Abridged multipole structure for the transport and selection of ions in a vacuum system
First Claim
1. An abridged multipole structure for the transport and selection of ions along an axis in a vacuum system, comprising:
- a plurality of rectilinear electrode structures, each having a substantially planar face with a first dimension and a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension, a set of electrically conductive electrodes, an electrical divider network electrically connecting the electrodes of the set and a voltage applied to the extents of the rectilinear structure across the second dimension, wherein the electrodes and the electrical divider network are constructed so that voltages applied to the electrodes across the second dimension produce an electrical potential at the planar face whose amplitude is a linear function of position along the second dimension; and
a source that applies an RF potential across the second dimension of each of the electrode structures to produce a multipole field to focus analyte ions toward the axis.
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Abstract
An abridged multipole structure for the transport and selection of ions along a central axis in a vacuum system is constructed from a plurality of rectilinear electrode structures, each having a substantially planar face with a first dimension and a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension. When a voltage is applied across the second dimension, an electrical potential is produced at the planar face whose amplitude is a linear function of position along the second dimension. Two electrode structures can be arranged parallel to each other with the first dimension extending along the central axis or more electrodes structures can be arranged to form multipole structures with various polygonal cross sections.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An abridged multipole structure for the transport and selection of ions along an axis in a vacuum system, comprising:
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a plurality of rectilinear electrode structures, each having a substantially planar face with a first dimension and a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension, a set of electrically conductive electrodes, an electrical divider network electrically connecting the electrodes of the set and a voltage applied to the extents of the rectilinear structure across the second dimension, wherein the electrodes and the electrical divider network are constructed so that voltages applied to the electrodes across the second dimension produce an electrical potential at the planar face whose amplitude is a linear function of position along the second dimension; and a source that applies an RF potential across the second dimension of each of the electrode structures to produce a multipole field to focus analyte ions toward the axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An abridged multipole structure for the transport and selection of ions along a plurality of axes in a vacuum system, comprising:
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a plurality of rectilinear electrode structures, each having a substantially planar face with a first dimension and a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension, a set of electrically conductive electrodes, an electrical divider network electrically connecting the electrodes of the set and a voltage applied at the extents of the rectilinear electrode structure across the second dimension, wherein the electrodes and the electrical divider network are constructed so that voltages applied to the electrodes across the second dimension produce an electrical potential at the planar face whose amplitude is a linear function of position along the second dimension; a source that applies an RF potential across the second dimension of each of the electrode structures to produce a multipole field to focus analyte ions toward one of the plurality of axes; and a mechanism that positions the plurality of rectilinear electrode structures so that, for each electrode structure, the planar face faces one of the plurality of axes and the first dimension extends along that one axis.
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16. A mass spectrometer comprising:
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an ion source; a vacuum system having an axis; an ion detector; and an abridged multipole structure for the transport and selection of ions along the axis including a plurality of rectilinear electrode structures, each having a substantially planar face with a first dimension and a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension, a set of electrically conductive electrodes, an electrical divider network electrically connecting the electrodes of the set and a voltage applied at the extents of the rectilinear electrode structure across the second dimension, wherein the electrodes and the electrical divider network are constructed so that voltages applied to the electrodes across the second dimension produce an electrical potential at the planar face whose amplitude is a linear function of position along the second dimension; and a source that applies an RF potential across the second dimension of each of the electrode structures to produce a multipole field to focus analyte ions toward the axis.
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17. A method for transporting and selecting ions along an axis in a vacuum system, comprising:
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providing a plurality of rectilinear electrode structures, each having a substantially planar face with a first dimension and a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension, a set for electrically conductive electrodes, an electrical divider network electrically connecting the electrodes of the set and a voltage applied at the extents of the rectilinear electrode structure across the second dimension, wherein the electrodes and the electrical divider network are constructed so that voltages applied at the extents of the rectilinear electrode structure across the second dimension produce an electrical potential at the planar face whose amplitude is a linear function of position along the second dimension; and applying an RF potential across the second dimension of each of the electrode structures to produce a multipole field to focus analyte ions toward the axis. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for the transport and selection of ions along a central axis, comprising:
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providing a plurality of rectilinear electrode structures, each having a substantially planar face with a first dimension and a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension, a set of electrically conductive electrodes, an electrical divider network electrically connecting the electrodes of the set and a voltage applied at the extents of the rectilinear electrode structure across the second dimension, wherein the electrodes and the electrical divider network are constructed so that voltages applied at the extents of rectilinear electrode structure across the second dimension produce an electrical potential at the planar face whose amplitude is a linear function of position along the second dimension; (b) applying an RF potential across the second dimension of each of the electrode structures to produce a multipole field to focus analyte ions toward the axis; and (c) applying potentials to the extents of the electrode structures such that the electrode structures generate potentials which are linear functions of position along the second dimensions of each electrode structure in order to form a substantially homogeneous dipole field having field lines orthogonal to the central axis. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification