APPARATUS FOR MASS ANALYSIS OF IONS
First Claim
1. An apparatus for mass analysis of ions comprising:
- a high current ion source;
a time-of-flight mass spectrometer for analysis of ions transmitted from the high current ion source;
whereas the high current ion source as well as the time-of-flight mass spectrometer are particularly constituted and operated in such a way that a flux of ions generated by the high current ion source causes saturation effects in the time-of-flight mass spectrometer when the high current ion source is directly coupled to the time-of-flight mass spectrometer,a filter for segmenting incoming ions according to their m/q ratio into a first group of ions and into a second group of ions, whereas the filter is coupled to the high current ion source and whereas the filter and the time-of-flight mass spectrometer are arranged in such a way that the first group of ions are transmitted to the mass spectrometer and that the second group of ions are not transmitted to the mass spectrometer;
whereasthe filter is designed in such a way that the second group of ions consists of ions belonging to one or several narrow bands of m/q.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for mass analysis of ions comprises a high current ion source, in particular an ion source providing at least 5 million ions/s, preferably at least 50 million ions/s, at an output of the ion source, a time-of-flight mass spectrometer for analysis of ions transmitted from the ion source and a filter for segmenting incoming ions according to their m/q ratio into a first group of ions and into a second group of ions. The filter is coupled to the ion source and the filter and the time-of-flight mass spectrometer are arranged in such a way that the ions of the first group are transmitted to the mass spectrometer and that the ions of the second group are not transmitted to the mass spectrometer. Furthermore, the filter is designed in such a way that the second group consists of ions belonging to one or several narrow bands of m/q. The apparatus allows for analyzing minor compound ions generated by the high current ion source with good selectivity, undisturbed by major compounds.
42 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for mass analysis of ions comprising:
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a high current ion source; a time-of-flight mass spectrometer for analysis of ions transmitted from the high current ion source; whereas the high current ion source as well as the time-of-flight mass spectrometer are particularly constituted and operated in such a way that a flux of ions generated by the high current ion source causes saturation effects in the time-of-flight mass spectrometer when the high current ion source is directly coupled to the time-of-flight mass spectrometer, a filter for segmenting incoming ions according to their m/q ratio into a first group of ions and into a second group of ions, whereas the filter is coupled to the high current ion source and whereas the filter and the time-of-flight mass spectrometer are arranged in such a way that the first group of ions are transmitted to the mass spectrometer and that the second group of ions are not transmitted to the mass spectrometer; whereas the filter is designed in such a way that the second group of ions consists of ions belonging to one or several narrow bands of m/q. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 23)
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14. A method for mass analysis of ions using in particular an ion source as well as a time-of-flight mass spectrometer that are constituted and operated in such a way that a flux of ions generated by the ion source would cause saturation effects in the time-of-flight mass spectrometer if the ion source were directly coupled to the time-of-flight mass spectrometer, comprising the steps of:
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segmenting incoming ions according to their m/q ratio into a first group of ions and into a second group of ions; transmitting the first group of ions to the time-of-flight mass spectrometer and discarding the second group of ions; and segmenting the incoming ions in such a way that the second group of ions consists of ions belonging to one or several narrow bands of m/q. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification