The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 08, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 14, 2001
James Speakman, Northwhich, GB;
Raymond Clive Haines, Tarporley, GB;
Patrick James Turner, Wilmslow, GB;
Thomas Oliver Merren, Hale, GB;
Stuart Alan Jarvis, Manchester, GB;
Micromass Limited, Manchester, GB;
Abstract
A plasma mass spectrometer comprises a plasma torch ( ) for generating ions from a sample introduced into a plasma ( ), a nozzle-skimmer interface ( ) for transmitting said ions into a first evacuated chamber ( ), ion guiding means ( ), an apertured diaphragm ( ) dividing said first evacuated chamber ( ) from a second evacuated chamber, and an ion mass-to-charge ratio analyzer in the second chamber for producing a mass spectrum. The ion guiding means comprises a multipole rod-set ( ), means for applying an AC voltage between rods in the set, and means ( ) for introducing into said ion guiding means an inert gas selected from the group comprising helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon and nitrogen so that the partial pressure of said inert gas inside said rod-set is at least 10 torr. Interfering peaks in the spectrum, such as Ar , are thereby reduced.