Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Johns Hopkins University

Benjamin D Gardner

Robert J Cotter

Gary Alan Eiceman

Robert D English

Hermann Wollnik

Richard K Trubey

Hsien-Chi W Niu

John F Holland

Peter Fowler

Jana Spruce

Serguei A Ilchenko

According to an embodiment, an ion pump for use in a low gravity environment includes a housing at least partially defining a pumping chamber, the pumping chamber enclosing a first cathode plate and a second cathode plate, and a plurality of cylindrical anodes disposed between the first cathode plate and the second cathode plate. The ion pump also includes a feedthrough extending external to the pumping chamber from a wall of the housing, and a baffle including a body disposed in a space between the plurality of anodes and an inner surface of the wall. The body has dimensions selected to prevent particles having a size greater than a selected particle size from migrating from the pumping chamber to the feedthrough when in the low gravity environment.

Ion pump for use in low gravity environments

An ion-mobility spectrometer system includes a housing with an upstream end, a downstream end, and a drift region defined along a longitudinal axis through the housing between the upstream and downstream ends. A first ionizer is operatively connected the housing to supply ions at the upstream end. A second ionizer is operatively connected to the housing to supply ions at the upstream end, wherein the first and second ionizers are both situated upstream of the drift zone relative to an ion flow path through the drift zone. An electric field generator is operatively connected to the housing to drive ions through the drift zone in a direction from the upstream end toward the downstream end. The second ionizer is a radioactive ionizer mounted to the housing at the upstream end positioned to direct irradiated ions into the housing.

Ionization for tandem ion mobility spectrometry

A chemical detecting system includes a sensor module including a sensor configured to detect at least one chemical of a selected set of chemicals. A screen is operatively connected to protect the sensor from debris. The screen is configured to permit ambient gases therethrough for detection by the sensor. A controller module is stacked together with the sensor module and including a controller operatively connected to the sensor. A battery terminal is operatively connected to the controller, the battery terminal being configured to connect to a battery to power the controller and the sensor.

Integrated sensor packages

An ion mobility spectrometer for analyzing a vapor sample including a multi-ring ion source for receiving a vapor sample, wherein the multi-ring ion source includes a series of rings, wherein each ring of the multi-ring ion source includes an ionizing layer on an inner surface thereof, for charging at least a portion of the vapor sample and creating an ionized vapor sample.

Ion source for an ion mobility spectrometer

A tandem mass spectrometer includes a linear time-of-flight mass analyzer and curved field reflectron mass analyzer. The curved-field reflectron mass analyzer is disposed at an end of the linear time-of-flight mass analyzer such that ions having a plurality of ion masses formed in the linear time-of-flight analyzer such that ions having a plurality of ion masses formed in the linear time-of-flight analyzer enter the curved-field reflectron mass analyzer. The tandem mass spectrometer also includes a mass selection gate disposed between the time-of-flight mass analyzer and the curved-field reflectron mass analyzer. The mass selection gate selects an ion mass from the plurality of ion masses. Furthermore, the tandem mass spectrometer also includes a dissociating component located in a path of the ions formed in the linear time-of-flight analyzer. The dissociating component causes dissociation of the ions into a plurality of ion fragments.

Tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer has a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, a third electrode arranged between the first and second electrodes. The third electrode reserves a space for ions to travel between the first and second electrodes. The time-of-flight mass spectrometer further includes a sample probe disposed proximate the first electrode and adapted to hold a sample, and a detector disposed proximate the second electrode. The first electrode is adapted to be connected to a voltage source to cause a difference in voltage between the first and second electrodes to provide an electric field therebetween that changes non-linearly along an ion path between the sample probe and the detector for accelerating ions to be detected.

Non-linear time-of-flight mass spectrometer

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer which has an iron source, an evacuated tube proximate the ion source and adapted to receive ions from the ion source, and a detector disposed at an end of the evacuated tube opposite an end proximate the ion source. The ion source is constructed to generate an electric field that changes non-linearly as a function of position along a path from the ion source to the detector. The ion source is constructed to generate an electric field that changes as a function of time, the electric field being provided to accelerate ions from the ion source to the detector.

Time-of-flight mass spectrometer combining fields non-linear in time and space

A mass spectrometer that includes an ionizing source, a sample holder arranged in a beam path of the ionizing source, an ion detector disposed to receive ions extracted from a sample when held by the sample holder and irradiated by the ionizing source. The mass spectrometer also includes an extraction electrode arranged proximate to the sample holder, and a drift tube arranged between the extraction electrode and the ion detector. In the mass spectrometer, the extraction electrode and the drift tube are movable together relative to the sample holder, which is held at a fixed position.

Growing community of inventors

Colton, CA, United States of America

Benjamin D Gardner