Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Hewlett-packard Company

Robert Keith Crawford

Steven Michael Fischer

Charles William Russ, Iv

Randy Keith Roushall

William Daniel Frazer

Kim Hong Chen

James L Bertsch

Jacques Leibovitz

J Gerson Goldberg

Daniel J Miller

V K Nagesh

Raj Pendse

August Jon Hidalgo

A tandem mass spectrometer and method for calibrating a tandem mass spectrometer. The tandem mass spectrometer comprises first and second mass analyzers. The first and second mass analyzers form an ion path. The second mass analyzer is positioned downstream from the first mass analyzer and is arranged to receive ions from the first mass analyzer. An electrode arrangement positioned between the first and second mass analyzers. The electrode assembly is configured to selectively deflect ions from the ion path.

Mass spectrometry system having ion deflector

The present invention provides, inter alia, a multipole ion guide for moving and guiding ions, particularly in a mass spectrometer. The multipole ion guide comprises multiple rods with a resistive coating, and radio frequency (RF) and direct current (DC) voltages applying to the resistive coating of each rod. Devices and systems comprising the multipole ion guide, as well as methods of use thereof, are also provided.

Multipole devices and methods

The invention provides a multipole device for a mass spectrometer system. In general, the multipole device contains a plurality of conductive rods each comprising a conductive layer, a resistive layer, and an insulative layer between the conductive and resistive layers. The invention finds use in a variety of applications, including ion transport, ion fragmentation and ion mass filtration. Accordingly, the invention may be employed in a variety of mass spectrometer systems.

Mass spectrometer multipole device

Improved data acquisition systems and methods that enable large numbers of data samples to be accumulated rapidly with low noise are described. In one aspect, a data acquisition system includes an accumulator that has two or more parallel accumulation paths and is configured to accumulate corresponding data samples across a transient sequence through different accumulation paths.

Multipath data acquisition system and method

For generation and delivery of ions from an ionization chamber through an ion entrance orifice to a mass analyzer operating at high vacuum, high pass ion filtration is effected within the ionization chamber by application of electrical potentials to an electrode associated with the ion entrance orifice and to an electrode between the ionization region and the ion entrance orifice to create a retarding electric field upstream from the ion entrance orifice. The retarding electric field hinders the movement to the ion entrance orifice of ions having drift velocities below a lower limit, and as the retarding voltage gradient is made steeper, the lower limit increases.

Atmospheric pressure ion source high pass ion filter

The present invention relates to an apparatus for delivering ions to a vacuum chamber. The apparatus comprises an ionization chamber, an ionization region within the ionization chamber, a vacuum interface at a vacuum interface voltage and a vacuum chamber, wherein the ionization chamber communicates with the vacuum chamber through the vacuum interface. Sample is introduced into the ionization chamber from an electrospray assembly at approximately ground potential. Two electrodes are provided within the chamber such that three electric fields are generated, a first field extending from the electrospray assembly to the first electrode, a second field extending from the second electrode to the first electrode, and a third field extending from the second electrode to the vacuum interface. Ions are forced to travel through the fields in order before entering the vacuum chamber. In addition, the invention provides a method of delivering ions to a vacuum chamber.

Apparatus for delivering ions from a grounded electrospray assembly to a vacuum chamber

For delivery of ions from a higher pressure ion source to a mass analyzer operating at high vacuum, high pass ion filtration is effected within a dielectric capillary interface between the higher pressure ionization chamber and the lower pressure environment of a mass analyzer, by application of electrical potentials to end electrodes and to at least one electrode associated with the dielectric capillary between the ends, to create an end-to-end electric field generally opposing gas flow-assisted movement of ions from the upstream end to the downstream end, and to create a steeper voltage gradient along an upstream portion than along a downstream portion of the capillary. The voltage gradient along the steeper upstream portion of the capillary is sufficiently steep to cause ions having drift velocities below a lower limit to stall within the capillary. The respective potentials may be adjusted to increase the steepness of the upstream voltage gradient to increase the drift velocity lower limit.

Dielectric capillary high pass ion filter

Improved data acquisition systems and methods that enable large numbers of data samples to be accumulated rapidly with low noise are described. In accordance with this inventive approach, a plurality of data samples is produced from a transient sequence in response to sampling clock, and corresponding data samples across the transient sequence are accumulated in response to an accumulation clock that is shifted in phase relative to the sampling clock.

Phase-shifted data acquisition system and method

A method for forming a crater-style sampling capacitor. The capacitor includes a dielectric having a smooth crater shaped input electrode on a first surface and output and guard electrodes on a second surface. A sampling capacitor is defined by the input and output electrodes, and a guard capacitor is defined by the input and guard electrodes. The edge of input electrode is positioned below the first surface to increase surface flash over voltage, further, the input electrode is curved to eliminate corona discharge at edges of the input electrode and to reduce self-heating to negligible levels. The apparatus is suitable for high-voltage radio-frequency applications, such as a mass spectrometer, or other high-voltage applications that require an accurate sampling capacitor for amplitude control and accurate sampling of radio-frequency wave-forms.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Robert Keith Crawford