Multi-dimentional ion mobility separator method and apparatus
AssigneeExcellims Corporation
InventorsChing Wu, Christopher Hilton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One aspect of the present invention is to extract multiple ionic species in a FAIMS into one or more IMS drift tubes simultaneously. By adjusting FAIMS operational parameters, ions in FAIMS are detected on IMS detectors through separation in FAIMS and/or separation and collection in the IMS. This method provides a continuous separation of specific ions from an ion swarm by employing a high-field differential mobility analyzer (FAIMS) with a plurality of orthogonal transitions paths spaced incrementally along the electrodes which allow additional separation by a conventional IMS drift tube. The components of the sample can be collected or detected.
Claims10
An apparatus for the separation of components in a sample comprising:
- (a) a differential ion mobility spectrometer with a plurality of outlets substantially orthogonal to a first sample flow path, wherein the outlets are located before the end of the separation section of the differential ion mobility spectrometer;
- (b) a plurality of time of flight ion mobility spectrometers simultaneously receiving ions leaving from the outlets;
- and
- (c) a plurality of ion accumulators in fluid communication with the time of flight ion mobility spectrometer and positioned to receive ions leaving the time of flight ion mobility spectrometer.
A method for the separation of components in a sample comprising:
- (a) separating at least one component in a differential ion mobility spectrometer using a high field with a plurality of outlets substantially orthogonal to a first sample flow path, wherein the outlets are located before the end of the separation section of the differential ion mobility spectrometer;
- (b) simultaneously receiving ions leaving the outlets with a plurality of time of flight ion mobility spectrometers;
- (c) separating at least one component in a time of flight ion mobility spectrometer using a low field;
- and
- (d) receiving ions leaving the time of flight ion mobility spectrometer with a plurality of ion accumulators in fluid communication with the time of flight ion mobility spectrometer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.