The present disclosure relates generally to transmission of charged particles to, within or exiting charged particle analysis instruments, and more specifically to devices for focusing charged particles within, transmitted to, or exiting from, charged particle analysis instruments.
In charged particle analysis instruments, charged particles are typically transported axially into, through, and/or out of the various instrument stages or components, i.e., along and about a central axis defined therethrough. In some such instruments, axial misalignment between instrument stages and/or between two or more components of an instrument stage may result in deviations in transmission of charged particles from along the central axis. In other such instruments, charged particles may not exit an instrument stage along the central axis but may instead exit the instrument stage with a radial offset relative to the central axis and, in some cases, also with an angular deviation relative to the central axis. In some such instruments, it may therefore be desirable to control the transmission of charge particles into, through, and/or out of one or more stages or components of a charged particle analysis instrument or system in a manner that focuses charged particles toward a central axis within a stage or of a following stage of the instrument or system.
The present disclosure may comprise one or more of the features recited in the attached claims, and/or one or more of the following features and combinations thereof. In a first aspect, a charged particle guide may comprise a plurality of electrically conductive segments separate, and arranged radially spaced apart, from one another about an opening defined axially through the plurality of electrically conductive segments, the opening defining a central axis passing centrally and axially therethrough, the plurality of electrically conductive segments configured to receive charged particles at one end of the opening and to pass the received charged particles through an opposite end of the opening, at least one voltage source configured to produce and supply separately controllable voltages to each of the plurality of electrically conductive segments, and at least one control circuit configured to control the at least one voltage source to supply selected voltages to each of the plurality of electrically conductive segments to create an electric field within opening defined therethrough, the electric field configured to cause charged particles entering the one end of the opening along a first axial path relative to the central axis to exit the opposite end of the opening along a second axial path, different from the first axial path, relative to the central axis.
A second aspect includes the features of the first aspect, and wherein the first axial path is collinear with the central axis, and wherein the second axial path is radially offset from the central axis.
A third aspect includes the features of the first aspect, and wherein the second axial path is collinear with the central axis, and wherein the first axial path is parallel radially offset from the central axis.
A fourth aspect includes the features of the first aspect, and wherein the first axial path is radially offset from the central axis, and wherein the second axial path is radially offset from the first axial path and radially offset from the central axis.
A fifth aspect includes the features of the first through fourth aspects, and wherein the opening is defined by and between inner surfaces of each of the plurality of electrically conductive segments.
A sixth aspect includes the features of the fifth aspect, and wherein the inner surface of at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive segments is arcuate in shape.
A seventh aspect includes the features of the sixth aspect, and wherein the inner surface of each of the plurality of electrically conductive segments is arcuate in shape such that the opening is circular in cross-section.
An eighth aspect includes the features of the fifth aspect, and wherein the inner surface of each of the plurality of electrically conductive segments is non-curvilinear.
In a ninth aspect, a charged particle analysis system may comprise the charged particle guide of any of the first through eighth aspects, and a charged particle analysis stage having a charged particle inlet spaced axially apart from the opposite end of the opening, the charged particle inlet defining a central axis passing centrally and axially therethrough, wherein the charged particle guide is configured to guide charged particles exiting the opening thereof into the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage, wherein the central axis of the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage is radially offset from the central axis of the opening of the charged particle guide, and wherein the second axial path is collinear with the central axis of the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage such that the electric field created within the opening by the at least one control circuit is configured to guide charged particles exiting the opening of the charged particle guide toward the central axis of the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage.
A tenth aspect may include the features of the ninth aspect, and may further comprise a charged particle position detector configured to produce at least one detection signal corresponding to a radial position, relative to the central axis of the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage or relative to the central axis of the opening of the charged particle guide, and wherein the at least one control circuit is configured to select the voltages to create the electric field within the opening of the charged particle guide based on the at least one detection signal.
In an eleventh aspect, a charged particle analysis system may comprise the charged particle guide of any of the first through eighth aspects, and a charged particle analysis stage having a charged particle inlet spaced axially apart from the opposite end of the opening, the charged particle inlet defining a central axis passing centrally and axially therethrough, wherein the central axis of the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage is radially offset from the central axis of the opening of the charged particle guide, and wherein the electric field created within the opening by the at least one control circuit is configured to maximize the percentage of charged particles exiting the opening of the charged particle guide that enter the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage.
In a twelfth aspect, a charged particle analysis system may comprise first and second spaced-apart ion mirrors, and a charge detection cylinder positioned between the first and second ion mirrors, the first and second ion mirrors and the charge detection cylinder together defining an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) configured to trap therein charged particles supplied by a source of charged particles such that trapped charged particles oscillate back and forth between the first and second ion mirrors each time passing through the charge detection cylinder, the ELIT defining a central axis passing centrally and axially through each of the first and second ion mirrors and the charge detection cylinder, wherein each of the first and second ion mirrors includes a plurality of axially spaced apart ion mirror electrodes each defining an electrode opening through which the central axis of the ELIT passes, wherein at least one of the mirror electrodes may comprise the charged particle guide of any of the first through eighth aspects, and wherein the central axis of the opening of the charged particle guide is radially offset from the central axis of the ELIT.
A thirteenth aspect may include the features of the twelfth aspect, and wherein the electric field created within the opening by the at least one control circuit is configured to guide charged particles exiting the opening of the charged particle guide toward and along the central axis of the ELIT.
