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US 8,507,849 B2Granted
Mass spectrometer
AssigneeMicromass UK Limited
InventorJeffery Mark Brown
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a MALDI ion source coupled to an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyzer. The mass spectrometer is operated at a first instrument setting wherein specific parent ions are selected by a mass filter and are accelerated to a first axial energy. The fragment ions are then orthogonally accelerated after a first delay time and first mass spectral data is obtained. The mass spectrometer is then operated at a second instrument setting wherein the axial energy of the parent ions is increased and the resulting fragment ions are orthogonally accelerated after a reduced delay time. Second mass spectral data is then obtained. The first and second mass spectral data are then combined to provided a final composite mass spectrum.
Claims34
A method of mass spectrometry comprising:
- providing an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser comprising an orthogonal acceleration region;
- providing a first packet or group of parent or precursor ions;
- accelerating said first packet or group of parent or precursor ions with a first potential so that said first packet or group of parent or precursor ions possess a first axial energy;
- fragmenting said first packet or group of parent or precursor ions into a first plurality of fragment or daughter ions or allowing said first packet or group of parent or precursor ions to fragment into a first plurality of fragment or daughter ions;
- orthogonally accelerating at least some of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions after a first delay time;
- detecting fragment or daughter ions of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions having a first range of axial energies;
- generating first mass spectral data relating to fragment or daughter ions of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions having said first range of axial energies;
- providing a second packet or group of parent or precursor ions;
- accelerating said second packet or group of parent or precursor ions with a second potential different from the first potential so that said second packet or group of parent or precursor ions possess a second axial energy different from said first axial energy;
- fragmenting said second packet or group of parent or precursor ions into a second plurality of fragment or daughter ions or allowing said second packet or group of parent or precursor ions to fragment into a second plurality of fragment or daughter ions;
- orthogonally accelerating at least some of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions after a second delay time;
- detecting fragment or daughter ions of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions having a second range of axial energies;
- generating second mass spectral data relating to said fragment or daughter ions of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions having said second range of axial energies;
- and
- forming a composite mass spectrum by using, combining or overlapping said first mass spectral data and said second mass spectral data.
12 more elements
A mass spectrometer comprising:
- an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser comprising an orthogonal acceleration region;
- a control system which is arranged to:
- (i) accelerate a first packet or group of parent or precursor ions with a first potential so that said first packet or group of parent or precursor ions possesses a first axial energy;
- (ii) fragment said first packet or group of parent or precursor ions into a first plurality of fragment or daughter ions or allow said first packet or group of parent or precursor ions to fragment into a first plurality of fragment or daughter ions;
- (iii) orthogonally accelerate at least some of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions after a first delay time;
- (iv) accelerate a second packet or group of parent or precursor ions with a second potential different from the first potential so that said second packet or group of parent or precursor ions possesses a second axial energy different from said first axial energy;
- (v) fragment said second packet or group of parent or precursor ions into a second plurality of fragment or daughter ions or allowing said second packet or group of parent or precursor ions to fragment into a second plurality of fragment or daughter ions;
- and
- (vi) orthogonally accelerate at least some of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions after a second delay time;
- an ion detector which is arranged to:
- (i) detect fragment or daughter ions of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions having a first range of axial energies;
- (ii) detect fragment or daughter ions of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions having a second range of axial energies;
- said mass spectrometer further comprising:
- means arranged to generate first mass spectral data relating to fragment or daughter ions of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions having said first range of axial energies;
- means arranged to generate second mass spectral data relating to said fragment or daughter ions of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions having said second range of axial energies;
- and
- means arranged to form a composite mass spectrum by using, combining or overlapping said first mass spectral data and said second mass spectral data.
14 more elements
A method of mass spectrometry comprising:
- providing an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser comprising an orthogonal acceleration region;
- providing a first packet or group of parent or precursor ions;
- fragmenting said first packet or group of parent or precursor ions into a first plurality of fragment or daughter ions or allowing said first packet or group of parent or precursor ions to fragment into a first plurality of fragment or daughter ions;
- orthogonally accelerating at least some of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions with a first potential so that said at least some of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions possess a first orthogonal energy;
- detecting fragment or daughter ions of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions having said first orthogonal energy;
- generating first mass spectral data relating to fragment or daughter ions of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions having said first orthogonal energy;
- providing a second packet or group of parent or precursor ions;
- fragmenting said second packet or group of parent or precursor ions into a second plurality of fragment or daughter ions or allowing said second packet or group of parent or precursor ions to fragment into a second plurality of fragment or daughter ions;
- orthogonally accelerating at least some of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions with a second potential different from the first potential so that said at least some of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions possess a second orthogonal energy different from said first orthogonal energy;
- detecting fragment or daughter ions of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions having said second orthogonal energy;
- generating second mass spectral data relating to said fragment or daughter ions of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions having said second orthogonal energy;
- and
- forming a composite mass spectrum by using, combining or overlapping said first mass spectral data and said second mass spectral data.
10 more elements
A mass spectrometer comprising:
- an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser comprising an orthogonal acceleration region;
- a control system which is arranged to:
- (i) fragment a first packet or group of parent or precursor ions into a first plurality of fragment or daughter ions or allow said first packet or group of parent or precursor ions to fragment into a first plurality of fragment or daughter ions;
- (ii) orthogonally accelerate at least some of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions with a first potential so that said at least some of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions possess a first orthogonal energy;
- (iii) fragment a second packet or group of parent or precursor ions into a second plurality of fragment or daughter ions or allow said second packet or group of parent or precursor ions to fragment into a second plurality of fragment or daughter ions;
- and
- (iv) orthogonally accelerate at least some of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions with a second potential different from the first potential so that said at least some of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions possess a second orthogonal energy different from said first orthogonal energy;
- an ion detector which is arranged to:
- (i) detect fragment or daughter ions of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions having said first orthogonal energy;
- (ii) detect fragment or daughter ions of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions having said second orthogonal energy;
- said mass spectrometer further comprising:
- means arranged to generate first mass spectral data relating to fragment or daughter ions of said first plurality of fragment or daughter ions having said first orthogonal energy;
- means arranged to generate second mass spectral data relating to said fragment or daughter ions of said second plurality of fragment or daughter ions having said second orthogonal energy;
- and
- means arranged to form a composite mass spectrum by using, combining or overlapping said first mass spectral data and said second mass spectral data.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.