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:
Feb. 27, 2007
Filed:
Jan. 17, 2006
Gregor Overney, San Jose, CA (US);
Jean-luc Truche, Los Altos, CA (US);
Gregor Overney, San Jose, CA (US);
Jean-Luc Truche, Los Altos, CA (US);
Agilent Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A mass spectrometer system comprises a flight tube having an operational length, a measurement device for measuring a variation in the longitudinal length of the flight tube, means for compensating for the measured variation in the longitudinal flight tube length, and a detector positioned near a downstream end of the flight tube. The measurement device comprises an optical interferometer, and may specifically comprise a Michelson interferometer. In a first embodiment, the mass spectrometer system includes an actuator coupled to the measurement device and the detector for moving the detector in a longitudinal direction to compensate for the measured variation in the operational flight tube length. In a second embodiment, the mass spectrometer system includes a processor coupled to the measurement device configured to calculate analyte ion mass to charge ratio. The processor is configured to modify a calculation of analyte ion mass to charge ratio using the measured variation in operational flight tube length.