A fourteenth aspect may include the features of the twelfth aspect, and
wherein a charge is induced on the charge detection cylinder each time a charged particle passes therethrough, and wherein the charged particle analysis system further comprises a charge sensitive preamplifier having an input coupled to the charge detection cylinder and an output coupled to the at least one control circuit, the charge sensitive preamplifier responsive to each charged induced on the charge detection cylinder to produce a respective charge detection signal, and wherein the at least one control circuit is configured to be responsive to the charge detection signals to determine a trapping efficiency of the ELIT as a ratio of trapping events in which charged particles oscillate between the two ion mirrors for at least a predefined amount of a total trapping event time period and trapping events in which charged particles do not oscillate between the two ion mirrors for at least the predefined amount of the total trapping event time period, and wherein the at least one control circuit is configured to select the voltages to create the electric field configured to guide charged particles exiting the opening of the charged particle guide in a manner which maximizes the trapping efficiency.
In a fifteenth aspect, a charged particle analysis system may comprise a charged particle source having a charged particle outlet via which charged particles exit the charged particle source, the charged particle outlet defining a central axis passing centrally and axially therethrough, and the charged particle guide of any of the first through eighth aspects, wherein the one end of the opening of the charged particle guide is spaced axially apart from the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source, wherein the central axis of the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source is radially offset from the central axis of the opening of the charged particle guide, and wherein the electric field created within the opening by the at least one control circuit is configured to cause charged particles exiting the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source to exit the opening of the charged particle guide along an axial path that is collinear with or radially offset from the central axis of the charged particle guide.
In a sixteenth aspect, a charged particle analysis system may comprise a charged particle source having a charged particle outlet via which charged particles exit the charged particle source, the charged particle outlet defining a central axis passing centrally and axially therethrough, the charged particle guide of any of the first through eighth aspects, wherein the one end of the opening of the charged particle guide is spaced axially apart from the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source, and a charged particle analysis stage having a charged particle inlet spaced axially apart from the opposite end of the opening of the charged particle guide, the charged particle inlet defining a central axis passing centrally and axially therethrough, wherein the central axis of the opening of the charged particle guide is radially offset from at least one of the central axis of the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source and the central axis of the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage, and wherein the electric field created within the opening by the at least one control circuit is configured to guide charged particles exiting the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source into the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage.
A seventeenth aspect may include the features of the sixteenth aspect, and may further comprise a charged particle position detector configured to produce at least one detection signal corresponding to a radial position, relative to the central axis of the opening of the charged particle guide or relative to the central axis of the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage, and wherein the at least one control circuit is configured to select the voltages to create the electric field configured to guide charged particles exiting the opening of the charged particle guide along a predetermined path, relative to the central axis of the opening of the charged particle guide or the central axis of the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage, based on the at least one detection signal.
An eighteenth aspect may include the features of the seventeenth aspect, and wherein the charged particle position detector is positioned between the charged particle guide and the charged particle analysis stage, and is mounted to one of the charged particle guide and the charged particle analysis stage.
A nineteenth aspect may include the features of the sixteenth aspect, and may further comprise means for determining a percentage of charged particles exiting the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source that enter the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage, and wherein the at least one control circuit is configured to select the voltages to create the electric field configured to guide charged particles exiting the charged particle guide in a manner which maximizes the percentage of charged particles exiting the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source that enter the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage.
A twentieth aspect may include the features of the sixteenth aspect, and wherein the charged particle source includes a multi-pole transmission device configured to receive charged particles at a charged particle inlet thereof and to transmit the received charged particles through a charged particle outlet thereof, and an AC voltage source operatively coupled to the multi-pole transmission device and configured to apply an AC voltage to the multi-pole transmission device to guide the received charged particles through the charged particle outlet thereof, and wherein the at least one control circuit is configured to (i) control the at least one voltage source to sequentially supply each of a number of different sets of voltages to each of the plurality of electrically conductive segments, the number of different sets of voltages selected to create corresponding electric fields within the opening of the charged particle guide configured to guide charged particles entering the opening from the charged particle outlet of the multi-pole transmission device about a periphery of the central axis of the opening of the charged particle guide toward the central axis of the opening so as to focus charged particles exiting the opening of the charged particle guide about the central axis thereof, (ii) control the at least one charged particle analysis stage to measure mass-to-charge ratios of the charged particles exiting the charged particle guide for each of the number of different sets of voltages supplied by the at least one voltage source to produce a corresponding number of different sets of charged particle measurements, and (iii), average the measured mass-to-charge ratios of the charged particles in the number of different sets of charged particle measurements to produce a resulting set of mass-to-charge ratios of the received charged particles.
In a twenty first aspect, a charged particle analysis system may comprise a charged particle source having a charged particle outlet, a charged particle analysis stage having a charged particle inlet, a radially segmented charged particle guide positioned between the charged particle source and the charged particle analysis stage and including a plurality of electrically conductive segments separate from, and arranged radially spaced apart from, one another about an opening defined through the plurality of radially arranged electrically conductive segments, at least one voltage source configured to produce and supply separately controllable voltages to each of the plurality of electrically conductive segments, and a control circuit configured to control the at least one voltage source to supply voltages to each of the plurality of electrically conductive segments, the voltages selected to create an electric field within the opening and configured to guide charged particles exiting the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source into the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage.
