Science & Engineering Services, Incorporated

Smiths Detection Inc.

Smith Detection, Inc.

Vadym Berkout

Vladimir M Doroshenko

Jan Hendrikse

Thomas D Saul

Andrey N Vilkov

Douglas Jason Green

Victor V Laiko

Phillip V Tan

Dougals J Green

An intermittent sample inlet device and methods for use of the intermittent sample inlet device are described that include an orifice plate with an entrance orifice and a rotating skimmer with a skimmer orifice, where the rotating skimmer is disposed between the orifice plate and a vacuum chamber wall. The rotating skimmer rotates so that the skimmer orifice intermittently aligns with the entrance orifice and allows an ion sample to pass through to a mass analyzer.

Intermittent mass spectrometer inlet

A low temperature plasma probe, a mass spectrometry system, and a method for using a low temperature plasma probe are described. In an embodiment, a low temperature plasma probe includes an intake capillary that provides an ion flow from a sample surface to a mass spectrometer; at least one low temperature plasma tube that provides low temperature plasma gas; at least one heated gas tube that provides heated gas to the sample surface, where the heated gas enhances desorption and ionization of a sample on the sample surface.

Low temperature plasma probe with auxiliary heated gas jet

A sample inlet device and methods for use of the sample inlet device are described that include an ion funnel having a plurality of electrodes with apertures arranged about an axis extending from an inlet of the ion funnel to an outlet of the ion funnel, the ion funnel including a plurality of spacer elements disposed coaxially with the plurality of electrodes, each of the plurality of spacer elements being positioned between one or two adjacent electrodes, each of the plurality of spacer elements having an aperture with a diameter that is greater than a diameter of each adjacent electrode. The ion funnel is configured to pass an ion sample through the apertures of the electrodes and the spacer elements to additional portions of a detection system, such as to a mass analyzer system and detector.

Ion funnel for efficient transmission of low mass-to-charge ratio ions with reduced gas flow at the exit

An ion transfer tube assembly, a mass spectrometry system, and a method for providing an ion stream to an ion detection device are described that include using an ion transfer tube that provides a coaxial sheath gas flow. In an implementation, an ion transfer tube assembly includes an ion transfer tube for delivering the ion stream, where a sheath gas flows through the ion transfer tube, and where the ion transfer tube receives the ion stream from a first conduit coupled to an ion source; a pump fluidly coupled to the ion transfer tube, where the pump causes the sheath gas to flow through the ion transfer tube, where the ion stream is separated from the ion transfer tube walls by the coaxial sheath gas flow, and where the ion stream is received by a second conduit coupled to the ion detection device.

Ion transfer tube with sheath gas flow

An ion transfer tube assembly, a mass spectrometry system, and a method for providing an ion stream to an ion detection device are described that include using an ion transfer tube and an additional conduit connected to a small high-flow low vacuum pump and a valve. In an implementation, an ion transfer tube assembly includes an ion transfer tube assembly having an intermittent inlet for delivering an ion stream to an ion detection device that employs example techniques in accordance with the present disclosure includes an ion transfer tube, where the ion transfer tube is coupled to a first conduit; a second conduit coupled to the ion transfer tube and the ion detection device; and a third conduit coupled to the second conduit, where the third conduit includes a valve and is coupled to a pump.

Ion transfer tube with intermittent inlet

An interface configured to transfer ions produced at or near atmospheric pressure conditions into a mass spectrometer for mass analysis is provided. The interface includes a first conduit including an inlet configured to receive a fluid containing the ions and an outlet configured to direct the fluid containing the ions into the mass spectrometer. The first conduit defines a first flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet. The interface includes a pump. The interface includes a second conduit. The second conduit includes an inlet. The second conduit defines a second flow path extending from a location between the inlet and the outlet of the first conduit to an outlet of the second conduit. The pump is configured to divert a portion of the fluid including the ions moving in the first flow path to the second flow path.

Mass spectrometer inlet with reduced average flow

A device and method for transporting ions along a longitudinal direction in an elevated gas pressure region. The device includes a multipole ion guide having a set of rods positioned along the longitudinal direction on an inscribed diameter equal to or less than 3.5 mm, a voltage source which provides alternating voltages to at least a subset of the rods to create a trapping field in a transverse direction, and a conductance limit having an opening d and placed at the exit of the multipole ion guide. At the end of this configuration near the opening of the conductance limit, a converging continuum gas flow through the conductance limit is provided that transfers the ions collimating near a center of the ion guide into a low gas pressure region. The method injects ions into the elevated gas pressure region of the ion guide, and transports the ions in the converging continuum gas flow into the low gas pressure region.

