Ion mobility storage trap and method
First Claim
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1. A method of separating and storing ions, comprising:
- (a) applying an electric field to a volume containing a neutrally charged carrier gas and ions; and
separating the ions in the volume containing the neutrally charged carrier gas according to type to temporarily fixed positions within the volume as a function of the electric field applied to the volume and mobility characteristics of the ions, the mobility characteristics of the ions resulting from multiple collisions of the ions with molecules of the neutrally charged carrier gas.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method to separate and store ions by exploiting mobility characteristics of the ions. A sample is introduced into a trap volume and ionized. The ions are separated according to their mobility characteristics by applying an electric field to the trap volume. The ions thus migrate to equilibrium positions in the trap volume due to a difference in mobilities and to changes in the electric field. The ions may be sequentially scanned from the trap by changing the electric field. The identity of ions within the trap may then be determined.
243 Citations
75 Claims
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1. A method of separating and storing ions, comprising:
(a) applying an electric field to a volume containing a neutrally charged carrier gas and ions; and separating the ions in the volume containing the neutrally charged carrier gas according to type to temporarily fixed positions within the volume as a function of the electric field applied to the volume and mobility characteristics of the ions, the mobility characteristics of the ions resulting from multiple collisions of the ions with molecules of the neutrally charged carrier gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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13. A method of separating and storing ions within a trap, the trap including at least two electrodes positioned about a trap volume containing a carrier gas, comprising:
(a) applying a voltage across the at least two electrodes creating an electric field within the trap volume, and separating and storing the ions according to a difference in mobility experienced by each ion as a function of a change in the electric field, the mobility of the ions resulting from multiple collisions of the ions with molecules of the carrier gas. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An apparatus for separating and storing ions, comprising:
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at least two electrodes positioned about a trap volume containing a neutrally charged gas; and a voltage source connected to the at least two electrodes to apply a voltage varying with respect to time in a periodic manner, the integral of the voltage over a period being equal to first value, and the shape of the waveform with respect to time of the voltage being asymmetric about the first value;
whereinthe at least two electrodes are shaped and positioned to create an electric field across the trap volume having an electric field strength that diminishes at least along a first direction and equipotential lines of the electric field curve about a line within the trap volume which is parallel to the first direction, whereby the pressure of the gas is maintained in the trap volume such that movement of ions within the trap volume is dictated by the mobility of the ions, the mobility of the ions resulting from multiple collisions of the ions with molecules of the neutrally charged gas. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. An apparatus for storing ions, comprising:
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a container containing a neuturally charged gas and ions; and electric field generating means for generating an electric field to move the ions to corresponding equilibrium positions within the container according to ion type and for oscillating the ions of each type about the corresponding equilibrium positions, at least two of the corresponding equilibrium positions being different from each other. - View Dependent Claims (60)
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61. An apparatus comprising:
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a container containing a neutrally charged gas and ions; electric field generating means for generating an electric field to move the ions to equilibrium positions along an axis within the container such that the ions oscillate about the equilibrium positions along the axis according to mobility characteristics of the ions, the mobility characteristics of the ions resulting from multiple collisions of the ions with molecules of the neutrally charged gas, at least two of the equilibrium positions being different from each other.
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62. A method of collecting ions, comprising:
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(a) applying an electric field to a volume containing a neutrally charged carrier gas and ions; and (b) converging the ions toward convergent points corresponding to the ion type, as a function of the electric field applied to the volume and mobility characteristics of the ions, the mobility characteristics of the ions resulting from multiple collisions of the ions with molecules of the neutrally charged carrier gas. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A method of separating and converging ions within a trap, the trap including at least two electrodes positioned about a trap volume containing a carrier gas, comprising:
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(a) applying a voltage across the at least two electrodes creating an electric field within the trap volume, and (b) separating and converging the ions according to a difference in mobility experienced by each ion as a function of a change in the electric field, the mobility of the ions resulting from multiple collisions of the ions with molecules of the carrier gas. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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Specification