A twenty second aspect include the features of the twenty first aspect, and wherein the charged particle analysis stage defines a first longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle inlet, and wherein the opening of the radially segmented charged particle guide defines a second longitudinal axis extending centrally therethrough, and wherein the first longitudinal axis is radially offset from the second longitudinal axis, and wherein the created electric field is configured to guide charged particles exiting the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source into the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage along the first longitudinal axis.
A twenty third aspect includes the features of the twenty second aspect, and wherein the charged particle source defines a third longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle outlet, and wherein the charged particles exit the charged particle source along the third longitudinal axis.
A twenty fourth aspect includes the features of the twenty third aspect, and wherein the second longitudinal axis is collinear with the third longitudinal axis.
A twenty fifth aspect includes the features of the twenty third aspect, and wherein the third longitudinal axis is radially offset from the second longitudinal axis and from the first longitudinal axis.
A twenty sixth aspect includes the features of the twenty second aspect, and wherein the charged particle source defines a third longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle outlet, and wherein the charged particles exit the charged particle source along a path that is radially offset from the third longitudinal axis.
A twenty seventh aspect includes the features of the twenty sixth aspect, and wherein the second longitudinal axis is collinear with the third longitudinal axis.
A twenty eighth aspect includes the features of the twenty sixth aspect, and wherein the third longitudinal axis is radially offset from the second longitudinal axis and from the first longitudinal axis.
A twenty ninth aspect includes the features of the twenty first aspect, and wherein the charged particle analysis stage defines a first longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle inlet, and wherein the opening of the radially segmented charged particle guide defines a second longitudinal axis extending centrally therethrough, and wherein the first longitudinal axis is collinear with the second longitudinal axis, and wherein the created electric field is configured to guide charged particles exiting the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source into the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage along the first longitudinal axis.
A thirtieth aspect includes the features of the twenty ninth aspect, and wherein the charged particle source defines a third longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle outlet, and wherein the charged particles exit the charged particle source along the third longitudinal axis, and wherein the third longitudinal axis is radially offset from the second longitudinal axis.
A thirty first aspect includes the features of the twenty ninth aspect, and wherein the charged particle source defines a third longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle outlet, and wherein the charged particles exit the charged particle source along a path that is radially offset from the third longitudinal axis.
A thirty second aspect includes the features of the thirty first aspect, and wherein the third longitudinal axis is radially offset from the second longitudinal axis.
A thirty third aspect includes the features of the thirty first aspect, and wherein the third longitudinal axis is collinear with the second longitudinal axis.
A thirty fourth aspect includes the features of the thirty first aspect, and wherein the charged particle analysis stage defines a first longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle inlet, and wherein the opening of the radially segmented charged particle guide defines a second longitudinal axis extending centrally therethrough, and wherein the first longitudinal axis is collinear with the second longitudinal axis, and wherein the created electric field is configured to guide charged particles exiting the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source into the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage along a path that is radially offset from the first longitudinal axis.
A thirty fifth aspect includes the features of the thirty fourth aspect, and wherein the charged particle source defines a third longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle outlet, and wherein the charged particles exit the charged particle source along the third longitudinal axis.
A thirty sixth aspect includes the features of the thirty fifth aspect, and wherein the second longitudinal axis is collinear with the third longitudinal axis.
A thirty seventh aspect includes the features of the thirty fifth aspect, and wherein the third longitudinal axis is radially offset from the second longitudinal axis and from the first longitudinal axis.
A thirty eighth aspect includes the features of the thirty fourth aspect, and wherein the charged particle source defines a third longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle outlet, and wherein the charged particles exit the charged particle source along a path that is radially offset from the third longitudinal axis.
A thirty ninth aspect includes the features of the thirty eighth aspect, and wherein the second longitudinal axis is collinear with the third longitudinal axis.
A fortieth aspect includes the features of the thirty eighth aspect, wherein the third longitudinal axis is radially offset from the second longitudinal axis and from the first longitudinal axis.
A forty first aspect includes the features of the twenty first aspect, and wherein the charged particle analysis stage defines a first longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle inlet, and wherein the opening of the radially segmented charged particle guide defines a second longitudinal axis extending centrally therethrough, and wherein the second longitudinal axis is radially offset from the first longitudinal axis, and wherein the created electric field is configured to guide charged particles exiting the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source into the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage along a path that is radially offset from the first longitudinal axis.
A forty second aspect includes the features of the forty first aspect, and wherein the charged particle source defines a third longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle outlet, and wherein the charged particles exit the charged particle source along the third longitudinal axis, and wherein the third longitudinal axis is radially offset from the second longitudinal axis.
A forty third aspect includes the features of the forty first aspect, and wherein the charged particle source defines a third longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle outlet, and wherein the charged particles exit the charged particle source along a path that is radially offset from the third longitudinal axis.
A forty fourth aspect includes the features of the forty third aspect, and wherein the third longitudinal axis is radially offset from the second longitudinal axis.
A forty fifth aspect includes the features of the forty third aspect, and wherein the third longitudinal axis is collinear with the second longitudinal axis.
A forty sixth aspect includes the features of any of the twenty first through forty third aspects, and may further comprise a charged particle position detector configured to produce at least one detection signal corresponding to a radial position, relative to a first longitudinal axis extending centrally through the charged particle analysis stage or relative to a second longitudinal axis extending centrally through the radially segmented charged particle guide, and wherein the control circuit is configured to select the voltages to create the electric field configured to guide charged particles exiting the radially segmented charged particle guide along a predetermined path, relative to at least one of the first or the second longitudinal axis, based on the at least one detection signal.
A forty seventh aspect may include the features of the forty sixth aspect, and wherein the charged particle position detector is positioned between, but not mounted to either of, the radially segmented charged particle guide and the charged particle analysis stage.
A forty eighth aspect includes the features of the forty sixth aspect, and wherein the charged particle position detector is positioned between the radially segmented charged particle guide and the charged particle analysis stage, and is mounted to the radially segmented charged particle guide.
A forty ninth aspect includes the features of the forty sixth aspect, and wherein the charged particle position detector is positioned between the radially segmented charged particle guide and the charged particle analysis stage, and is mounted to the charged particle analysis stage.
A fiftieth aspect includes the features of any of the twenty first through twenty sixth aspects, and may further comprise means for determining a percentage of charged particles exiting the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source that enter the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage, and wherein the control circuit is configured to select the voltages to create the electric field configured to guide charged particles exiting the radially segmented charged particle guide in a manner which maximizes the percentage of charged particles exiting the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source that enter the charged particle inlet of the charged particle analysis stage.
In a fifty first aspect, a charged particle analysis system may comprise a charged particle source configured to generate charged particles, an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) configure to receive and trap therein charged particles generated by the charged particle source, the ELIT including two spaced apart ion mirrors and a charge detection cylinder positioned between the two ion mirrors, the two ion mirrors and the charged detection cylinder together defining a first axis passing centrally therethrough, each of the two ion mirrors including a plurality of axially spaced apart ion mirror electrodes each defining an electrode opening therethrough, at least one of the ion mirror electrodes of at least one of the two ion mirrors comprising a plurality of electrically conductive segments separate from, and arranged radially spaced apart from, one another about a corresponding electrode opening defined through the plurality of radially arranged electrically conductive segments, the corresponding electrode opening defined through the at least one radially segmented ion mirror electrode defining a second axis passing centrally therethrough and radially offset from the first axis, at least one voltage source configured to produce and supply separately controllable voltages to each of the plurality of ion mirror electrodes of each of the two ion mirrors and to each of the plurality of electrically conductive segments of the at least one of the ion mirror electrodes, and a control circuit configured to control the at least one voltage source to supply selected voltages to the electrodes of each of the two ion mirrors to create first electric fields within each of the two ion mirrors to cause charged particles trapped in the ELIT to travel along the first axis, and to supply selected voltages to each of the plurality of electrically conductive segments to create a second electric field within the corresponding electrode opening of the at least one radially segmented ion mirror electrode configured to cause charged particles to pass therethrough along the first axis offset from the second axis defined centrally through the opening of the at least one radially segmented ion mirror electrode.
A fifty second aspect may include the features of the fifty first aspect, and wherein the first and second electric fields are configured to cause charged particles trapped in the ELIT during a trapping event to oscillate back and forth between the two ion mirrors each time passing through the charge detection cylinder to induce a corresponding charge thereon, and wherein the charged particle analysis system further includes a charge sensitive preamplifier having an input coupled to the charge detection cylinder and an output coupled to the control circuit, the charge sensitive preamplifier responsive to each corresponding charged induced on the charge detection cylinder to produce a respective charge detection signal, and wherein the control circuit is configured to be responsive to the charge detection signals to determine a trapping efficiency of the ELIT as a ratio of trapping events in which charged particles oscillate between the two ion mirrors for at least a predefined amount of a total trapping event time period and trapping events in which charged particles do not oscillate between the two ion mirrors for at least the predefined amount of the total trapping event time period, and wherein the control circuit is configured to select the voltages to create the electric field configured to guide charged particles exiting the radially segmented charged particle guide in a manner which maximizes the trapping efficiency.
In a fifty third aspect, a charged particle analysis system may comprise a charged particle source configured to generate charged particles from a sample, the charged particle source including a multi-pole charged particle transmission device having a charged particle inlet receiving the generated charged particles and configured to transmit the generated charged particles through a charged particle outlet thereof, an AC voltage source operatively coupled to the multi-pole charged particle transmission device and configured to apply an AC voltage to the multi-pole charged particle transmission device to guide the generated charged particles through the charged particle outlet, at least one charged particle analysis stage having a charged particle inlet, a radially segmented charged particle guide positioned between the charged particle source and the at least one charged particle analysis stage and including a plurality of electrically conductive segments separate from, and arranged radially spaced apart from, one another about an opening defined through the plurality of radially arranged electrically conductive segments, the opening defining a first longitudinal axis centrally therethrough, at least one voltage source configured to produce and supply separately controllable voltages to each of the plurality of electrically conductive segments, and a control circuit configured to (i) control the at least one voltage source to sequentially supply each of a number of different sets of voltages to each of the plurality of electrically conductive segments, the number of different sets of voltages selected to create corresponding electric fields within the opening configured to guide charged particles entering the opening from the charged particle outlet of the multi-pole charged particle transmission device about a periphery of the first longitudinal axis toward the first longitudinal axis so as to focus charged particles exiting the opening of the radially segmented charged particle guide about the first longitudinal axis, (ii) control the at least one charged particle analyzer to measure mass-to-charge ratios of the charged particles exiting the radially segmented charged particle guide for each of the number of different sets of voltages supplied by the at least one voltage source to produce a corresponding number of different sets of charged particle measurements, and (iii), average the measured mass-to-charge ratios of the charged particles in the number of different sets of charged particle measurements to produce a resulting set of mass-to-charge ratios of the generated charged particles.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of this disclosure, reference will now be made to a number of illustrative embodiments shown in the attached drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same.
