This invention relates to mass spectrometry. This invention more particularly relates to generation of ions with an ion source that produces internally excited or “hot” ions like MALDI (Matrix Associated Laser Desorption Ionization), and the problems of unwanted or premature fragmentation of ions.
Collision cooling of ions is now widely used for the purpose of improving the quality of the ion beams. Cooling can be accomplished in an RF only ion guide as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,736 to Douglas, et al. or in gas chamber, that do not include RF rods. Both these techniques provide a buffer gas, and the presence of the buffer gas slows down the ions and, in the case of the RF-ion guide, can lead to reduction of the size of the ion beam. The process may also cool down internal vibration and other degrees of freedom of the ions.
In some cases the ions acquire a high degree of internal excitation during ionization or other processes. If left excited, the ions will eventually fragment; this process is called metastable fragmentation. Metastable fragmentation is one of the main reasons for poor quality spectra of large proteins and DNAs using MALDI (See, for example, A. V. Loboda, A. N. Krutchinsky, M. Bromirski, W. Ens, K. G. Standing, “A tandem quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometer (QqTOF) with a MALDI source: design and performance”, Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 14, 1047 (2000))]. Some other ionization methods (surface ionization mass spectrometry SIMS, fast atom bombardment FAB, Laser ablation LA, electron impact EI, etc) have similar problems and the present invention is generally applicable to such other methods. However, the present invention is primarily intended for application to MALDI sources and the invention will be described primarily in relation to MALDI sources. Metastable fragmentation means that ions can spontaneously fragment at any time and at any location in a mass spectrometer instrument, and hence can give poor spectra.
Because of this limitation, two types of axial MALDI TOF (Time of Flight) systems now exist on the market: linear MALDI TOF and reflectron MALDI TOF. In a linear MALDI TOF, ions are pulsed from an extraction region into a linear flight tube, and the ions are detected at the end of the flight tube. The time of flight through the flight tube depends upon the initial energy given to the ions in the extraction region and the ions' mass to charge ratio. As ions have some energy and velocity before the extraction pulse is applied, this motion is reflected in the velocity of ions m/z ratio as they travel through the flight tube. The overall effect is to degrade the resolution and accuracy of a linear time of flight instrument. For this reason, reflectron MALDI TOF instruments were developed. In a reflectron MALDI TOF, ions are again pulsed out of an extraction region and are provided with a pulse of energy. However, after traveling through the first part of the flight tube, the ions enter a reflection region where a field is applied to reflect the ions back to a location beside the original extraction region. The overall effect, approximately, is to negate or at least reduce the effect of any original ion motion in the direction of ion travel, so that reflectron TOF instruments have excellent resolution and mass accuracy.
Because of the different characteristics of linear and reflectron TOF instruments, metastable fragmentation has quite different effects in these two instruments. In a linear MALDI TOF instrument, although it has limited resolution and mass accuracy, it is much more tolerant of metastable fragmentation. This is because once the ions leave the short extraction region, they enter a field free drift chamber. If a metastable ion fragments in the drift tube the velocities of the fragments do not change significantly from the velocity of the original ion. Hence, the fragments will still arrive at the detector at the same time as the unfragmented ions, and there is little effect or degradation on the spectrum obtained.
In contrast, in a reflectron instrument, if metastable fragmentation occurs before or in the reflector, this will cause the fragment to spend a different time in the drift chamber before reaching the detector, causing significant degradation of the spectrum. It is for this reason that linear MALDI TOF is used where metastable fragmentation is perceived to be a potential problem.
As a first approximation, a linear MALDI TOF device can tolerate metastable fragmentation that occurs after a few microseconds (the time it takes for ions to leave the extraction region), while a reflectron MALDI device can only tolerate the metastable fragmentation that has a time scale of approximately 100 microseconds (the time when the ions leave the reflector); The time scale of metastable fragmentation usually depends on the level of internal excitation of the ions, the higher the degree of excitation the faster the ion will fragment.
