Nanoparticulate assisted nanoscale molecular imaging by mass spectrometry

• US 10,446,383 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ionwerks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ionwerks, Inc.
• Inventors: Schultz, J. Albert, Egan, Thomas F., Lewis, Ernest K., Ulrich, Steven, Waters, Kelley L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoffa, Wyatt A
• Application Number:
  US15/485,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20170221691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6417 Spectrofluorimetric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/64 Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6458 Fluorescence microscopy fluorescence microscopes per se G02B21/0076 and G02B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/658 enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/2258 Measuring secondary ion emission, e.g. secondary ion mass spectrometry [SIMS] mass-to-charge ratio analysis aspects of SIMS for material analysis G01N27/62
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0004 Imaging particle spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0422 for gaseous samples interfaces to gas chromatographs G01N30/7206
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0463 Desorption by laser or particle beam, followed by ionisation as a separate step sample holder per se H01J49/0418
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/10 Ion sources; Ion guns
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/142 using a solid target which is not previously vapourised
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/164 Laser desorption/ionisation, e.g. matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation [MALDI] sample holders H01J49/0418
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/26 Mass spectrometers or separator tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/40 Time-of-flight spectrometers H01J49/36 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and devices for mass spectrometry are described, specifically the use of nanoparticulate implantation as a matrix for secondary ion and more generally secondary particles. A photon beam source or a nanoparticulate beam source can be used a desorption source or a primary ion/primary particle source.

Claims

1. A method for the collection of analytical data from a sample, the method comprising:

adding matrix to the sample with nanoparticles of a nanofocused nanoparticulate beam source;

co-depositing material from a deposition source on the sample with the nanoparticles from the nanoparticulate ion beam;

analyzing at least a portion of the sample having the matrix and the co-deposited material with a fluorescence or Raman spectrometer;

thereafter desorbing chemical species from the sample using a nanofocused primary particle beam source; and

analyzing at least a portion of the desorbed chemical species.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the nanofocused primary particle beam source comprises a nanofocused neon ion particle beam source, and wherein the nanofocused nanoparticulate beam source comprises a nanoparticulate silver beam source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the deposition source comprises an alkali metal ion beam deposition source.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the alkali metal ion beam deposition source comprises a Cesium ion beam deposition source.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the deposition source comprises a water vapor source from a molecular beam source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of co-depositing comprises co-depositing an organic acid matrix on the sample from a Knudsen source or molecular beam source.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of co-depositing comprises simultaneously co-depositing.