Mass spectrometer
First Claim
1. A time-of-flight mass spectrometer comprising:
- a) a first electrode which has a funnel shape; and
b) a second electrode, placed adjacent to the first electrode and arranged in conjunction with the first electrode such that the axes of the electrodes are aligned and a flow of ions of the sample may pass through the first and second electrodes,wherein an end of the second electrode protrudes into a wide opening of the first electrode and wherein the time-of-flight tube has a longitudinal axis defining a deflected path with an acute angle between the deflected path and the flow of ions through the first and second electrodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a mass spectrometer having improved mass resolution, accuracy, sensitivity, reduced complexity, lower cost, and greater ease of use. The mass spectrometer provided comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, in a nested configuration to create a two-stage acceleration region that accelerates ions across a minimized acceleration region, resulting in decreased metastable decay and improved mass accuracy and resolution. The mass spectrometer also comprises a n alignment system to align the ion optics with the laser beam used for desorption/ionization. The mass spectrometer further comprises electrical circuits for delivering high voltage pulses for pulsed delayed ion extraction.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A time-of-flight mass spectrometer comprising:
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a) a first electrode which has a funnel shape; and b) a second electrode, placed adjacent to the first electrode and arranged in conjunction with the first electrode such that the axes of the electrodes are aligned and a flow of ions of the sample may pass through the first and second electrodes, wherein an end of the second electrode protrudes into a wide opening of the first electrode and wherein the time-of-flight tube has a longitudinal axis defining a deflected path with an acute angle between the deflected path and the flow of ions through the first and second electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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- 6. A mass spectrometer comprising an alignment system configured to facilitate alignment of a first electrode, a sample, an ionizing beam produced by an ionizer, and a time-of-flight tube, wherein the time-of-flight tube has a longitudinal axis defining a deflected path with an acute angle between the deflected path and the path of the flow of ions through the first electrode and a second electrode.
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17. A mass spectrometer comprising:
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a) an ionizer configured to produce ions of the sample; b) a first electrode having a conical shape; c) a second electrode axially aligned with the first electrode, placed with a proximal end protruding into an interior volume of the first electrode and with an end protruding into an aperture at a base of the first electrode and shaped such that a distance between the proximal end of the second electrode and the first electrode is smaller than a distance between any other part of the second electrode and the first electrode; and d) a capacitor for pulsed delayed ion extraction configured to capacitively couple a power supply to at least one of the sample, the first electrode, and the second electrode;
wherein the first and second electrodes are spaced apart by at least one electrically insulating member and configured to define a path along which the ions may flow. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A time-of-flight mass spectrometer, comprising:
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(a) ion optics defining a path for a flow of ions of a sample; (b) a time-of-flight tube having a longitudinal axis which defines a deflected path with an acute angle between the deflected path and the path of the flow of ions through the ion optics; and (c) an alignment system configured to facilitate alignment of an ionizing beam with the ion optics and the sample. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a) a time-of-flight mass spectrometer; and b) a coupling capacitor for pulsed delayed ion extraction configured to capacitively couple a pulse power supply to the mass spectrometer. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An electrical circuit for delivering high voltage pulses to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer comprising:
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a) a pulse power supply; and b) a coupling capacitor for pulsed delayed ion extraction configured to capacitively couple said pulse power supply to the time-of-flight mass spectrometer. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification