Dh Technologies Development Pte. Ltd.

Pascal Martin

Bruce Andrew Collings

Stephen Bruce Locke

In one aspect, a method of modulating transmission of ions in a mass spectrometer is disclosed, which comprises generating an ion beam comprising a plurality of ions, directing the ion beam to an ion optic positioned in the path of the ion beam, wherein the ion optic includes at least one opening through which the ions can pass, and applying one or more voltage pulses at a selected duty cycle to said ion optic so as to obtain a desired attenuation of brightness of the ion beam passing through the ion optic, where a pulse width of said voltage pulses at said selected duty cycle is determined by identifying a pulse width on a calibration normalized ion intensity versus pulse width relation for said ions that corresponds to said desired attenuation on an ideal normalized ion intensity versus pulse width relation for said ions.

Increased dynamic range for the attenuation of an ion beam

Apparatus and methods for controlling contamination of components contained within the high-vacuum chambers of mass spectrometer systems are provided. The apparatus and methods employ a beam of neutral gas injected in a contra-flow configuration to incoming particle stream from the ionization chamber. The contra-flow can be in the directly opposite counter-flow direction (e.g., 180 degrees) or at a cross-flow angle to the incoming ion stream (e.g., flowing at an angle between about 10 degrees and 170 degrees). The contra-flow disrupts the axial gas flow and diverts neutral molecules and other undesirable contaminants before they reach the high vacuum stages (e.g., beyond the IQ0 orifice) of the spectrometer. By reducing the transmission of contaminants into the sensitive components housed deep within the mass spectrometer, the present invention can increase throughput, improve robustness, and/or decrease the downtime typically required to vent/disassemble/clean the fouled components.

Apparatus and methods for reduced neutral contamination in a mass spectrometer

An electron multiplier is positioned relative to at least one dynode to direct a beam of secondary particles from the at least one dynode to a collector area of the electron multiplier and not to a channel area of the electron multiplier for a range of electron multiplier voltages applied by one or more voltage sources to the electron multiplier and for a dynode voltage applied by the one or more voltage sources to the at least one dynode. The electron multiplier includes an aperture with an entrance cone and walls of the entrance cone comprise the collector area and an apex of the entrance cone comprises the channel area. An electron multiplier voltage of the range of electron multiplier voltages is applied to the electron multiplier and the dynode voltage is applied to the at least one dynode using the one or more voltage sources.

Growing community of inventors

Woodbridge, Canada

Pascal Martin