Selective ionization using high frequency filtering of reactive ions

A method for selective ionization, comprising:

• generating reactive ions in an ionization zone, the reactive ions being generated from a gas that is separate from a sample being analyzed;
• providing the sample being analyzed in a sample zone;
• selectively filtering the reactive ions propelled from the ionization zone to generate selected reactive ions, wherein the reactive ions from the ionization zone are selectively filtered via control of electrodes of the high frequency filter to generate the selected reactive ions, wherein the electrodes are controlled via an asymmetric waveform alternating between high and low fields that subjects the reactive ions to oscillations within the high frequency filter resulting in separation of the reactive ions based on differences between high field and low field mobilities of the reactive ions, wherein a compensation voltage is further applied to then deliver the selected reactive ions from the high frequency filter;
• and
• in the sample zone, reacting the selected reactive ions with the sample molecules of the sample being analyzed in a charge transfer process at atmospheric or near atmospheric pressure.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software for selective ionization processing, the software comprising:

• executable code that controls generation of reactive ions in an ionization zone, the reactive ions being generated from a gas that is separate from a sample being analyzed;
• executable code that controls selective filtering, at a high frequency filter, of the reactive ions received from the ionization zone and controls delivery of the selected reactive ions to the sample zone, wherein the reactive ions are selectively filtered via control of electrodes of the high frequency filter to generate the selected reactive ions, wherein the electrodes are controlled via an asymmetric waveform alternating between high and low fields that subjects the reactive ions to oscillations within the high frequency filter resulting in separation of the reactive ions based on differences between high field and low field mobilities of the reactive ions, wherein a compensation voltage is further applied to then deliver the selected reactive ions from the high frequency filter, and wherein, in the sample zone, the selected reactive ions react with the sample molecules of the sample being analyzed in a charge transfer process at atmospheric or near atmospheric pressure;
• and
• executable code that controls analysis of sample ions of interest following the charge transfer process.