ION TRANSPORT DEVICE AND MODES OF OPERATION THEREOF
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An ion transport device, comprising:
- a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart electrodes defining an ion channel along which ions are transported, each of the plurality of electrodes being adapted with an aperture through which ions may travel; and
an oscillatory voltage source configured to apply oscillatory voltages to at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes;
wherein at least one of (i) the spacing between adjacent electrodes, and (ii) the amplitude of the applied oscillatory voltages increases in the direction of ion travel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for transporting and focusing ions in a low vacuum or atmospheric-pressure region of a mass spectrometer is constructed from a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart electrodes to which oscillatory (e.g., radio-frequency) voltages are applied. In order to create a tapered field that focuses ions to a narrow beam near the device exit, the inter-electrode spacing or the oscillatory voltage amplitude is increased in the direction of ion travel.
27 Citations
45 Claims
-
1. An ion transport device, comprising:
-
a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart electrodes defining an ion channel along which ions are transported, each of the plurality of electrodes being adapted with an aperture through which ions may travel; and an oscillatory voltage source configured to apply oscillatory voltages to at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes; wherein at least one of (i) the spacing between adjacent electrodes, and (ii) the amplitude of the applied oscillatory voltages increases in the direction of ion travel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A mass spectrometer, comprising:
-
an ion source; a mass analyzer; and an ion transport device located intermediate in an ion path between the ion source and the mass analyzer, the ion transport device including; a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart electrodes defining an ion channel along which ions are transported, each of the plurality of electrodes being adapted with an aperture through which ions may travel; and an oscillatory voltage source configured to apply oscillatory voltages to at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes; wherein at least one of (i) the spacing between adjacent electrodes and (ii) the amplitude of the applied oscillatory voltages increases in the direction of ion travel. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 44, 45)
-
-
36. A method for transporting and focusing ions within a low vacuum or atmospheric pressure region of a mass spectrometer, comprising:
-
providing a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart electrodes, each electrode being positioned adjacent to at least one other electrode having an identical aperture size, the electrodes defining an ion channel along which ions travel; and applying oscillatory voltages to the plurality of electrodes to generate an electric field that radially confines ions within the ion channel; and increasing the radial electric field penetration in the direction of ion travel. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
Specification