US 8,618,476 B2 · Ion mobility based separation methods and apparatus

Abstract

The present invention describes separating components in a sample in an ion mobility based spectrometer using at least one matching property of the components other than the molecular properties in conventional ion mobility measurements in noble drift gases to enhance separation and resolution of the sample. Separation based on the matching property is realized by altering the drift media of the IMS. Besides altering drift media, energy level of ions and/or drift media are also controlled during the separation process. This invention describes an ion mobility apparatus wherein an energy source is added to the IMS that provides additional energy to the ions and/or drift media and tuning methods that involve selecting drift media and optimizing the energy level in order to achieve optimal performance.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An ion mobility based separation method, comprising:

a. ionizing components of a sample;
b. separating at least one component of the sample in a drift media which comprises a pure or mixture of drift gases and/or at least one chemical modifier based on their measured ion mobility characteristics;
and
c. changing the measured ion mobility characteristics through a dynamic polar interaction between the ionized components and the drift media, where the dynamic polar interaction involves the polarity of the ionized components and the drift media in addition to their intrinsic ion mobility or ion mobility differences in the given drift media by adding at least one modifier to the drift media that selectively interact, to some degree, with at least one component of the sample over the others by the inherent polarity of the component.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ion mobility based separation methods and apparatus

Life of this patent

Ion mobility based separation methods and apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15