This disclosure relates to various embodiments and applications of a radially-segmented charged particle guide controllable by selective determination and application of DC voltages to the various segments to cause charged particles entering the guide along one axis to exit the guide along another axis for the purpose of focusing charged particles along a selected axis within or between stages of charged particle analysis systems. For purposes of this disclosure, the phrase “charged particle detection event” is defined as detection of a charge induced on a charge detector of an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) by a charged particle passing a single time through the charge detector, and the phrase “charged particle measurement event” is defined as a collection of charged particle detection events resulting from oscillation of a charged particle back and forth through the charge detector a selected number of times or for a selected time period. As the oscillation of a charged particle back and forth through the charge detector results from controlled trapping of the charged particle within the ELIT, as will be described in detail below, the phrase “charged particle measurement event” may alternatively be referred to herein as a “charged particle trapping event” or simply as a “trapping event,” and the phrases “charged particle measurement event,” “charged particle trapping event”, “trapping event” and variants thereof shall be understood to be synonymous with one another. For purposes of this disclosure, the terms “ion” and “charged particle,” and variations thereof, will be understood to be synonymous. The term “ion” may thus be substituted for the term “charged particle” in any of the above definitions.
Referring now to
The at least one control circuit 24 may be conventional and include a single control circuit or multiple control circuits, wherein the term “control circuit” means, for purposes of this document, a decision-making circuit configured to be programmed and/or manually controlled to control operation of the voltage sources 22. In some embodiments, the decision-making circuit may be or include at least one conventional microprocessor or microcontroller and a memory unit 25 having instructions stored therein which are executable by the microprocessor(s) or microcontroller(s) to control operation of the voltage source VS. In alternate embodiments, the decision making circuit may be or include application-specific digital and/or analog circuitry designed or otherwise configured to control operation of the voltage source 22.
The charged particle source 12 may illustratively include any conventional device or apparatus for generating charged particles (i.e., ions) from a sample. As one illustrative example, which should not be considered to be limiting in any way, the charged particle source 12 may be or include a conventional electrospray ionization source, a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) source or other conventional instrument or device configured to generate charged particles from a sample in solution, gas or solid form. The sample from which the ions are generated may be or include any biological or other material in solution or in solid form depending upon the source 12. In some embodiments, the charged particle source 12 may further include one or more devices and/or instruments for separating, collecting, filtering, guiding, controlling/setting energy, fragmenting and/or normalizing or shifting charge states of charged particles according to one or more molecular characteristics. As one non-limiting example of such an additional device or instrument that may be included in, or as part of the charged particle source 12, a mass spectrometer may be implemented to separate the generated charged particles according to mass-to-charge ratio prior to exit from the charged particle exit 14 of the charged particle source 12. Such a mass spectrometer may be of any conventional design including, for example, but not limited to a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer, a reflectron mass spectrometer, a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer, a quadrupole mass spectrometer, a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, a magnetic sector mass spectrometer, orbitrap, or the like.
The charged particle analysis stage 16 may illustratively be or include any conventional device or sequential combination of conventional devices configured to separate, collect, filter, control/set energy, fragment and/or normalize or shift charge states of charged particles according to one or more molecular characteristics and/or to measure one or more molecular characteristics and/or charge characteristics of charged particles. In one example embodiment, the charged particle analysis stage 16 may be or include at least one conventional mass spectrometer or mass analyzer configured to separate and detect charged particles according to mass-to-charge ratio. Alternatively or additionally, the charged particle analysis stage 16 may be or include at least one mobility device configured to separate and detect charged particles according to ion mobility. Alternatively or additionally, the charged particle analysis stage 16 may be or include at least one electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) and/or orbitrap configured to simultaneously measure mass-to-charge ratios and charge magnitudes of charged particles (from which charged particle mass can then be directly determined). In some embodiments, the charged particle analysis stage 16 may be or include a charge particle collection structure, e.g., in the form of a conventional charged particle collection target such as a plate, pad or the like, configured to collect thereon charged particles exiting the radially segmented charged particle guide 20. In some such embodiments, the charged particle collection target may include a charged particle medium disposed thereon and configured to promote and/or preserve collection of charged particles on the target. Those skilled in the art will recognize other examples of conventional devices or instruments, which may be or be included in the charged particle analysis stage 16, and it will be understood that such other examples are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. It will be further understood that none of the foregoing examples should be considered to be limiting in any way.
