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US 8,274,045 B2Granted
Imaging mass spectrometry principle and its application in a device
OwnerCasimir Bamberger, Andreas Bambergerinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of imaging mass spectroscopy and a corresponding apparatus are provided, wherein the m/z-ratio of ions as well as the location of said ions on a sample surface are detected simultaneously in a time of flight mass spectrometer. The detector is a semiconductor array detector comprising pixels, that each can be arranged to measure a signal intensity of a signal induced by the ions or their time of arrival. A four-dimensional image consisting of the two lateral dimensions on the sample surface, the m/z-ratio representing the ion type and the abundance of an ion type on the surface can be reconstructed from repeated measurements for which a correspondingly adapted computer program product can be involved.
Claims19
A method, comprising:
- setting (S101) a start time;
- extracting a first ion and a second ion (S102) from different locations on a sample by an ionization pulse at a fixed time relative to the start time;
- accelerating (S103) said first and second ions towards a signal generator (MCP) located at a distance to the sample whereby the distribution of the first and second ions on the sample is isomorphously imaged to the signal generator (MCP), wherein the signal generator comprises a microchannel plate;
- generating (S103), by the signal generator (MCP), a first signal from the first ion and a second signal from the second ion, wherein the first signal and the second signal have an amplification factor between 103 and 107 and are indicative of a position of an impingement of the first and second ions onto the signal generator, respectively;
- detecting (S104), by a first detection element of a detector, if a part of said first signal with at least a first pre-defined intensity is received by said first detection element and, by a second detection element of the detector, if a part of said second signal with at least a second pre-defined intensity is received by said second detection element, wherein the first and the second detection elements are laterally separated pixels on the detector which is a semiconductor detector;
- wherein the space, where the first and second ions travel towards the signal generator, the signal generator, and the detector are included in a vacuum chamber;
- wherein
- measuring (S104) and storing (S105), by the first detection element of the detector, a first time of arrival relative to the start time when said part of said first signal with at least the first pre-defined intensity is received by said first detection element, and
- measuring (S104) and storing (S105), by the second detection element of the detector, a second time of arrival relative to the start time when said part of said second signal with at least the second pre-defined intensity is received by said second detection element.
6 more elements
An apparatus, comprising
- a sample holder;
- time signal means for providing a signal pulse;
- ionization means configured to ionize a first and a second atom or molecule from different locations of a sample on the sample holder by an ionization pulse at a fixed time relative to the signal pulse, thus obtaining a first ion and a second ion;
- imaging means configured to extract the first and second ions from the sample and to accelerate them towards a generation means, whereby the distribution of the first and second ions on the sample is isomorphously imaged to the generation means (MCP), wherein
- the generation means (MCP) comprises a microchannel plate and is configured to generate a first signal from the impinging first ion and a second signal from the impinging second ion, wherein
- the first signal and the second signal have an amplification factor between 103 and 107 and are indicative of a position of an impingement of the first and second ions onto the generation means (MCP), respectively;
- a semiconductor detector comprising a first and a second detection element, wherein the first detection element is configurable to detect if a part of said first signal with at least a first predefined intensity is received by said first detection element, the second detection element is configurable to detect if a part of said second signal with at least a second predefined intensity is received by said second detection element, and the first and the second detection elements are laterally separated pixels on the detector;
- wherein a space, where the first and second ions travel towards the generation means, the generation means, and the detector are included in a vacuum chamber;
- wherein
- the first detection element is configurable to measure and store a first time of arrival relative to the start time when said part of the first signal with at least the first pre-defined intensity is received by said first detection element, and
- the second detection element is configurable to measure and store a second time of arrival relative to the start time when said part of the second signal with at least the second pre-defined intensity is received by said second detection element.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.