Ngx, Inc.

Nanomat, Inc.

Yuri Glukhoy

An aerosol TOF MS of the present invention is based on the use of quadrupole lenses with angular gradient of the electrostatic field. On the entrance side, the TOF MS contains an ion-optic system that is used for focusing, aligning, and time-modulating the ionized flow of particles and a deflector modulator that provides alternating deflections of the flow of particles between two positions for aligning the flow with two inlet openings into the TOF MS. As a result, two independently analyzed discrete flows of particles pass through the ion mass separation chamber of the TOF MS without interference with each other. The charged particles fly in direct and return paths along helical trajectories which extend the length of the flight time. The time of the collision and the magnitude of the collision pulse will contain information about the M/Z ratio for the particles being registered. Multiplication of a single flow of particles into a plurality of independent and spatially separated flows propagating in one chamber increases efficiency of the TOF MS and makes it possible to use it in continuous and high-duty applications with the duty cycle as high as 98%, which is unattainable with any known device of this class.

Aerosol mass spectrometer for operation in a high-duty mode and method of mass-spectrometry

A mass spectrometry system for continuous control of environment based on the use of an aerosol TOF MS that provides operation with a high duty cycle of up to 98% and can be realized in the form of a mobile unit having a data acquisition and analysis system with three levels of data correlation on the basis of constant interaction between various actuating mechanisms of the system via a central processing unit. The TOF MS is based on the use of quadrupole lenses with angular gradient of the electrostatic field. As a result, two independently analyzed discrete flows of particles pass through the ion mass separation chamber of the TOF MS without interference with each other. The system can be mounted either on an underwater and ground vehicle, or on an aircraft.

Mass spectrometry system for continuous control of environment

The ionization device of the present invention is intended for use in conjunction with an aerosol TOF MS operating in a continuous mode and is capable of ionizing particulated substances in a wide range of particle masses. In the illustrated embodiment, the ionization unit consists of three coaxial cylindrical bodies having a three aligned longitudinal slits for directing electron beams from externally located electron gun onto the axially arranged flow of droplets. The cylindrical bodies are connected to voltage sources so that the external cylindrical body functions as an anode that extracts electrons from the current-heated filament. The central cylindrical body, in combination with the aforementioned anode, serves as an electron-energy control member for precisely controlling and selecting the energy of electrons that reach the flow of particles, while the inner cylindrical body functions as a decelerating member that can be used for adjusting energy of electrons which reached the flow of particles. The heated filament of each electron gun, which is used as a source of electrons, is inclined with respect to the aforementioned longitudinal axis whereby modulation applied to the elongated outer electrode of the electron gun provides different ionization conditions for specific particles of predetermined masses for analysis of which the aerosol TOF MS is tuned.

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Irwin, PA, United States of America

Yuri Glukhoy