Thermo Fisher Scientific (bremen) Gmbh

California Institute of Technology

Thermo Fisher Scientific Gmbh

Bayer Technology Services Gmbh

Eric Wapelhorst

Johannes Schwieters

Hans-Juergen Schlueter

Michael Krummen

Oliver Kracht

Alexander Alekseevich Makarov

Michael Roukes

Dmitry E Grinfeld

Jörg Müller

Hans-Jürgen Schlüter

Jens Radke

Hans-Juerg Jost

Nils Stöbener

Ulf Froehlich

Nils Stoebener

Jan-Peter Hauschild

Mikhail Skoblin

Warren Fon

Benno Strasser

Tim Stoltmann

Hans-Jürg Jost

An electrostatic ion trap or an array of electrostatic ion traps are provided having a longitudinal length of no more than 10 mm and/or at least one electrode with a capacitance to ground of no more than 1 pF. First and second sets of planar electrodes may be distributed along the longitudinal axis, at least some of the which are configured to receive an electrostatic potential for confinement of ions received in the space between the first and second sets of planar electrodes. An array may comprise an inlet for receiving an ion beam, configured such that a portion of the ion beam can be trapped in each of the ion traps. Signals indicative of ion mass and charge data may be obtained from multiple electrostatic ion traps in the array. This mass and charge data may be combined for identification of components of a mixture of different analyte ions.

Electrostatic ion trap configuration

A gas inlet system for an isotope ratio spectrometer and a method for coupling analyte gas to an isotope ratio spectrometer are disclosed. A variable volume reservoir is located between a supply of analyte gas and a spectrometer. The reservoir's internal volume is controllably adjusted at a pre-determined rate to generate a defined flow of analyte gas or mixture to or from the reservoir. Analyte gas and carrier gas are taken up by the reservoir on increasing the reservoir's internal volume and then expelled from the reservoir to the spectrometer on decreasing the reservoir's internal volume. An open split can be used together with the reservoir to facilitate splitting away and hence dilution of analyte within the reservoir. A method for cleaning the gas inlet system is provided, which involves flushing the system with carrier gas.

Gas inlet system for isotope ratio spectrometer

A gas inlet system for introducing gas into an isotope ratio analyzer, the gas inlet system including a reference system comprising: a first supply of a reference gas having a first known isotope ratio; a supply of a carrier gas, wherein the supplies of reference gas and carrier gas are each connected by respective reference and carrier gas lines to a first mixing junction where the reference gas and carrier gas combine; a mixing zone connected downstream of the first mixing junction wherein the combined reference gas and carrier gas mix together; an exit line for transporting the mixed gas from the mixing zone to the isotope ratio analyzer; and an opening on the exit line, wherein the opening is downstream of the mixing zone. Also provided is a method of determining an isotope ratio.

Gas inlet system for isotope ratio analyzer and method of determining an isotope ratio

A gas inlet systemfor an isotope ratio spectrometerand a method for coupling analyte gas to an isotope ratio spectrometerare disclosed. A variable volume reservoiris located between a supply of analyte gasand a spectrometer. The reservoir's internal volume is controllably adjusted at a pre-determined rate to generate a defined flow of analyte gas or mixture to or from the reservoir. Analyte gas and carrier gas are taken up by the reservoiron increasing the reservoir's internal volume and then expelled from the reservoir to the spectrometeron decreasing the reservoir's internal volume. An open splitcan be used together with the reservoirto facilitate splitting away and hence dilution of analyte within the reservoir. A method for cleaning the gas inlet systemis provided, which involves flushing the system with carrier gas.

An operating value of a first laser parameter of a laser device in a laser absorption spectrometer is optimized. The wavelength of laser device emitted light is adjusted by the first or a second laser parameter. The laser absorption spectrometer comprises a light intensity detector measuring the laser light intensity from the laser device. For each of multiple values of the first laser parameter: the light intensity detector measures light intensity obtained across a range of second laser parameter values, and an extremum in the light intensity measure and a peak position for the extremum are identified. A range of first laser parameter values is identified within the values of the first laser parameter for which there is a continuous trend in changes to the identified peak position with changes to the first laser parameter. The first laser parameter operating value is set to be within the identified range.

Optimization of the laser operating point in a laser absorption spectrometer

An isotope ratio of a continuous sample is measured in an isotope ratio spectrometer. At least one sample isotope ratio is measured over a measurement time period t, (n&#x2267;1) and a sample concentration cis measured over at least a part of the measurement time period t. A reference gas concentration cfor the spectrometer is selected for reference to the sample measured during the measurement time period t, on the basis of the measured sample concentration c. An isotope ratio of the reference gas is measured at the selected reference gas concentration cin the spectrometer. The at least one isotope ratio of the sample measured during the measurement time period tis calibrated using the measured isotope ratio of the reference gas at the corresponding reference gas concentration cand a plurality of calibrated isotope ratios and a plurality of sample gas concentration measurements are determined, each being for a different time.

Method of measuring isotope ratio

A system for controlling flow of gas in a continuous flow isotope ratio analyser is provided. The system comprises gas inlet and gas outlet lines for providing gas into and from a measuring cell, and at least one switchable flow restriction on the gas inlet line, for selectively controlling gas flow into the isotope ratio analyser. Also provided is a method for determining an isotope ratio using the system according to the invention.

Flow reduction system for isotope ratio measurements

A gas inlet system for introducing gas into an isotope ratio analyser, the gas inlet system including a reference system comprising: a first supply of a reference gas having a first known isotope ratio; a supply of a carrier gas, wherein the supplies of reference gas and carrier gas are each connected by respective reference and carrier gas lines to a first mixing junction where the reference gas and carrier gas combine; a mixing zone connected downstream of the first mixing junction wherein the combined reference gas and carrier gas mix together; an exit line for transporting the mixed gas from the mixing zone to the isotope ratio analyser; and an opening on the exit line, wherein the opening is downstream of the mixing zone. Also provided is a method of determining an isotope ratio.

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Bremen, Germany

Eric Wapelhorst