Mass spectrometer
AssigneeMicromass UK Limited
InventorJohn Brian Hoyes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ion guide or ion mobility spectrometer having helical, toroidal, part-toroidal, hemitoroidal, semitoroidal or spiral ion guiding region. The ion guide may comprise a tube made from a leaky dielectric wherein an RF voltage is applied to outer electrodes in order to confine ions radially within the ion guide. A DC voltage is applied to a resistive inner layer in order to urge ions along the ion guide. Alternatively, the ion guide may comprise a plurality of electrodes each having an aperture through which ions are transmitted.
Claims20
An ion guide comprising:
- one or more helical tubes through which ions are transmitted in use each tube having a length;
- one or more RF, helically-shaped electrodes arranged on or in either an outer or inner surface of said one or more tubes and extending along at least a portion of the respective length of each tube;
- and
- a device arranged and adapted to supply, in use, an RF voltage to said one or more RF electrodes.
An ion guide comprising:
- a first helical board;
- a second helical board;
- a plurality of electrodes connecting the first and second boards each electrode having one or more apertures through which ions are transmitted in use, wherein said ion guide comprises a helical ion guiding region;
- and
- a device arranged and adapted to supply, in use, an RF voltage to said plurality of electrodes.
A method of ion mobility separation conducted with an ion guide including one or more helical tubes through which ions are transmitted in use each tube having a length and one or more helically-shaped RF electrodes arranged on or in either an outer or inner surface of said one or more tubes and extending along at least a portion of the respective length of each tube, said method comprising:
- supplying an RF voltage to said one or more RF electrodes;
- and
- transmitting ions through the ion guide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.