Referring now to
The voltage source 22 depicted in
In the embodiment illustrated by example in
As depicted by example in
Turning now to
It will be understood that the embodiments illustrated in
It bears pointing out that the voltages V1-V4 determined and selected to guide the charged particles 26 to and along a particular axis or travel path will hold true only so long as the charged particles 26 enter the radially segmented charged particle guide 20 along the same path for which the voltages V1-V4 were determined. If the charged particle source 12, sample and/or system 10, 10′ changes or is/are otherwise operable such that the charged particles 26 enter the radially segmented charged particle guide 20 along a different path, new voltages V1-V4 must be determined to guide the charged particles 26 to and along the same exit path. In any case, although not specifically illustrated in
Finally, an example system in which the path along which charged particles 26 enter the radially segmented charged particle guide 20 need not be known or be repeatable, and which need not require a “sensor” to provide feedback as to the point or position of charged particles exiting the radially segmented charged particle guide 20, is illustrated in
Referring now to
In the embodiment illustrated in
As depicted by example in
Referring now to
In order to direct charged particles 26 from the off-axis position illustrated by example in
Referring now to
In the illustrated embodiment, the charged particle source 12 defines a longitudinal axis 108 centrally therethrough, the radially segmented charged particle guide 20 defines a longitudinal axis 110 centrally therethrough, and the charged particle analysis stage 16 defines a longitudinal axis 112 centrally therethrough. As illustrated by example in
In any case, the control circuit 24 is illustratively configured to process the charged particle detection signals, provided thereto by the signal detection circuit(s) 102, to determine spectral information, e.g., particle mass-to-charge ratio, particle charge, particle mass, etc., of charged particles detected by the charged particle analysis stage 16 in a conventional manner. As part of such detection of charged particles by the charged particle analysis stage 16, the control circuit 24 is illustratively operable to determine whether charged particles exiting the radially segmented charged particle guide 20 have entered the charged particle analysis stage 16 in a manner which produces valid charged particle measurement information; that is, the control circuit 24 is operable to determine whether charged particles captured by the charged particle analysis stage 16 produce complete or incomplete charge detection information. In embodiments of the charged particle analysis stage 16 which operate to trap charged particles therein, e.g., one or more ELIT's and/or one or more orbitraps, this measure of complete or incomplete charge detection is illustratively determined by the control circuit 24 in the form of a trapping event percentage. For any particular run of charged particle analysis, perfect charge detection corresponds to 100% trapping events, and null charge detection corresponds to 0% trapping events. In the embodiment illustrated in
Referring to
In the illustrated embodiment, the ELIT 212 illustratively includes a charge detector CD surrounded by a ground chamber or cylinder GC and operatively coupled to opposing ion mirrors M1, M2 respectively positioned at opposite ends of the charged detector CD. The ion mirrors M1, M2 may alternatively be referred to herein as “endcaps” or “end caps,” it being understood that the terms ion mirror and endcap (or end cap) are, for purposes of this disclosure, synonymous. The ion mirror M1 is operatively positioned between the charged particle outlet of the charged particle source 210 and one end of the charge detector CD, and the ion mirror M2 is operatively positioned at the opposite end of the charge detector CD. Each ion mirror M1, M2 defines a respective ion mirror region R1, R2 therein. The regions R1, R2 of the ion mirrors M1, M2, the charge detector CD, and the spaces between the charge detector CD and the ion mirrors M1, M2 are axially aligned such that together they define a longitudinal axis 218 centrally therethrough which illustratively represents an ideal ion travel path through the ELIT 210 and between the ion mirrors M1, M2 as will be described in greater detail below. The region defined axially between the opposed inner surfaces of the ion mirrors M1, M2, i.e., in which the charge detector CD is positioned, illustratively defines a field-free region FFR, i.e., in which no electric field is established during the operation of the ELIT 210, as described below.
In the illustrated embodiment, voltage sources V1, V2 are electrically coupled to the ion mirrors M1, M2 respectively. Each voltage source V1, V2 illustratively includes one or more switchable DC voltage sources which may be controlled or programmed to selectively produce a number, N, programmable or controllable voltages, wherein N may be any positive integer. Illustrative examples of such voltages will be described below with respect to
The voltage sources V1, V2 are illustratively shown electrically connected by a number, P, of signal paths to a conventional processor 214 including a memory 216 having instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor 214, cause the processor 214 to control the voltage sources V1, V2 to produce desired DC output voltages for selectively establishing ion transmission and ion reflection electric fields, TEF, REF respectively, within the regions R1, R2 of the respective ion mirrors M1, M2 (see, e.g.,
The charge detector CD is illustratively provided in the form of an electrically conductive cylinder, illustratively referred to herein as a charge detection cylinder, which is electrically connected to a signal input of a charge sensitive preamplifier CP, and the signal output of the charge-sensitive preamplifier CP is electrically coupled to the processor 214. The voltage sources V1, V2 are illustratively controlled in a manner, as described in detail below, which selectively traps in the ELIT 212 at least one charged particle entering the charged particle inlet of the ELIT 212 and causes the at least one charged particle to oscillate with the ELIT 212 back and forth between the ion mirrors M1, M2 each time passing axially through the charge detection cylinder CD. With at least one charged particle so trapped within the ELIT 212 and oscillating back and forth between the ion mirrors M1, M2, the charge sensitive preamplifier CP is illustratively operable in a conventional manner to detect charges (CH) respectively induced on the charge detection cylinder CD as the at least one charged particle repeatedly passes through the charge detection cylinder CD between the ion mirrors M1, M2, and to produce charge detection signals (CHD) corresponding thereto. The charge detection signals CHD are illustratively periodic and are recorded in the form of amplitude and period values and, in this regard, each amplitude and period pair represents ion measurement information for a single, respective charge detection event in which a charged particle is traveling through the charge detection cylinder CD. The amplitude is the amplitude of the charge induced by the charged particle on the charge detection cylinder as the charged particle passes therethrough, and the period value is the time duration of passage of the charged particle through the charge detection cylinder. A plurality of such amplitude and period values are measured and recorded during a respective charged particle measurement event (i.e., during a charged particle trapping event), and the resulting plurality of recorded values i.e., the collection of recorded charged particle measurement information, for the charged particle measurement event, is processed to determine charged particle mass-to-charge ratio, charge magnitude and, in some cases, mass values as will be described below. Multiple charged particle measurement events can be processed in this manner, and a mass-to-charge ratio and/or mass and/or charge spectrum of the sample may illustratively be constructed therefrom.
