Smiths Detection-watford Limited

Smiths Group Plc

William Angus Munro

Alastair Clark

Stephen John Taylor

David Sharp

Paul Douglas Arnold

David Cutmore

Rod Wilson

Jonathan R Atkinson

John Fitzgerald

Robert Brian Turner

Richard Turner, Legal Representative

John FitzGerald

Johnathan Richard Atkinson

Jonathan Richard Atkinson

A portable ion mobility spectrometry apparatus () for detecting an aerosol and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises an ion mobility spectrometer (); a portable power source () carried by the apparatus for providing power to the apparatus (); an inlet () for collecting a flow of air to be tested by the spectrometer (); a heater () configured to heat the air to be tested to vapourise an aerosol carried by the air and a controller () configured to control the spectrometer () to obtain samples from the heated air, wherein the controller is configured to increase a heat output from the heater () for a selected time period before obtaining samples from the heated air.

Method and portable ion mobility spectrometer for the detection of an aerosol

A portable ion mobility spectrometry apparatus () for detecting an aerosol and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises an ion mobility spectrometer (); a portable power source () carried by the apparatus for providing power to the apparatus (); an inlet () for collecting a flow of air to be tested by the spectrometer (); a heater () configured to heat the air to be tested to vaporize an aerosol carried by the air and a controller () configured to control the spectrometer () to obtain samples from the heated air, wherein the controller is configured to increase a heat output from the heater () for a selected time period before obtaining samples from the heated air.

An ion mobility spectrometer () comprising a first ion source (--) for providing positive ions to be analyzed, an electric field applier arranged to provide an electric field configured to move the positive ions in a first direction towards a first ion detector (--) adapted for detecting the positive ions, and a second ion source (--) for providing negative ions to be analyzed, wherein the electric field applier is arranged to move the negative ions in a direction opposite to the first direction, towards the first ion source (--) and towards a second ion detector (--) adapted for detecting the negative ions.

Duel mode ion mobility spectrometer

An ion mobility spectrometer has a pair of electrodes and midway along the drill chamber. A high field is applied between the electrodes and sufficient to modify ions in the region of the electrodes such that they move at a different rate towards the collector plate. This is used to modify the time of flight of selected ions or ion clusters and enable identification of ambiguous peaks on the IMS spectrum.

Detection apparatus

A field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometer (FAIMS) has an analyte ion source assembly by which an analyte substance is ionized and supplied to the inlet of the spectrometer. The ion source assembly has an upstream source of clean, dry air and two ion sources of opposite polarity arranged at the same distance along the flow path. The ion sources are arranged so that the overall charge of the plasma produced is substantially neutral. The analyte substance is admitted via an inlet downstream of the ion sources and flows into a reaction region of enlarged cross section to slow the flow and increase the time for which the analyte molecules are exposed to the plasma.

Detectors and ion sources

An ion mobility spectrometer has several electrodes spaced along its ion source region. Voltages are applied to the electrodes to produce a voltage gradient along the length of the ion source region. By varying the voltage gradient, the residence time of ions in the ion source region can be selectively varied. Typically, the spectrometer is arranged to reduce the residence time in response to a decrease in the amplitude of an ion peak detected at the far end of the drift region.

Spectrometer apparatus

An ion mobility spectrometer has a pair of electrodes and midway along the drift chamber. A high field is applied between the electrodes and sufficient to modify ions in the region of thee electrodes such that they move at a different rate towards the collector plate. This is used to modify the time of flight of selected ions or ion clusters and enable identification of ambiguous peaks on the IMS spectrum.

An ion mobility spectrometer has several electrodes spaced along its ion source region. Voltages are applied to the electrodes to produce a voltage gradient along the length of the ion source region. By varying the voltage gradient, the residence time of ions in the ion source region can be selectively varied. Typically, the spectrometer is arranged to reduce the residence time in response to a decrease in the amplitude, of an ion peak detected at the far end of the drift region.

An ion mobility spectrometer has a pair of electrodes (A) and (B) midway along the drift chamber (). A high field is applied between the electrodes (A) and (B) sufficient to modify (e.g. fragment) ions in the region of the electrodes such that they move at a different rate towards the collector plate () . This is used to modify the time of flight of selected ions or ion clusters and enable identification of ambiguous peaks on the IMS spectrum.

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Watford, United Kingdom

William Angus Munro