Soft ionization device with characterization systems and methods of manufacture
First Claim
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1. A system for ionizing a sample of molecules, comprising:
- an ionizing device, comprising a substrate having at least one opening, a first conductive electrode extending on a first surface of the substrate and a second conductive electrode extending on a second surface of the substrate, and a separator insulating element, having a thickness less than a mean free path of a molecule being ionized, separating said first and second conductive electrodes at said at least one opening, said first and second conductive electrodes being separated by a width of said separator insulating element; and
a characterization unit coupled to said ionizing device, for receiving and characterizing ionized molecules from said ionizing device.
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Abstract
Various configurations of characterization systems such as ion mobility spectrometers and mass spectrometers are disclosed that are coupled to an ionization device. The ionization device is formed of a membrane that houses electrodes therein that are located closer to one another than the mean free path of the gas being ionized. Small voltages across the electrodes generate large electric fields which act to ionize substantially all molecules passing therethrough without fracture. Methods to manufacture the mass spectrometer and ion mobility spectrometer systems are also described.
19 Citations
99 Claims
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1. A system for ionizing a sample of molecules, comprising:
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an ionizing device, comprising a substrate having at least one opening, a first conductive electrode extending on a first surface of the substrate and a second conductive electrode extending on a second surface of the substrate, and a separator insulating element, having a thickness less than a mean free path of a molecule being ionized, separating said first and second conductive electrodes at said at least one opening, said first and second conductive electrodes being separated by a width of said separator insulating element; and
a characterization unit coupled to said ionizing device, for receiving and characterizing ionized molecules from said ionizing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A system for ionizing and detecting a sample of gas, comprising:
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an ionizing device, comprising a substrate having at least one opening, a first conductive electrode extending on a first surface of the substrate and a second conductive electrode extending on a second surface of the substrate, said substrate having a thickness less than a mean free path of a gas molecule being ionized, separating said first and second conductive electrodes at said at least one opening, said first and second conductive electrodes being separated by a width of said substrate, wherein said ionizing device is configured to receive a continuous flow of sample gas; and
a characterization unit coupled to said ionizing device, for receiving ionized molecules from said ionizing device.
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44. A system for ionizing a sample of molecules, comprising:
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an ionizing membrane having;
a thick supporting portion with a first surface and with openings formed in the thick supporting portion;
an insulating element with first and second surfaces, wherein the insulating element is coated on the first surface of the thick supporting portion and terminates at a first end within the openings to form holes;
a first electrodes coated on the first surface of the insulating element that approximately terminates at the first end of said insulating element;
a second electrode coated on the second surface of the insulating element that approximately terminates at the first end of said insulating element; and
wherein a distance between the first and second metal electrodes within the holes is less than the mean free path of a material being ionized; and
a characterization unit coupled to said ionizing membrane configured to receive ions from said ionizing membrane.
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45. A method comprising the steps of:
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forming a layer of thin dielectric material on a substrate that has a first specified thickness of a sufficient thickness to maintain structural integrity;
forming a first electrode on the first surface of said thin dielectric material, said first electrode being formed of a metal material;
back etching at least one hole in said substrate;
forming a second electrode on a second surface of the substrate including the at least one back etching holes, such that at least a portion of the second electrode is on a second surface of the thin dielectric material; and
forming holes in the second electrode, thin dielectric material and the first electrode, which holes have side surfaces where the first and second electrodes are separated by a width of the thin dielectric material;
applying a voltage across said first and second electrodes to generate a field to ionize molecules passing through the at least one hole; and
providing a characterization unit coupled to the at least one hole for receiving ions generated by the ionizing device. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method comprising the steps of:
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forming a layer of thin dielectric material on a substrate that has a first specified thickness of a sufficient thickness to maintain structural integrity;
forming a first electrode on the first surface of said thin dielectric material, said first electrode being formed of a metal material;
forming at least one hole in said substrate;
forming a second electrode on a second surface of the substrate including the at least one hole in said substrate, such that at least a portion of the second electrode is on a second surface of the thin dielectric material;
forming at least one hole in the second electrode, thin dielectric material and the first electrode, which at least one hole has side surfaces where the first and second electrodes are separated by a width of the thin dielectric material;
applying a voltage across said first and second electrodes to generate a field to ionize molecules passing through the at least one hole; and
providing a characterization unit coupled to the at least one hole for receiving ions generated by the ionizing device. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A system, comprising:
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an ionizing device, comprising a support member having at least one opening, a first conductive electrode extending on a first surface of the support member and a second conductive electrode extending on a second surface of the support member, and separator means for separating said first and second conductive electrodes by a width of said separator means, wherein said separator means has a thickness less than the mean free path of the material being ionized; and
characterization means coupled to said ionizing device for detecting ions generated by said ionizing device. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)
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95. A system for ionizing and characterizing a sample of gas, comprising:
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an ionizing device, comprising a substrate having at least one opening, a first conductive electrode extending on a first surface of the substrate and a second conductive electrode extending on a second surface of the substrate, said substrate having a thickness less than a mean free path of a gas molecule being ionized, separating said first and second conductive electrodes at said at least one opening, said first and second conductive electrodes being separated by a width of said substrate;
a characterization unit coupled to said ionizing device, for receiving ionized molecules from said ionizing device; and
wherein said characterization unit and said ionizing device may operate at substantially ambient pressure.
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96. A mass spectrometer system comprising an ionization source and a plurality of detector electrodes, wherein said ionizing source ionizes substantially all molecules without fragmentation and said detector electrodes characterize the ionized molecules.
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97. A system for ionizing a sample of gas comprising:
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an ionizing device, comprising a substrate having at least one opening, a first conductive electrode extending on a first surface of the substrate and a second conductive electrode extending on a second surface of the substrate, said first and second conductive electrodes being separated at said at least one opening by a width less than a mean free path of a gas molecule being ionized;
a characterization unit coupled to said ionizing device, for receiving and characterizing ionized molecules from said ionizing device; and
wherein said characterization unit and said ionizing device are configured to transversally disperse ions at substantially ambient pressure.
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98. A method for ionizing and dispersing a sample of molecules comprising the steps of:
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providing an ionizing device having one or more pairs of electrodes having a spacing less than the mean free path of the molecule being ionized;
applying a voltage across the pair of electrodes to generate a field to ionize substantially all molecules passing between the pair of electrodes;
ionizing molecules passing through the electric field generated by the pair of electrodes; and
accelerating the ionized molecules using a later accelerator and substantially without a pump. - View Dependent Claims (99)
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Specification