Collisional cooling of MALDI ions as disclosed in published International Patent Application No. WO99/38185 can cure the problem of metastable fragmentation to some extent. In one preferred embodiment the ions are cooled down at a pressure ˜10 mTorr. At this pressure the cooling time is about 100 μs. Thus, the fragmentation pattern in the spectra resembles the ones in Reflectron MALDI TOF, as some metastable fragmentation still occurs. The only difference is that the resolution and mass accuracy of the observed fragments in MALDI with collisional cooling stays the same as for the stable ions. Both fragments and primary ions leave the cooling stage cooled down and focused, prior to entry into the TOF section. As the ions are then cooled, no subsequent metastable fragmentation occurs in the TOF section.
As the cooling time is inversely proportional to the pressure another arrangement was disclosed in published International Patent Application No. WO99/38185. That arrangement has a cooling stage at a pressure of ˜1 Torr. The cooling time in this case is ˜1 As and this is short enough that fragmentation is substantially reduced. The spectra observed resemble the spectra from a linear MALDI TOF.
Unfortunately such a high pressure has the disadvantage that it can affect the ionization process resulting in cluster formation. Clusters of ions of interest with several matrix molecules begin to appear as the pressure increase. Since a typical MALDI sample has substances of interest embedded in the excess of the matrix molecules it has been speculated that the clusters represent the material that was cooled down too rapidly without allowing matrix molecules to “evaporate” from the analyte ions.
Therefore, the present inventors have realized that it is a antageous to have a low pressure in the ionization region to permit complete “evaporation” of the matrix material and the release of desired analyte ions, a subsequent high-pressure region for rapid cooling of ions, and then again a low pressure region for mass analysis. Also, the first low pressure region and the high pressure region have to be close to each other because the velocity of the ions leaving the MALDI source is in the range of 1 mm/μs. Since the time interval between ionization and cooling has to be a few microseconds, the distance between the ionization surface and the high pressure region must be no more than a few millimeters. This invention proposes several embodiments of an apparatus to create such a sequence of low-high-low pressure conditions. In some other ionization sources (SIMS, FAB, EI, LA, for example) maintaining low pressure in the ionization region can be vital for the source operation. Thus, maintaining a low-high-low pressure profile can be important.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising an ion source, a low-pressure region adjacent to the ion source providing conditions promoting generation of free ions, and downstream from the low-pressure region, a high-pressure region for cooling internally excited ions generated in the ion source.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of generating a stream of ions, the method comprising the steps of:
For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example of the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example, embodiments of the present invention and in which:
a, 8b and 8c show three variants of a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
a, 9b and 9c show a further variant of the fifth embodiment of the present invention, showing multiple sample spots; and
a, 10b and 10c are mass spectra of insulin, showing the effect of different ion source conditions.
Referring first to
In use, a laser beam is provided as indicated at 16 and the laser is usually a pulsed laser. The sudden influx of energy, from each laser pulse, is absorbed by the matrix molecules of the sample 14, causing them to vaporize and to produce a small supersonic jet of matrix molecules and ions in which the analyte molecules are entrained. Such a jet of material is indicated schematically at 18. During this ejection process, some of the energy absorbed by the matrix is transferred to the analyte molecules.
The analyte molecules are thereby ionized, but without excessive fragmentation, at least in an ideal case. As noted, this technique can result in the analyte molecules being over-excited and acquiring a high degree of internal excitation, which can result in metastable fragmentation.
Referring to
Further downstream there is a collisional focusing region indicated at 24. The pressure here would be in the range of 10−3 to 10 Torr, and would be provided, typically, within a quadrupole or other multipole rod set or double helix ion guide or a set of rings ion guide. This collisional focusing region is intended to collect, collimate and focus ions, for subsequent processing. After collisional focusing, ions could be passed into the usual processing section of a mass spectrometer e.g. a mass analyzer section, collision cell, time of flight section and the like.
It will also be understood that while the pressure is shown as varying smoothly along the axis, this may not be the case and indeed may not be the best arrangement. For example, where anything in the nature of a lens or aperture in a wall is provided between two regions, this will eventually give a step-wise variation to the pressure profile and the pressure in each region may then be moved or less constant.
