Apparatus and method for ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry
AssigneeTrustees of Boston University
InventorPeter B. O'Connor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for performing ion mass spectrometry via Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance utilizes a superconducting magnet with a bore and a vacuum chamber received in the magnet bore. The superconducting magnet and the vacuum chamber are enclosed in a cooling chamber and cooled together until the operating temperature of the magnet is reached. Because the temperature of the vacuum chamber is similar to the operating temperature of the superconducting magnet during operation, the wall of the vacuum chamber is sufficiently cold to function as a cryogenic vacuum pump to provide enhanced pumping of the volume in the vacuum chamber. The approach of cooling the vacuum chamber wall to provide cryogenic pumping can also be used when the magnet is of a non-superconducting type.
Claims18
An ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer comprising:
- a superconducting magnet for generating an ion confinement magnetic field, the superconducting magnet having a bore;
- a vacuum chamber having an ion cyclotron resonance region, said vacuum chamber being received inside the bore of the superconducting magnet;
- and
- a cooling container enclosing both the superconducting magnet and the vacuum chamber and having means for cooling the superconducting magnet and the vacuum chamber together such that the superconducting magnet reaches an operating temperature and the vacuum chamber reaches a temperature similar to the operating temperature of the superconducting magnet and sufficient for providing cryopumping.
A method of performing ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry measurements, comprising:
- providing a superconducting magnet for generating an ion confinement field, a vacuum chamber having an ion cyclotron resonance region, said vacuum chamber being received within a bore of the superconducting magnet, and a cooling chamber enclosing both the superconducting magnet and the vacuum chamber to allow the superconducting magnet and the vacuum chamber to be cooled together;
- cooling the superconducting magnet and the vacuum chamber until the superconducting magnet reaches an operating temperature and the vacuum chamber reaches a temperature sufficiently cold for providing cryopumping;
- energizing the superconducting magnet to generate an ion confinement field in the ion cyclotron resonance region;
- injecting ions to be studied into the ion cyclotron resonance region of the vacuum chamber;
- and
- detecting cyclotron resonance signals generated by the ions.
An ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer comprising:
- a magnet for generating an ion confinement magnetic field within a bore of the magnet;
- a vacuum chamber having an ion cyclotron resonance region, said vacuum chamber being received inside the bore of the magnet;
- and
- means for cooling the vacuum chamber to a temperature sufficiently cold for a wall of the vacuum chamber to provide cryogenic pumping inside the vacuum chamber.
A method of performing ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry measurements, comprising:
- providing a magnet for generating an ion confinement field and a vacuum chamber having an ion cyclotron resonance region, said vacuum chamber being received within a bore of the magnet;
- cooling the vacuum chamber to a temperature sufficiently cold for a wall of the vacuum chamber to provide cryogenic pumping inside the vacuum chamber;
- energizing the magnet to generate an ion confinement field in the ion cyclotron resonance region;
- injecting ions to be studied into the ion cyclotron resonance region of the vacuum chamber;
- and
- detecting cyclotron resonance signals generated by the ions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.