Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080203294 | System and Method for Implementing Balanced RF Fields in an Ion Trap Device - A system and method are disclosed for effectively compensating for an unbalanced or non-zero centerline radio-frequency potential in a quadrupolar ion trap, the unbalanced centerline potential created by a compensation feature that minimizes non-linear field components created by one or more ejection slots in the ion trap. The ion trap includes a centerline that passes longitudinally through a trapping volume inside of the ion trap, a pair of Y electrodes with inner Y electrode surfaces that are approximately parallel to the centerline, and a pair of X electrodes with inner X electrode surfaces that are approximately parallel to the centerline. The X electrodes have ejection slots through which trapped ions are ejected from the ion trap. A Y signal with a Y signal amplitude is coupled to both of the Y electrodes. An X signal with an X signal amplitude is coupled to both of the X electrodes. The X signal amplitude is selected to be greater than the Y signal amplitude to thereby create a balanced centerline potential at the centerline of the ion trap device. | 08-28-2008 |
20080270083 | Method of Processing Mass Spectrometry Data - A method of processing Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry (FTMS) data comprises carrying out a Fourier Trans-form of a part of a time domain transient and identifying from that transformed data signal peaks representative of the presence of ions. Once the peaks have been identified, the full transient is then transformed, and the peaks identified in the partial transient transform are used to locate true peaks in the transformed full transient. The number of ‘false’ peaks resulting from random noise has been found to correlate to the resolution, so that using a partial transient to identify true peaks reduces the risk of false peaks being included; nevertheless this information can then be applied to the full data set when transformed. As an alternative, different parts of the full data set can be transformed and then correlated; because any noise will be random, false peaks should occur at different places in the two partial transforms. | 10-30-2008 |
20080308721 | ION TRANSPORT DEVICE - A device for transporting and focusing ions in a low vacuum or atmospheric-pressure region of a mass spectrometer is constructed from a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart electrodes to which oscillatory (e.g., radio-frequency) voltages are applied. In order to create a tapered field that focuses ions to a narrow beam near the device exit, the inter-electrode spacing or the oscillatory voltage amplitude is increased in the direction of ion travel. | 12-18-2008 |
20090014647 | Correction of Time of Flight Separation in Hybrid Mass Spectrometers - The present invention pertains to a method and apparatus which increases the efficiency with which ions are transported from a first ion trap to a second ion trap, and subsequently trapped in the second ion trap. In one aspect the invention, increased efficiency takes the form or enabling ions of both high and low mass to charge ratios to be trapped in the second ion trap at substantially the same time, or at least within a relatively small window of time. This can be achieved by minimizing the undesirable time-of-flight separation by the high and low mass to charge ratio ions as they are transported from a first ion trap to the second ion trap. This minimization can be realized by adjusting the potential energy applied to ion transfer optics disposed between the two ion traps. | 01-15-2009 |
20090045062 | ION TRANSPORT DEVICE AND MODES OF OPERATION THEREOF - A device for transporting and focusing ions in a low vacuum or atmospheric-pressure region of a mass spectrometer is constructed from a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart electrodes to which oscillatory (e.g., radio-frequency) voltages are applied. In order to create a tapered field that focuses ions to a narrow beam near the device exit, the inter-electrode spacing or the oscillatory voltage amplitude is increased in the direction of ion travel. | 02-19-2009 |
20090272898 | Two-Dimensional Ion Trap with Ramped Axial Potentials - The invention provides a two-dimensional ion trap, comprising a plurality of elongate electrodes positioned between first and second end electrodes, the plurality of electrodes and first and second end electrodes defining a trapping volume. A controller in electrical communication with the plurality of elongate electrodes and the first and second end electrodes is configured to progressively vary a periodic voltage applied to at least one of the plurality of elongate electrodes to cause ions to be radially ejected from the ion trap in order of their mass to charge ratios. Concurrently, the controller is configured to progressively vary a DC offset of least one of the first and second end electrodes with respect to the plurality of elongate electrodes. | 11-05-2009 |
20100044559 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A DUAL GATE FOR A MASS SPECTROMETER - An ion gate apparatus for controlling the transmission of ion pulses between an origin and a destination in a mass spectrometer is disclosed, comprising: a first split gate having a length L | 02-25-2010 |
20100090104 | ELECTRO-DYNAMIC OR ELECTRO-STATIC LENS COUPLED TO A STACKED RING ION GUIDE - A device for improved transportation and focusing of ions in a low vacuum or atmospheric-pressure region of a mass spectrometer is constructed from one or more electro-dynamic or electrostatic focusing lenses that is/are coupled to the first electrode of a stacked ring ion guide (SRIG) to which oscillatory (e.g., radio-frequency) voltages are applied. Such configurations as disclosed herein, minimizes deleterious field effects and/or repositioning problems of desired ion transfer instruments that utilize such stacked ring ion guides by generally configuring the outlet end of the ion transfer device to a desired position within the electro-dynamic or electro-static focusing lens(es). | 04-15-2010 |
20100176295 | INTERLACED Y MULTIPOLE - A method and apparatus of combining two independent multipoles in an interlaced fashion to form a resultant multipole structure is introduced. Such an arrangement enables ions from two separate sources to be merged along a predetermined longitudinal direction but also enables in the reverse path, predetermined portions of ions from a single source to be directed along one or more ion channel paths to also enable, for example, simultaneous collection by a Time of Flight (TOF) mass analyzer and an ion trap. | 07-15-2010 |
