Nonoparticulate assisted nanoscale molecular imaging by mass spectrometery

• US 8,614,416 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ionwerks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ionwerks, Inc.
• Inventors: Schultz, J. Albert, Egan, Thomas F., Lewis, Ernest K., Ulrich, Steven, Waters, Kelley L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanore, David A
• Assistant Examiner(s): STOFFA, WYATT A
• Application Number:
  US13/156,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20120018630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 250/281, 250/282, 250/283, 250/284, 250/288, 250/492.1, 250/285, 250/287
• US Class Current: 250/281
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6417 Spectrofluorimetric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/64 Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6458 Fluorescence microscopy fluorescence microscopes per se G02B21/0076 and G02B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/658 enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/2258 Measuring secondary ion emission, e.g. secondary ion mass spectrometry [SIMS] mass-to-charge ratio analysis aspects of SIMS for material analysis G01N27/62
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0004 Imaging particle spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0422 for gaseous samples interfaces to gas chromatographs G01N30/7206
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0463 Desorption by laser or particle beam, followed by ionisation as a separate step sample holder per se H01J49/0418
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/10 Ion sources; Ion guns
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/142 using a solid target which is not previously vapourised
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/164 Laser desorption/ionisation, e.g. matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation [MALDI] sample holders H01J49/0418
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/26 Mass spectrometers or separator tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/40 Time-of-flight spectrometers H01J49/36 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and devices for mass spectrometry are described, specifically the use of nanoparticulate implantation as a matrix for secondary ion and more generally secondary particles. A photon beam source or a nanoparticulate beam source can be used a desorption source or a primary ion/primary particle source.

Claims

1. An analytical instrument for the characterization and analysis of a sample comprising:

a sample stage for positioning a sample;

a nanoparticulate beam source positioned to deliver a nanoparticulate beam to a sample on said sample stage to deposit a matrix in the sample, wherein the nanoparticulate beam source is a nanoparticulate coreshell beam source, and wherein said nanoparticulate coreshell beam source comprises a beam source of nanoparticles having a silver core surrounded by an aluminum shell;

a nanofocused primary particle beam source or a nanofocused photon beam source, or both, said nanofocused beam source positioned to deliver a beam to said sample including the matrix; and

,

an analyzer positioned to analyze material or photons emitted from said sample.

2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said sample stage is an XY sample stage.

3. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the analyzer comprises a mass spectrometer.

4. The instrument of claim 3, wherein the mass spectrometer is a time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

5. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the analyzer comprises a fluorescence spectrometer.

6. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the nanofocused primary particle beam source comprises a nanofocused neon ion particle beam source.

7. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the nanofocused photon beam source comprises a nanofocused plasmonic photon source.

8. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the nanoparticulate beam source is a nanofocused nanoparticulate beam source.

9. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said instrument is configured as a cluster tool, comprising:

1) a sample preparation chamber,

2) a discrete implantation cluster comprising said nanoparticulate beam source, and

3) a discrete desorption/analysis cluster comprising said nanofocused primary particle beam source or nanofocused photon beam source, or both, and said analyzer.

10. The instrument of claim 9, further comprising a cooled sample transfer mechanism coupling said sample preparation chamber, implantation cluster and desorption/analysis cluster.

11. A method for the collection of analytical data from a sample, comprising the steps of:

adding matrix to the sample with a nanoparticulate beam source;

analyzing at least a portion of said sample having the matrix with a fluorescence or Raman spectrometer;

thereafter desorbing chemical species from said sample using a primary particle beam source or a nanofocused photon beam source, or both, wherein the primary particle beam source is a nanoparticulate beam source, and wherein said nanoparticulate beam source is a coreshell structure nanoparticulate beam source, and wherein said coreshell structure nanoparticulate beam source comprises a beam source of nanoparticles having a silver core surrounded by an aluminum shell; and

,

analyzing at least a portion of said desorbed chemical species.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the primary particle beam source is a nanofocused primary particle beam source.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the primary particle beam source is a microfocused particle beam source.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of adding matrix to the sample with a nanoparticulate beam source comprises adding nanoparticulate silver ions to the sample with a silver ion beam source.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of adding matrix to the sample with a nanoparticulate beam source comprises adding nanoparticulate aluminum ions to the sample with an aluminum ion beam source.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of desorbing chemical species from said sample using a primary particle beam source comprises desorbing with a nanofocused neon ion particle beam source.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of desorbing chemical species from said sample using a nanofocused photon beam source comprises using a nanofocused laser.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of analyzing comprises analyzing with a mass spectrometer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the mass spectrometer is a time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the nanoparticulate beam source is nanofocused nanoparticulate beam source.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein the nanoparticulate beam source is microfocused nanoparticulate beam source.

22. An analytical instrument, comprising:

a sample stage for positioning a sample;

a nanoparticulate beam source positioned to deliver a nanoparticulate beam to a sample on said sample stage to deposit a matrix in the sample, wherein the nanoparticulate beam source is a nanoparticulate coreshell beam source, wherein said nanoparticulate coreshell beam source comprises a beam source of ternary shell nanoparticles having a silver core surrounded by an aluminum shell both of which are surrounded by an outer Pt shell;

a nanofocused primary particle beam source or a nanofocused photon beam source, or both, said nanofocused beam source positioned to deliver a beam to said sample including the matrix; and

,

an analyzer positioned to analyze material or photons emitted from said sample.

23. The analytical instrument of claim 22, wherein the analyzer comprises a mass spectrometer.

24. The analytical instrument of claim 23, wherein the mass spectrometer is a time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

25. The analytical instrument of claim 22, wherein the analyzer comprises a fluorescence spectrometer.

26. The analytical instrument of claim 22, wherein the nanofocused primary particle beam source comprises a nanofocused neon ion particle beam source.

27. The analytical instrument of claim 22, wherein the nanofocused photon beam source comprises a nanofocused plasmonic photon source.

28. The analytical instrument of claim 22, wherein said instrument is configured as a cluster tool, comprising:

1) a sample preparation chamber,

2) a discrete implantation cluster comprising said nanoparticulate beam source, and

3) a discrete desorption/analysis cluster comprising said nanofocused primary particle beam source or nanofocused photon beam source, or both, and said analyzer.

29. The analytical instrument of claim 28, further comprising a cooled sample transfer mechanism coupling said sample preparation chamber, implantation cluster and desorption/analysis cluster.