Ion detection arrangement
AssigneeThermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH
InventorsJohannes Schwieters, Michael Krummen, Dougal Hamilton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mass spectrometer is disclosed having a mass analyzer with a mass-to-charge dispersive element for separating ions according to their mass-to-charge ratios along a dispersive plane and an ion deflector to deflect ions leaving the mass analyzer in the dispersive plane. A shielding arrangement, located between the dispersive element and the ion deflector is arranged to define the portion of the beam to be deflected by the ion deflector. The deflected beam is steered onto a beam defining aperture, located at the focal plane of the mass analyzer is detected by at least one ion detector, located downstream from the beam defining aperture.
Claims28
A mass spectrometer, comprising:
- a mass analyzer, comprising a mass-to-charge dispersive element, the mass analyzer being arranged to receive ions, to angularly separate the ions according to their mass-to-charge ratios along a dispersive plane and to focus ions of different mass-to-charge ratios in different beams at respective different focal points on a focal plane;
- an ion deflector, arranged downstream from the dispersive element to deflect ions in at least one of the different beams leaving the mass analyzer in the dispersive plane;
- a shielding arrangement, located between the dispersive element and the ion deflector and being arranged to select the at least one of the different beams to be deflected by the ion deflector;
- a beam defining aperture, located downstream from the ion deflector and substantially at the focal plane of the mass analyzer;
- and
- at least one ion detector, located downstream from the beam defining aperture.
A method of operating a mass spectrometer, comprising:
- receiving ions at a mass analyzer;
- angularly separating the received ions along a dispersive plane according to their mass-to-charge ratios using a dispersive element of the mass analyzer;
- causing the separated ions to be focused in different beams at respective different focal points on a focal plane;
- deflecting separated ions in at least one of the different beams downstream of the dispersive element using an ion deflector, such that at least some of the separated ions in the at least one of the different beams pass through a beam defining aperture, located substantially at the focal plane;
- providing shielding between the dispersive element of the mass analyzer and the ion deflector so as to select the at least one of the different beams leaving the mass analyzer to be deflected by the ion deflector;
- and
- detecting ions passing through the beam defining aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.