20100276583 | Multi-Resolution Scan - A multi-resolution mass spectrometer system and intra-scanning method is introduced to enhance the measured peak resolution at different regions of a given mass spectrum while not significantly increasing the total duration of the scan. Such an arrangement enables extra resolution where necessary, such as, for example, when incorporating a slower scan rate only over a predetermined narrow low mass marker region of a given mass spectrum. Once past the marker region, the scan rate can be increased to provide the appropriate resolution for peptide identification. | 11-04-2010 |
20100276586 | INTRASCAN DATA DEPENDENCY - A mass spectrometer data dependent method and apparatus is introduced to alter scanning parameters based upon data acquired during that scan. Such a method an apparatus may include the identification of ion species of interest meeting user specified criteria so that a determination can be made as to whether or not the present scan is to be continued, terminated, or alternatively paused while such a decision is being made. Such a method of operation saves overall cycle time and allows examination of, for example, marker ion ratios for additional peptides that might otherwise be missed. | 11-04-2010 |
20120032072 | Method and Apparatus for Automatic Estimation of Detector Gain in a Mass Spectrometer - A method and apparatus involve: performing a plurality of analytical scans during normal operation of a mass spectrometer having a detection section, wherein data is generated during the analytical scans in a manner that includes use of the detection section; and automatically evaluating the data from the analytical scans to monitor whether an actual gain of the detection section changes over time. | 02-09-2012 |
20140034828 | Ion Carpet for Mass Spectrometry Having Progressive Electrodes - An ion transport apparatus for a mass- or ion-mobility-spectrometer comprises: (a) a plurality of strip electrodes in a series on a fiat substrate; (b) an ion outlet aperture in the substrate disposed adjacent to a first one of the plurality of strip electrodes; (c) a cage electrode at least partially enclosing the plurality of strip electrodes and the ion outlet aperture; (d) a radio frequency (RF) voltage generator operable to supply an RF phase difference between each pair of adjacent electrodes; and (e) at least one DC voltage source operable to supply first and second DC voltages to the cage electrode and an extraction electrode and to supply respective DC bias voltages to each of the plurality of electrodes, wherein electrode strip widths of a series of the plurality of electrodes progressively increase away from the first one of the plurality of electrodes. | 02-06-2014 |
20140264007 | Identifying the Occurrence and Location of Charging in the Ion Path of a Mass Spectrometer - A method is described for identifying the occurrence and location of charging of ion optic devices arranged along the ion path of a mass spectrometer. The method includes repeatedly performing a sequence of introducing a beam of discharge ions to a location on the ion path, and subsequently measuring the intensities of opposite-polarity sample ions delivered to a mass analyzer, with the discharge ions being delivered to a location further downstream in the ion path at each successive sequence. | 09-18-2014 |
20140306107 | Methods for Predictive Automatic Gain Control for Hybrid Mass Spectrometers - A method for mass analyzing ions comprising a restricted range mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios comprising performing a survey mass analysis using a mass analyzer to measure a flux of ions having m/z ratios within said restricted range and performing a dependent mass analysis of an optimal quantity of ions having m/z ratios within said restricted range, said optimal quantity collected for a time period determined by the measured ion flux, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT: the time period is determined using a corrected ion flux that accounts for one or more of: (a) imperfect restriction of collected ions to the range of m/z ratios, (b) inclusion of ions within the range of m/z ratios that are undetected by the survey mass analysis, (c) different mass analyzers used for the dependent and survey mass analyses, and (d) different ion pathways used during dependent and the survey mass analyses. | 10-16-2014 |
20140339421 | MULTINOTCH ISOLATION FOR MS3 MASS ANALYSIS - A mass spectrometry method for analyzing isobarically-labeled analyte compounds comprising (a) ionizing compounds including the isobarically-labeled analyte compounds to generate a plurality of precursor ion species comprising different respective m/z ratios, (b) isolating a precursor ion species, (c) fragmenting the precursor ion species to generate a plurality of first-generation fragment ion species comprising different respective m/z ratios, and (d) selecting and co-isolating two or more of the first-generation product-ion species, the method characterized by: (e) fragmenting all of the selected and isolated first-generation product ion species so as to generate a plurality of second-generation fragment ion species including released label ions; (f) generating a mass spectrum of the second-generation fragment ion species; and (g) generating quantitative information relating to at least one analyte compound based on peaks of the mass spectrum attributable to the released label ions. | 11-20-2014 |
20140361158 | Methods for Predictive Automatic Gain Control for Hybrid Mass Spectrometers - A method for mass analyzing ions comprising a restricted range mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios comprising (i) performing a survey mass analysis, using a first mass analyzer employing indirect detection of ions by image current detection, to measure a flux of ions having m/z ratios within said range and (ii) performing a dependent mass analysis, using a second mass analyzer, of an optimal quantity of ions having m/z ratios within said range, said optimal quantity collected for a time period determined by the measured ion flux, the method characterized in that: the time period is determined using a corrected ion flux that includes a correction that comprises an estimate of the quantity of ions that are undetected by the first mass analyzer. | 12-11-2014 |