Adaptas Solutions Pty Ltd

Thermo Finnigan LLC

Etp Electron Multipliers Pty Ltd.

Kevin Hunter

Russell Jurek

Wayne Sheils

Richard Whitney Stresau

Richard Stresau

Aditya Wakhle

Yair Benari

Alexander A Makarov

Stephen Davis

Toby Shanley

Wayne Leslie Sheils

Antony Jones

Peter Raffin

David Dellagiacoma

Components of scientific analytical equipment and to complete items of analytic equipment. An apparatus and methods useful for detecting an ion in mass spectrometry applications are provided. The apparatus may include an electron multiplier having a high sensitivity and low sensitivity sections, or the combination of an electron multiplier with a separately powered conversion dynode (and particularly a high energy conversion dynode), or the combination of a conversion dynode that is physically incorporated within or about an electron multiplier.

Charged particle detector

Components of scientific analytical equipment. More particularly, ion detectors of the type which incorporate electron multipliers and modifications thereto for extending the operational lifetime or otherwise improving performance. The ion detector may be embodied in the form of a particle detector having one or more electron emissive surfaces and/or an electron collector surface therein, the particle detector being configured such that in operation the environment about the electron emissive surface(s) and/or the electron collector surface is/are different to the environment immediately external to the detector.

Particle detector having improved performance and service life

Components of scientific analytical equipment, such as electron multipliers and modifications thereto, for extending the operational lifetime or otherwise improving performance by way of improved construction. A detector includes one or more electron emissive surfaces and one or more detector elements configured to define on one side an environment internal the detector and on the other side an environment external the detector. The one or more detector elements are configured to inhibit or prevent flow of a gas from the environment external the detector to the environment internal the detector. Such detectors may be used in a mass spectrometry instrument, for example.

Detector having improved construction

The present invention relates to electron multiplier apparatus of the type used in ion detectors. In one form, the invention is an electron multiplier having two or more electron emissive surfaces, each having a different composition so as to together limit or overcome an acute gain effect on the electron multiplier due to the exposure of the two or more electron emissive surfaces to water molecules. Alternatively, the multiplier may have a single electron emissive surface of mixed composition comprising a first composition component and a second composition component so as to together limit or overcome an acute gain effect on the electron multiplier due to the exposure of the electron emissive surface to water molecules.

Electron multipliers having improved gain stability

Ion detectors of the type used in scientific instrumentation, such as mass spectrometers. More particularly, a self-contained particle detector includes an enclosure formed in part by a transmission mode secondary electron emissive element, the enclosure defining an internal environment and an external environment, wherein the transmission mode secondary electron emissive element has an externally facing surface and an internally facing surface and is configured such that impact of a particle on the externally facing surface causes emission of one or more secondary electrons from the internally facing surface.

Detector comprising transmission secondary electron emission means

An electron multiplier apparatus of the type used in ion detectors, and modifications thereto for extending the operational lifetime or otherwise improving performance. The electron multiplier includes a series of discrete electron emissive surfaces configured to provide an electron amplification chain, the electron multiplier being configured so as to inhibit or prevent a contaminant from entering into, or passing partially through, or passing completely through the electron multiplier. The electron multiplier may include one or more baffles configured so as to decrease vacuum conductance of the electron multiplier compared to the same or similar electron multiplier not having one or more baffles.

Electron multipliers internal regions

An apparatus for providing a magnetic field includes a magnet having a surface, and a structure disposed above the magnet surface. The structure includes a material of high magnetic permeability. The apparatus provides an interface between the material of high magnetic permeability and a material of low magnetic permeability. The apparatus may have two poles in magnetic communication with the magnet, the poles extending above the surface of the magnet, and the structure is disposed between the poles. The structure may have alternating regions of high magnetic permeability and low magnetic permeability. The apparatus alters the magnetic field of the magnet to reduce or remove a disorder in the magnetic field, and/or decrease the magnitude of the magnetic field, and/or induce a distortion in the magnetic field, and/or align or re-align the magnetic field, and/or orientate or re-orientate the magnetic field, and/or alter distribution or shape of the magnetic field.

Apparatus and methods for controlling a charged particle in a magnetic field

An apparatus for amplifying an electron signal caused by the impact of a particle with an electron emissive surface. The apparatus includes: a first electron emissive surface configured to receive an input particle and thereby emit one or more secondary electrons, a series of second and subsequent electron emissive surfaces configured to form an amplified electron signal from the one or more secondary electrons emitted by the first electron emissive surface, and one or more power supplies configured to apply bias voltage(s) to one or more of the emissive surfaces. The bias voltage(s) is sufficient to form the amplified electron signal. The apparatus is configured such that the terminal electron emissive surface(s) of the series of second and subsequent electron emissive surfaces draw a higher electrical current than that of the remainder electron emissive surface(s). The apparatus may be used as part of detector in a mass spectrometer, for example.

Electron multipliers

Electron focussing apparatus includes a cathode plate defining an impact surface on which particles impact, which surface has a finite probability of generating at least one electron for each impacting particle having predetermined characteristics. The apparatus also has an electron receiving element, and respective means for generating electrostatic and magnetic fields in a space extending from the impact surface to the electron receiving element. The means for generating the electrostatic and magnetic fields are configured whereby the E/Bratio adjacent the electron receiving element is smaller than adjacent the impact surface, whereby to decrease the radius of curvature of the electron trajectories adjacent the electron receiving element relative to adjacent the impact surface and to thereby focus the electron trajectories in at least one dimension. In another aspect the electron receiving element is positioned and the means for generating the electrostatic and magnetic fields are configured to cause the electrons to deflect on average through greater than 180&#xb0; before impacting the electron receiving element, whereby to focus, in at least one dimension, multiple electrons generated from any given area of the impact surface to a smaller area at the electron receiving element.

Particle detection by electron multiplication

An ion detection arrangementfor a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometerincludes a beam splitter formed as a meshat the end of the TOF acceleration and detection chamber. Ions enter the detection arrangement through a common entrance window and are then divided by the beam splitter. Those ions striking the meshgenerate secondary electronswhich are detected by a microchannel plate forming a first detector. Those ions passing through the ion beam splitter are detected directly by a second detectoralso formed from a microchannel plate. The two detectors are each connected to a corresponding data acquisition systemand the data obtained by each are combined to generate a mass spectrum. The problems of detector saturation are thus avoided.

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Glenhaven, Australia

Kevin Hunter