Multiple ion guide operating at elevated pressures

A method for fragmentation of analyte ions for mass spectroscopy and a system for mass spectroscopy. The method produces gas-phase analyte ions, produces gas-phase odd-electron containing species separately from the analyte ions, and mixes the gas-phase analyte ions and the odd-electron containing species at substantially atmospheric pressure conditions to produce fragment ions prior to introduction into a mass spectrometer. The system includes a gas-phase analyte ion source, a gas-phase odd-electron containing species source separate from the gas-phase analyte ion source, a mixing region where the gas-phase analyte ions and the odd-electron containing species are mixed at substantially atmospheric pressure to produce fragment ions of the analyte ions, a mass spectrometer having an entrance where at least a portion of the fragment ions are introduced into a vacuum of the mass spectrometer, and a detector in the mass spectrometer which determines a mass to charge ratio analysis of the fragment ions.

Method and apparatus for ion fragmentation in mass spectrometry

An apparatus for mass analyzing molecules includes a mass spectrometer configured to select precursor ions having a mass to charge ratio range, a metastable species generator configured to generate a metastable species for introduction into the mass spectrometer, and a mass detector configured to detect a mass of the product ions. The apparatus also includes interaction region in the mass spectrometer where the precursor ions are converted into product ions via interaction of the precursor ions with the metastable species. The mass spectrometer includes at least one of a three-dimensional ion trap, a linear ion trap, or an ion guide. The interaction region is located inside the three-dimensional ion trap, the linear trap, or the ion guide; and at least one of the precursor ions or at least one of the product ions are excited by an alternating electric field or collisionally activated to produce additional product ions.

An apparatus for analyzing a sample material includes a desorption mechanism configured to desorb molecules from the sample material, a metastable generator separate from the desorption mechanism and configured to generate a metastable species, and an interaction region configured for metastable species ionization of the desorbed molecules so as to produce gas-phase ions of the sample material.

Method and apparatus for ionization via interaction with metastable species

An apparatus for mass analyzing molecules includes a mass spectrometer configured to select precursor ions having a mass to charge ratio range, a metastable species generator configured to generate a metastable species for introduction into the mass spectrometer, and a mass detector configured to detect a mass of the product ions. The apparatus also includes interaction region in the mass spectrometer where the precursor ions fragment into product ions via interaction of the precursor ions with the metastable species.

A method and system for producing an ion beam from an ion guide. In the method, ions are introduced into the ion guide, a radio frequency trapping field is generated in the ion guide to confine ions in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the ion guide, a DC potential is generated along the longitudinal axis to direct ion motion along the longitudinal axis, a strength of the radio frequency trapping field is reduced toward an ion guide exit of the ion guide, and the ions are transmitted from the ion guide exit to form the ion beam. In the system, an ion guide is configured to transmit ions in a longitudinal axis of the ion guide and configured to trap ions in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis via a radio frequency trapping field. The ion guide includes a segmented set of electrodes spaced along the longitudinal axis and an ion guide exit at the last of the segmented set of electrodes. A radio frequency device is configured to supply the radio frequency trapping field such that a strength of the radio frequency trapping field is reduced toward the ion guide exit.

Method and apparatus for producing an ion beam from an ion guide

A method and an apparatus for collecting ions in which ions are produced from a sample in an ion source. An electric field is provided that is more uniform in an area adjacent the sample than in an area adjacent an inlet to the ion transfer device or that is larger in field strength at the sample than at a point removed from the sample towards the inlet of the ion transfer device. Ions are received into the electric field and transferred through the ion transfer device to a sampling orifice of the mass spectrometer. The apparatus includes an ion transfer device coupled to a sampling orifice of a mass spectrometer. The ion transfer device has an inlet with a surface that extends in a direction from an axis of the ion transfer device. The ion transfer device can extend a distance of at least 10 times an inner diameter of a sampling orifice of the mass spectrometer.

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Rockville, MD, United States of America

Vadym Berkout