Referring now to
A second mirror electrode 2202 of each ion mirror M1, M2 is spaced apart from the first mirror electrode 2201 by a space having width W2. The second mirror electrode 2202, like the mirror electrode 2201, has thickness W1 and defines a passageway centrally therethrough of diameter P1. A third mirror electrode 2203 of each ion mirror M1, M2 is likewise spaced apart from the second mirror electrode 2202 by a space of width W2. The third mirror electrode 2203 has thickness W1 and defines a passageway centrally therethrough of width P1. Illustratively, the passageways are circular in cross-section such that the respective region R1, R2 formed by the mirror electrodes 2201, 2202, 2203 is generally cylindrical, although in alternate embodiments one or more of the mirror electrodes 2201, 2202, 2203 may define a passageway therethrough of non-circular in cross section. Ideally, the longitudinal axis 218 of the ELIT 212 passes centrally through each mirror electrode 2201, 2202, 2203 such that the inwardly-facing, terminal surfaces 225 of the passageways defined through the mirror electrodes 2201, 2202, 2203 align with one another so as to form a uniform ion mirror region R1, R2 respectively.
A fourth mirror electrode 2204 is spaced apart from the third mirror electrode 2203 by a space of width W2. The fourth mirror electrode 2204 illustratively has a thickness of W1 and is formed by a respective end of the ground cylinder, GC disposed about the charge detector CD. The fourth mirror electrode 2204 defines an aperture A2 centrally therethrough which is illustratively conical in shape and increases linearly between the internal and external faces of the ground cylinder GC from a diameter P3 defined at the internal face of the ground cylinder GC to the diameter P1 at the external face of the ground cylinder GC (which is also the internal face of the respective ion mirror M1, M2). In some alternate embodiments, the fourth mirror electrode 2204 may be identical to the mirror electrodes 2201-2203, such that the fourth mirror electrode 2204 defines the inner diameter P1 therethrough, and in such embodiments an end plate, e.g., similar to the end plate 222, may be affixed or otherwise coupled to an outer surface of the fourth mirror electrode 2204 (i.e., that facing the charge detector CD), wherein the end plate defines the aperture A2 centrally therethrough.
The spaces defined between the mirror electrodes 2201-2204 may be voids in some embodiments, i.e., vacuum gaps, and in other embodiments such spaces may be filled with one or more electrically non-conductive, e.g., dielectric, materials. The mirror electrodes 2201-2204 and the end plates 222 are ideally axially aligned with one another, i.e., collinear, such that a longitudinal axis 218 passes centrally through each aligned passageway of the mirror electrodes 2201-2204 of each ion mirror M1, M2 and also centrally through the apertures A1, A2. In embodiments in which the spaces between the mirror electrodes 2201-2204 include one or more electrically non-conductive materials, such materials will likewise define respective passageways therethrough which are axially aligned, i.e., collinear, with the passageways defined through the mirror electrodes 2201-2204 and which illustratively have diameters of P2 or greater. Illustratively, P1>P3>P2, although in other embodiments other relative diameter arrangements are possible. In some embodiments, the thicknesses of the mirror electrodes 2201-2204 are identical, e.g., all W1, although in alternate embodiments one or more of the mirror electrodes 2201-2204 may have a thickness that differs from one or more of the remaining mirror electrodes 2201-2204. In some embodiments, A1=A2, although in alternate embodiments A1 may be greater to or lesser than A2. Although the ion mirrors M1, M2 are each shown as having four mirror electrodes 2201-2204, it will be understood that in alternate embodiments the ion mirrors M1, M2 may include more or fewer such mirror electrodes.
The ion mirror region R1 is defined between the apertures A1, A2 of the ion mirror M1, and the ion mirror region R2 is likewise defined between the apertures A1, A2 of the ion mirror M2. The ion mirror regions R1, R2 are ideally identical to one another in shape and in volume.
As described above, the charge detector CD is illustratively provided in the form of an elongated, electrically conductive cylinder positioned and spaced apart between corresponding ones of the ion mirrors M1, M2 by a space of width W3. In one embodiment, W1>W3>W2, and P1>P3>P2, although in alternate embodiments other relative width arrangements are possible. In any case, the longitudinal axis 218 illustratively extends centrally through the passageway defined through the charge detection cylinder CD, such that the longitudinal axis 218 ideally extends centrally through the combination of the ion mirrors M1, M2 and the charge detection cylinder CD. The axial length, ML, of each ion mirror M1 is thus ML=4W1+3W2, and the axial length, FFL, of the field free drift region FFR is thus FFL=2W3+CDL, where CDL is the axial length of the charge detection cylinder CD.
