Method and apparatus for improved sensitivity in a mass spectrometer
AssigneeDH Technologies Development Pte. Ltd.
InventorTakashi Baba
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided including an ion source for generating ions, a vacuum chamber having an inlet aperture for receiving ions and an exit aperture for passing ions from the vacuum chamber. At least one ion guide is provided between the inlet and exit apertures, the at least one ion guide having an entrance end and an exit end. The at least one ion guide having an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder. The inner cylinder having a plurality of sections, each section having a different number of slots and the inner cylinder coaxially disposed within the outer cylinder wherein the inner cylinder is configured to generate more than one multipole field. A power supply is provided for providing an RF voltage between the outer and inner cylinders.
Claims20
A mass spectrometer system, comprising:
- an ion source for generating ions from a sample;
- a vacuum chamber comprising an inlet aperture for receiving the ions, and an exit aperture for passing ions from the vacuum chamber;
- at least one ion guide between the inlet and exit apertures, the at least one ion guide having an entrance end and an exit end;
- the at least one ion guide comprising an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, the inner cylinder having a plurality of sections, each section comprising a plurality of slots in the inner cylinder and each of the plurality of sections of the inner cylinder comprises a different number of slots, the inner cylinder coaxially disposed within the outer cylinder, wherein the inner cylinder is configured to generate more than one multipole RF field;
- and
- a power supply for providing an RF voltage between the outer and inner cylinders for radially confining the ions within the inner cylinder of the at least one ion guide.
A method for transmitting ions comprising:
- providing an ion source for generating ions from a sample;
- providing a vacuum chamber comprising an inlet aperture for receiving the ions, and an exit aperture for passing ions from the vacuum chamber;
- providing at least one ion guide between the inlet and exit apertures, the at least one ion guide having an entrance end, a predetermined entrance cross-section defining an internal volume, and an exit end;
- providing the at least one ion guide comprising an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, the inner cylinder having a plurality of sections comprising a plurality of slots and each of the plurality of sections of the inner cylinder comprises a different number of slots, the inner cylinder coaxially disposed within the outer cylinder, wherein the inner cylinder is configured to generate more than one multipole RF field;
- and
- providing a power supply for providing an RF voltage between the outer and inner cylinders for radially confining the ions within the inner cylinder of the at least one ion guide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.