Reference will now be made to
Referring first to
Consequently, in use, as indicated by the arrows, an annular flow of gas is provided from the annular outlet 38 directed away from the jet or plume 18 of expanding, vaporized material. This ensures that adjacent the jet 18, there is a low-pressure region, as indicated at 20. The ions are liberated from the jet 18, and they then pass axially downstream and are entrained by the jet of gas from the annular outlet 38. This thus provides a cooling region 22 downstream from the outlet 38, at a relatively high pressure, in which ions are subject to collisional cooling processes to reduce their internal energy and thereby to reduce the likelihood of metastable fragmentation.
Referring to
Again, as for
Referring to
The arrangement of
Referring to
Thus again in use, a relatively low-pressure region 20 would be provided around the jet 18. Immediately downstream from the jet 18, within the cylindrical sleeve 64, the vaporized material and ions would be entrained with the gas flow from the gas outlet 62, providing a cooling region 22 at a higher pressure. The flow of gas would then be drawn into a downstream region, e.g., the region 24 of
Also, the embodiments shown here (
It should also be noted that, while the arrangements of FIGS. 3,4,5,6 show the axis of the ionization region coaligned with the axis of the elements determining the required pressure profile and with the axis which would define any following ion guide, this need not always be the rule; in some cases, there may be an advantage to have these axes tilted or even slightly offset with respect to each other, i.e. there could be a first ion axis portion extending from the ion source and a second ion axis portion extending at least through the high pressure region and preferably into a downstream ion guide, with these two ion axis portions at an angle to one another and/or offset relative to one another. Such an arrangement may facilitate separation of ions from neutrals and heavy charged clusters formed in the ion source. The ions will be drawn into the ion guide by the gas flow and/or electrostatic forces while neutrals and heavy clusters will pass away from the ion guide, generally along the axis of the first ion axis portion.
Referring to
Reference will now be made to
Thus, in
Consequently, there is a flow of gas from the relatively high-pressure ionization region to the interior of the sampling cone or skimmer 98, as indicated by the arrows 100. These arrows 100 show, schematically, streamlines representative of gas flow, and indicate how the gas flow follows the profile of the target probe 92. This gas flow entrains the jet of molecules and ions from the MALDI sample and transfers the plume through the skimmer opening or orifice 96 into the skimmer or cone 98.
The entrainment has the effect of confining the plume to prevent spreading of the plume. In contrast, in the earlier embodiments, the MALDI sample is on a flat surface so that there will be no strong confining flow immediately adjacent to the sample itself.
a shows the MALDI sample surface 94 positioned outside of the sampling cone 98, i.e. just upstream of the inlet 96. It is possible that the MALDI sample surface 94 could be provided in different locations relative to the cone 94, and alternative configurations are shown in
Thus, a second variant, 90b, in
Streamlines are indicated in
A further, simple alternative is shown in
In
It is preferred for the post 105 to be generally circular, but it could have other profiles. For example,
It is preferred for the post 105 and the end of the cone-shaped target probe 92 not to have any sharp edges, so as to permit continuous, smooth gas flow, without any unwanted turbulence. Thus, in
Referring to
The pressures in sections 20 and 24 may not be equal. A wall can be added to separate the above sections for arrangements from
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/322,420, filed Sep. 17, 2001, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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4963736 | Douglas et al. | Oct 1990 | A |
5248875 | Douglas et al. | Sep 1993 | A |
6111250 | Thomson et al. | Aug 2000 | A |
6175112 | Karger et al. | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6462336 | Bajic | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6534764 | Verentchikov et al. | Mar 2003 | B1 |
20020121594 | Wang et al. | Sep 2002 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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2348049 | Mar 2000 | GB |
WO 9938185 | Jul 1999 | WO |
WO 0077822 | Dec 2000 | WO |
WO 0077823 | Dec 2000 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20030080290 A1 | May 2003 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60322420 | Sep 2001 | US |