Abstract:
A mass or mass to charge ratio selective ion trap is disclosed having an increased charge storage capacity. A RF voltage acts to confine ions in a first (y) direction within the ion trap. A DC voltage and/or an RF voltage acts to confine ions in a second (x) direction within the ion trap. A quadratic DC potential well acts to confine ions in a third (z) direction within the ion trap. Ions are excited in the third (z) direction and are caused to be mass or mass to charge ratio selectively ejected in the third (z) direction.
Abstract:
An ion mobility separator or spectrometer is disclosed comprising an inner cylinder (2) and an outer cylinder (1). The inner cylinder (2) and the outer cylinder (1) define an annular volume (3) through which ions are transmitted. One or more spiral electrodes a-f are arranged on a surface of the inner cylinder (2) and/or on a surface of the outer cylinder (1). A first device is arranged and adapted to maintain a DC electric field and/or a pseudo- potential force which acts to urge ions from a first end of the ion mobility separator or spectrometer to a second end of the ion mobility separator or spectrometer. A second device is arranged and adapted to apply one or more transient DC voltages to the one or more spiral electrodes in order to urge ions towards the first end of the ion mobility separator or spectrometer. The net effect is to extend the effective path length of the ion mobility separator.
Abstract:
Ions having a restricted range of mass to charge ratios are transmitted to the acceleration region of a Time of Flight mass analyser. A control system applies a first extraction pulse to an acceleration electrode in order to accelerate a first group of ions into the time of flight region at a first time T1, wherein tons having the lowest mass to charge ratio in the first group of ions have a time of flight ?T1min through the time of flight region and ions having the highest mass to charge ratio in the first group of ions have a time of flight ?T1max through the time of flight region. The control system applies a second extraction pulse to the acceleration electrode at a subsequent second time T2, wherein ?T1max- ?T1min = T2-T1 max.
Abstract:
A mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein an ion beam attenuator (23) is arranged upstream of an ion trap mass analyser (20). An ion tunnel ion trap comprising an upstream ion accumulation section (21) and a downstream ion accumulation section (22) is arranged upstream of the ion beam attenuator (23). Ions are released from the ion tunnel ion trap and the intensity of the ion beam which is transmitted to the ion trap mass analyser (20) is controlled by the ion beam attenuator (23). The fill time during which ions are admitted into the ion trap mass analyser (20) remains substantially constant and is substantially independent of the intensity of the ion beam.
Abstract:
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a Time of Flight mass analyser comprising an ion detector comprising an Analogue to Digital Converter. Signals from the Analogue to Digital Converter are digitised and the arrival time and intensity of ions are determined. The arrival time T0 and intensity S0 of each ion arrival event is converted into two separate intensities S(n),S(n+i) which are stored in neighbouring time bins T(n), T(n+1).
Abstract:
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ion mobility spectrometer (8) and an ion gate (9). A collision cell (10) is arranged downstream of the ion gate (9). The operation of the ion mobility spectrometer (8) and the ion gate (9) are synchronised so that only ions having a particular mass to charge ratio and a desired charge state are onwardly transmitted to the collision cell (10).
Abstract:
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a mass selective ion trap or mass analyser (4) arranged upstream of an ion guide (6). Ions are scanned out of the mass selective ion trap or mass analyser (4) and are received in one or more axial potential wells created or formed within the ion guide (6). One or more transient DC voltages or potentials are preferably applied to the ion guide (6) in order to create a plurality of axial potential wells which are translated along the length of the ion guide (6). Ions are released in packets from the exit of the ion guide (6) and are orthogonally accelerated into a drift or flight region of an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser (13) with a relatively high duty cycle.
Abstract:
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a quadrupole rod set ion guide or mass filter device (6). A broadband frequency signal (10) having one or more notches (11a, 11b, 11c) is applied to the rods of the quadrupole rod set (6). The notched broadband frequency signal (10) causes undesired ions to be resonantly ejected from the ion guide (6). The notched broadband frequency signal (10) has frequency components missing which correspond with the resonance frequency of ions which are desired to be onwardly transmitted. The ion guide or mass filter device (6) enables a plurality of desired ions having different mass to charge ratios to be simultaneously transmitted by the ion guide or mass filter device (6) whilst other ions are resonantly ejected from the ion guide or mass filter device (6).
Abstract:
A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed wherein voltage signals from an ion detector are analysed. A second differential of each voltage signal is obtained and the start and end times of observed voltage peaks are determined. The intensity and average time of each voltage peak is then determined and the intensity and time values are stored. An intermediate composite mass spectrum is then formed by combining the intensity and time values which relate to each voltage peak observed from multiple experimental runs. The various pairs of time and intensity data are then integrated to produce a smooth continuum mass spectrum. The continuum mass spectrum may then be further processed by determining the second differential of the continuum mass spectrum. The start and end times of mass peaks observed in the continuum mass spectrum may be determined. The intensity and mass to charge ratio of each mass peak observed in the continuum mass spectrum may then determined. A final discrete mass spectrum comprising just of an intensity value and mass to charge ratio per species of ion may then be displayed or output.
Abstract:
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ion mobility spectrometer or separator (3) arranged upstream of a collision or fragmentation cell (5). Ions are separated according to their ion mobility within the ion mobility spectrometer or separator (3). The kinetic energy of the ions exiting the ion mobility spectrometer or separator (3) is increased substantially linearly with time in order to optimise the fragmentation energy of ions as they enter the collision or fragmentation cell (5).