Means and method for guiding ions in a mass spectrometer
AssigneeBruker Daltonics, Inc.
InventorMelvin A. Park
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multipole ion guide capable of incorporating a plurality of ion sources (i.e., MALDI, ESI, EI/CI, etc.) to provide and analyze ions in a mass analyzer (i.e., ICR, TOF, quadrupole, etc.) has been designed. Such multipole ion guides comprise an array of pairs of parallel conducting rods (i.e., 3 pair, 4 pair, 5 pair, etc.), each pair being equally spaced from one another, with the array being bound on its top and bottom as well as its ends by DC electrodes. The ion guide then utilizes RF/DC potentials to accept ions from any of a multitude of ion sources to facilitate their transmission through differentially pumped regions to a high pressure mass analysis region.
Claims38
A multipole ion guide for a mass spectrometer comprising:
- at least one pair of conducting rods aligned in parallel, each pair being equally spaced from one another;
- at least one capping electrode comprising at least one opening and bounding said conducting rods;
- means for applying RF/DC potentials to said conducting rods;
- and
- means for applying a DC potential to said capping electrodes.
A multipole ion guide for analyzing chemical species, wherein said multipole ion guide comprises:
- a plurality of conducting rods and at least one capping electrode comprising at least one opening and bounding said conducting rods;
- and
- means for applying voltages to said ion guide;
- wherein said ion guide accepts sample ions from at least one ion production region, and
- wherein said ion guide transfers said sample ions to an analysis region through a plurality of vacuum stages.
A method for analyzing chemical species in a mass spectrometer comprising an ion production means, at least one multipole ion guide, a vacuum system, and a mass analyzer, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) producing ions in an ion production region;
- (b) introducing said ions into an ion guide, said ion guide comprising a plurality of conducting rods and at least one capping electrode comprising at least one opening and bounding said conducting rods;
- (c) applying a first potential to said conducting rods such that said ions move to a central axis of said ion guide;
- (d) transferring said ions from said ion guide into a mass analysis region;
- and
- (e) conducting mass analysis of said ions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.