
Claims30
A method for selectively delivering ions to a vacuum region comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a dielectric conduit having an axial bore originating in an inlet opening contained within an ion source and terminating in an exit opening within the vacuum region;
- (b) flowing a gas stream through the conduit, said gas stream comprising an ion traveling at a drift velocity through the bore from the inlet opening toward the exit opening;
- (c) generating an electric field, corresponding to the polarity of the ion and generally opposing gas flow assisted movement of the ion within the conduit;
- and
- (d) selectively altering the temperature of the dielectric conduit for selectively altering the drift velocity of the ion, wherein the ion is selectively delivered to the vacuum region.
A method for selectively delivering ions to a vacuum region comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a dielectric conduit having an axial bore originating in an inlet opening contained within an ion source and terminating in an exit opening within the vacuum region;
- (b) flowing a gas stream through the conduit, said gas stream comprising an ion traveling at a drift velocity through the bore from the inlet opening toward the exit opening;
- and
- (c) selectively altering the temperature of the dielectric conduit for selectively altering the drift velocity of the ion, wherein the ion is selectively delivered to the vacuum region.
A method for selectively delivering ions to a mass analyzer operating in a vacuum region comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a dielectric conduit having an axial bore originating in an inlet opening contained within an ion source and terminating in an exit opening within the vacuum region containing the mass analyzer;
- (b) flowing a gas stream through the conduit, said gas stream comprising an ion traveling at a drift velocity through the bore from the inlet opening toward the exit opening;
- (c) generating an electric field, corresponding to the polarity of the ion and generally opposing gas flow assisted movement of the ion within the conduit;
- (d) selectively altering the temperature of the dielectric conduit for selectively altering the drift velocity of the ion, wherein the ion selectively exits the conduit into the vacuum region;
- and
- (e) delivering the selected ion to the mass analyzer.
A method for selectively delivering ions to a mass analyzer operating in a vacuum region comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a dielectric conduit having an axial bore originating in an inlet opening contained within an ion source and terminating in an exit opening within the vacuum region containing the mass analyzer;
- (b) flowing a gas stream through the conduit, said gas stream comprising an ion traveling at a drift velocity through the bore from the inlet opening toward the exit opening;
- (c) selectively altering the temperature of the dielectric conduit for selectively altering the drift velocity of the ion, wherein the ion selectively exits the conduit into the vacuum region;
- and
- (d) delivering the selected ion to the mass analyzer.
An apparatus for selectively delivering ions from an ion source to a vacuum region, comprising:
- (a) a dielectric conduit having an axial bore connecting the ion source and the vacuum region, wherein the gas flows from the ion source to the vacuum region at a drift velocity;
- and
- (b) thermal velocity altering means in a contact with the dielectric conduit for selectively altering the temperature of the conduit for altering the drift velocity of the ions, wherein the ions are selectively delivered to the vacuum region.
An apparatus for selectively delivering ions from an ion source to a vacuum region, comprising:
- (a) a dielectric conduit having an axial bore connecting the ion source and the vacuum region, wherein the gas flows from the ion source to the vacuum region at a drift velocity;
- and
- (b) electric velocity altering means in contact with the dielectric conduit for altering the drift velocity of the ion in a manner that does not substantially depend on the polarity of the ion, wherein the ion is selectively delivered to the vacuum region.
An apparatus for selectively delivering ions from an ion source to a vacuum region, comprising:
- (a) a dielectric conduit having an axial bore connecting the ion source and the vacuum region, wherein the gas flows from the ion source to the vacuum region at a drift velocity;
- and
- (b) electric velocity altering means in contact with the dielectric conduit for altering the drift velocity of the ion in a manner that does not substantially depend on the polarity of the ion, said electric velocity altering means comprising a periodic, alternating direction electric field applied to the ion to effect trapping of the ion within the conduit, wherein the ion is selectively delivered to the vacuum region.
A method for selectively delivering ions to a vacuum region comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a dielectric conduit having an axial bore originating in an inlet opening contained within an ion source and terminating in an exit opening within the vacuum region;
- (b) flowing a gas stream through the conduit, said gas stream comprising an ion traveling at a drift velocity through the bore from the inlet opening toward the exit opening;
- (c) generating an electric field, corresponding to the polarity of the ion and generally opposing gas flow assisted movement of the ion within the conduit;
- and
- (d) subjecting the gas stream to electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength that can be absorbed by the gas stream for raising the temperature of the gas stream and selectively altering the drift velocity of the ion, wherein the ion is selectively delivered to the vacuum region.
An apparatus for selectively delivering ions from an ion source to vacuum region comprising:
- (a) a dielectric conduit having an axial bore connecting the ion source and the vacuum region, wherein the gas flows from the ion source to the vacuum region at a drift velocity;
- and
- (b) apparatus for selectively heating the gas stream electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength that can be absorbed by the gas stream for selectively altering the drift velocity of the ion, wherein the ion is selectively delivered to the vacuum region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.