Method and apparatus for transmitting ions in a mass spectrometer maintained in a sub-atmospheric pressure regime
AssigneeBruker Daltonics, Inc.
InventorFelician Muntean
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for transmitting ions in a mass spectrometer from an ion source to a mass analyzer extracts analyte ions from the ion source in such a manner that the number of extracted analyte ions is maximized. The ions are then transmitted through an ion guide to the mass analyzer. The ion guide is filled with an interaction gas and its operating parameters are adjusted so that, as the ions pass through the ion guide, the analyte ion energy distribution width is narrowed and the analyte ions are collimated within the ion guide to improve the resolution and sensitivity of the mass analyzer.
Claims32
A method of transmitting ions in a mass spectrometer having an ion source with an ion exit and a mass analyzer and maintained in a sub-atmospheric pressure regime, comprising:
- (a) generating analyte ions in the ion source, the ion source having an ion source volume comprising a plurality of subvolumes;
- (b) applying extraction voltages for extracting analyte ions through the ion exit, wherein the extraction voltages and geometrical dimensions of the ion exit are configured so that analyte ions generated in substantially all of the subvolumes of the ion source volume are extracted and an energy distribution width of the extracted analyte ions is maximized;
- (c) transmitting the extracted analyte ions through an ion guide to the mass analyzer, the ion guide being filled with an interaction gas;
- and
- (d) configuring at least one of an inner width of the ion guide, operating voltages applied to the ion guide, a length of the ion guide, and a pressure of the interaction gas so that the analyte ion energy distribution width is narrowed and the analyte ions are collimated within the ion guide.
A mass spectrometer maintained in a sub-atmospheric pressure regime, comprising:
- An ion source for generating analyte ions, the ion source having an ion source volume comprising a plurality of subvolumes and an ion exit through which the analyte ions are extracted via extraction voltages, wherein the extraction voltages and geometrical dimensions of the ion exit are configured so that analyte ions generated in substantially all of the subvolumes of the ion source volume are extracted and an energy distribution width of the extracted analyte ions is maximized;
- a mass analyzer;
- and
- an ion guide that receives the extracted analyte ions and transmits them to the mass analyzer, the ion guide being filled with an interaction gas, wherein at least one of an inner width of the ion guide, operating voltages applied to the ion guide, a length of the ion guide, and a pressure of the interaction gas are configured so that the analyte ion energy distribution width is narrowed and the analyte ions are collimated within the ion guide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.