Ion optic components for mass spectrometers
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- (a) a hollow first element, and (b) a hollow second element, said second element being disposed within said first element, said second element having at least two openings in a wall thereof wherein said openings are elongated and radially disposed with respect to the axis of said second element and wherein the length of said openings are at least about 20% of the length of said second element, said first element and said second element each being adapted independently to receive a voltage to generate within said second element an oscillating electric potential field having predetermined characteristics.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for manipulating charged particles. The charged particles are directed from a source thereof into a zone. A first electrical potential is generated in the zone. Simultaneously, a second electrical potential is generated outside the zone. The second electrical potential penetrates into the zone and combines with the first electrical potential to form an oscillating electric potential field having predetermined characteristics sufficient to manipulate the charged particles. The manipulating of the charged particles includes, e.g., transporting, collisional cooling, collisional induced dissociating and collisional focusing. In one embodiment an apparatus comprises a hollow first element and a hollow second element. The second element is disposed within the first element. The second element has at least two openings in a wall thereof. The openings are elongated and radially disposed with respect to the axis of the second element. The length of the openings is at least about 20% of the length of the second element The first element and the second element each are adapted independently to receive a voltage to generate within the second element an electric potential having predetermined characteristics. The apparatus and methods of the invention have particular application to the field of mass spectrometry.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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(a) a hollow first element, and (b) a hollow second element, said second element being disposed within said first element, said second element having at least two openings in a wall thereof wherein said openings are elongated and radially disposed with respect to the axis of said second element and wherein the length of said openings are at least about 20% of the length of said second element, said first element and said second element each being adapted independently to receive a voltage to generate within said second element an oscillating electric potential field having predetermined characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus comprising:
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(a) a tubular first element, and (b) a tubular second element, said second element being coaxially disposed within said first element, said second element having from two to eight openings in a wall thereof wherein said openings are elongated and radially disposed with respect to the axis of said second element and wherein the length of each of said openings is at least about 20% of the length of said second element and wherein the dimensions of said openings are approximately equal, said first element and said second element each being adapted independently to receive a voltage to generate within said second element an oscillating electric potential field having predetermined characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A mass spectroscopy apparatus comprising:
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(a) an ion source, (b) an apparatus adjacent said ion source, said apparatus comprising (i) a tubular first element and (ii) a tubular second element, said second element being coaxially disposed within said first element, said second element having two to eight openings in a wall thereof wherein said openings are elongated and radially disposed with respect to the axis of said second element and wherein the length of each of said openings is at least about 20% of the length of said second element, said first element and said second element each being adapted independently to receive a voltage to generate within said second element an oscillating electric potential field having predetermined characteristics, (c) an electrical source for independently applying voltages to said first element and said second element, and (d) a mass analyzer adjacent said apparatus of (b). - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for manipulating charged particles, said method comprising:
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(a) directing charged particles from a source thereof into a zone, (b) generating a first electrical potential in said zone, and (c) simultaneously generating a second electrical potential outside said zone, wherein said second electrical potential penetrates into said zone and combines with said first electrical potential to form a resultant oscillating electric potential field having sub-fields of alternating polarity that subjects said charged particles to oscillatory motion. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for creating an oscillating electric potential field having sub-fields of alternating polarity, said method comprising:
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(a) generating a first electrical potential in a zone, and (c) simultaneously generating a second electrical potential outside said zone, wherein said second electrical potential penetrates into said zone and combines with said first electrical potential to form said oscillating electric potential field having sub-fields of alternating polarity.
