SAMPLING SYSTEM FOR USE WITH SURFACE IONIZATION SPECTROSCOPY

• US 20090090858A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruker Scientific LLC (Bruker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: IonSense, Inc. (Bruker Corporation)
• Inventors: Musselman, Brian D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,026,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/282
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/06 Electron- or ion-optical arrangements

Abstract

In various embodiments of the invention, a device permits more efficient collection and transmission of ions produced by the action of a carrier gas containing metastable neutral excited-state species into a mass spectrometer. In one embodiment of the invention, the device incorporates the source for ionization in combination with a jet separator to efficiently remove excess carrier gas while permitting ions to be more efficiently transferred into the vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer. In an embodiment of the invention, improved collection of ions produced by the carrier gas containing metastable neutral excited-state species at greater distances from between the position of the analyte and the position of the mass spectrometer are enabled.

Claims

1. A spectroscopic device comprising:

(a) an external ion source;

(b) a spectroscopic analyzer; and

(c) a gas ion separator.

2. The spectroscopic device of claim 1, wherein the gas ion separator includes a vacuum pump.

3. The spectroscopic device of claim 1, wherein the gas ion separator pushes ions from the external ion source into the spectroscopic analyzer.

4. The spectroscopic device of claim 3, wherein the gas ion separator is made up of an inlet tube having a proximal end and a distal end and an outlet tube having a proximal end and a distal end;

wherein the distal end of the inlet tube is closest to and the proximal end is furthest from the spectroscopic analyzer.

5. The spectroscopic device of claim 1, wherein the gas ion separator pulls ions from the external ion source into the spectroscopic analyzer.

6. The spectroscopic device of claim 5, wherein the gas ion separator is made up of an inlet tube having a proximal end and a distal end and an outlet tube having a proximal end and a distal end;

wherein the proximal end of the inlet tube is closest to and the distal end is furthest from the spectroscopic analyzer.

7. The spectroscopic device of claim 1, wherein the gas ion separator pulls ions from the external ion source into a differential scanning mobility spectrometer.

8. The spectroscopic device of claim 7, wherein the gas ion separator is used to regulate the flow of ions and neutral gas molecules into the differential scanning mobility spectrometer.

9. The spectroscopic device of claim 1, wherein the external ion source and the spectroscopic analyzer are off axis to reduce the possibility of particulate matter disturbing the spectroscopic analysis.

10. The spectroscopic device of claim 1, wherein the external ion source temperature is used to reduce the possibility of particulate matter disturbing the spectroscopic analysis.

11. The spectroscopic device of claim 1, wherein the gas ion separator pulls ions from the external ion source into an ion mobility mass spectrometer.

12. A method of detecting an analyte comprising:

(a) providing a device including a spectroscopic analyzer and a gas ion separator;

(b) generating an analyte ion; and

(c) pushing the analyte ion into the spectroscopic analyzer with the gas ion separator.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the spectroscopic analyzer is selected from the group consisting of mass spectrometer, raman spectrometer, electromagnetic absorption spectrometer, electromagnetic emission spectrometer, surface detection spectrometer, differential scanning mobility spectrometer and ion mobility mass spectrometer.

14. A method of detecting an analyte comprising:

(a) providing a device including a spectroscopic analyzer and a gas ion separator;

(b) generating an analyte ion; and

(c) pulling the analyte ion into the spectroscopic analyzer with the gas ion separator.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the spectroscopic analyzer is selected from the group consisting of mass spectrometer, raman spectrometer, electromagnetic absorption spectrometer, electromagnetic emission spectrometer, surface detection spectrometer, differential scanning mobility spectrometer and ion mobility mass spectrometer.