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28. A method for creating an oscillating electric potential field having sub-fields of alternating polarity, said method comprising:
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(a) applying a first voltage to a second element of an apparatus comprising (i) a first element and (ii) said second element, said second element being coaxially disposed within said first element, said second element having at least two openings in a wall thereof wherein said openings are radially disposed with respect to the axis of said second element and wherein the length of each of said openings is at least about 20% of the length of said second element and wherein the dimensions of said openings are approximately equal, and (b) applying a second voltage to said first element to generate within said second element an oscillating electric potential field having sub-fields of alternating polarity, wherein at least one of said voltages has an oscillating voltage component. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A method for transporting charged particles, said method comprising:
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(a) directing charged particles from a source thereof into a tubular second element of an apparatus comprising (i) a tubular first element and (ii) said tubular second element, said second element being coaxially disposed within said first element, said second element having at least two openings in a wall thereof wherein said openings are elongated and radially disposed with respect to the axis of said second element and wherein the length of each of said openings is at least about 20% of the length of said second element and wherein the dimensions of said openings are approximately equal, and (b) applying voltages independently to said first element and said second element to generate an oscillating electric potential field having predetermined characteristics sufficient to confine said charged particles during transport through said second element. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for cooling charged particles, said method comprising:
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(a) directing charged particles from a source thereof into a tubular second element of an apparatus in the presence of a neutral gas, said apparatus comprising (i) a tubular first element and (ii) said tubular second element, said second element being coaxially disposed within said first element, said second element having at least two openings in a wall thereof wherein said openings are elongated and radially disposed with respect to the axis of said second element and wherein the length of each of said openings is at least about 20% of the length of said second element, the pressure of said neutral gas being sufficient such that the mean free path of the ion is smaller than the length of said second element, and (b) applying voltages independently to said first element and said second element to generate an oscillating electric potential field having predetermined characteristics sufficient to bring into harmonic motion said charged particles passing through said second element. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A method for subjecting charged particles to collision induced dissociation, said method comprising:
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(a) directing charged particles from a source thereof into a tubular second element of an apparatus in the presence of a neutral gas, said apparatus comprising (i) a tubular first element and (ii) said tubular second element, said second element being coaxially disposed within said first element, said second element having at least two openings in a wall thereof wherein said openings are elongated and radially disposed with respect to the axis of said second element and wherein the length of each of said openings is at least about 20% of the length of said second element, the pressure of said neutral gas being sufficient such that the mean free path of the ion is smaller than the length of said second element, and (b) applying voltages independently to said first element and said second element to generate an oscillating electric potential field having predetermined characteristics sufficient to confine said charged particles passing through said second element during collision induced dissociation. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An apparatus comprising:
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(a) a tubular first element, and (b) a tubular second element, said second element being coaxially disposed within said first element, said second element having from two to eight openings in a wall thereof wherein said openings are elongated and radially disposed with respect to the axis of said second element and wherein the length of each of said openings is at least about 20% of the length of said second element and wherein the dimensions of said openings are approximately equal and wherein the ends of said first element and said second element are not coplanar, said first element and said second element each being adapted independently to receive a voltage to generate within said second element an oscillating electric potential field having predetermined characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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45. An apparatus comprising:
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(a) a hollow first element, and (b) a hollow second element, said second element being disposed within said first element, said second element having at least two openings in a wall thereof wherein said openings are elongated and radially disposed with respect to the axis of said second element and wherein the length of said openings are at least about 20% of the length of said second element, said first element and said second element each being adapted independently to receive a voltage to generate within said second element an oscillating electric potential field having predetermined characteristics, wherein said apparatus is disposed between at least two vacuum chambers.
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46. A mass spectroscopy apparatus comprising:
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(a) an ion source, (b) an apparatus adjacent said ion source, said apparatus comprising (i) a tubular first element and (ii) a tubular second element, said second element being coaxially disposed within said first element, said second element having two to eight openings in a wall thereof wherein said openings are elongated and radially disposed with respect to the axis of said second element and wherein the length of each of said openings is at least about 20% of the length of said second element, said first element and said second element each being adapted independently to receive a voltage to generate within said second element an oscillating electric potential field having predetermined characteristics, (c) an electrical source for independently applying voltages to said first element and said second element, (d) a mass analyzer adjacent said apparatus of (b), and (e) at least two vacuum chambers wherein said apparatus of (b) is disposed therebetween.
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Specification