In operation, the ground cylinder GC is illustratively controlled to ground potential such that the fourth mirror electrode 2204 of each ion mirror M1, M2 is at ground potential at all times. In some alternate embodiments, the fourth mirror electrode 2204 of either or both of the ion mirrors M1, M2 may be set to any desired DC reference potential, or to a switchable DC or other time-varying voltage source.
In the embodiment illustrated in
Each ion mirror M1, M2 is illustratively controllable and switchable, by selective application of the voltages D1-D4, between an ion transmission mode (as illustrated by example in
As illustrated by example in
An identical ion reflection electric field REF may, at times, e.g., during a trapping event, be selectively established within the region R1 of the ion mirror M1 via like control of the voltages D1-D4 of the voltage source V1. In the ion reflection mode, a charged particle entering the region R1 from the charge detection cylinder CD via the aperture A2 of M1 is decelerated and stopped by the ion reflection electric field REF established within the region R1, then accelerated in the opposite direction back through the aperture A2 of M1 and into the end of the charge detection cylinder CD adjacent to M1, and focused toward the central, longitudinal axis 20 within the region R1 of the ion mirror M1 so as to maintain a narrow trajectory of the charged particle back through the charge detector CD toward the ion mirror M1. A charged particle that traverses the length of the ELIT 14 and is reflected by the ion reflection electric field REF in the ion regions R1, R2 to continue traveling back and forth through the charge detection cylinder CD between the ion mirrors M1, M2 as just described is considered to be trapped within the ELIT 212.
Example sets of output voltages D1-D4 to be produced by the voltage sources V1, V2 respectively to control a respective ion mirrors M1, M2 to the ion transmission and reflection modes described above, are shown in TABLE I below. It will be understood that the following values of D1-D4 are provided only by way of example, and that other values of one or more of D1-D4 may alternatively be used.
Referring now to
The processor 214 illustrated in
The processor 250 is illustratively operable to produce a threshold voltage control signal THC and to supply THC to the threshold generator 246 to control operation thereof. In some embodiments, the processor 250 is programmed or programmable to control production of the threshold voltage control signal THC in a manner that controls the threshold voltage generator 246 to produce CTH with a desired magnitude and/or polarity. In other embodiments, a user may provide the processor 250 with instructions in real time, e.g., through a downstream processor, e.g., via a virtual control and visualization unit, to control production of the threshold voltage control signal THC in a manner which controls the threshold voltage generator 246 to produce CTH with a desired magnitude and/or polarity. In either case, the threshold voltage generator 246 is illustratively implemented, in some embodiments, in the form of a conventional controllable DC voltage source configured to be responsive to a digital form of the threshold control signal THC, e.g., in the form of a single serial digital signal or multiple parallel digital signals, to produce an analog threshold voltage CTH having a polarity and a magnitude defined by the digital threshold control signal THC. In some alternate embodiments, the threshold voltage generator 246 may be provided in the form of a conventional digital-to-analog (D/A) converter responsive to a serial or parallel digital threshold voltage TCH to produce an analog threshold voltage CTH having a magnitude, and in some embodiments a polarity, defined by the digital threshold control signals THC. In some such embodiments, the D/A converter may form part of the processor 250. Those skilled in the art will recognize other conventional circuits and techniques for selectively producing the threshold voltage CTH of desired magnitude and/or polarity in response to one or more digital and/or analog forms of the control signal THC, and it will be understood that any such other conventional circuits and/or techniques are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.
In addition to the foregoing functions performed by the processor 250, the processor 250 is further operable to control the voltage sources V1, V2 as described above with respect to
The embodiment of the processor 214 depicted in
In some embodiments, the processor 252 is illustratively provided in the form of a high-speed server operable to perform both collection/storage and analysis of such data. In such embodiments, one or more high-speed memory units 254 may be coupled to the processor 252, and is/are operable to store data received and analyzed by the processor 252. In one embodiment, the one or more memory units 254 illustratively include at least one local memory unit for storing data being used or to be used by the processor 252, and at least one permanent storage memory unit for storing data long term. In one such embodiment, the processor 252 is illustratively provided in the form of a Linux® server (e.g., OpenSuse Leap 42.1) with four Intel® Xeon™ processors (e.g., E5-465L v2, 12 core, 2.4 GHz). In this embodiment, an improvement in the average analysis time of a single ion measurement event file of over 100× is realized as compared with a conventional Windows® PC (e.g., i5-2500K, 4 cores, 3.3 GHz). Likewise, the processor 252 of this embodiment together with high speed/high performance memory unit(s) 254 illustratively provide for an improvement of over 100× in data storage speed. Those skilled in the art will recognize one or more other high-speed data processing and analysis systems that may be implemented as the processor 252, and it will be understood that any such one or more other high-speed data processing and analysis systems are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. In alternate embodiments, the processor 252 may be provided in the form of one or more conventional microprocessors or controllers and one or more accompanying memory units having instructions stored therein which, when executed by the one or more microprocessors or controllers, cause the one or more microprocessors or controllers to operate as described herein.
In the illustrated embodiment, the memory unit 254 illustratively has instructions stored therein which are executable by the processor 252 to analyze ion measurement event data produced by the ELIT 212 to determine ion mass spectral information for a sample under analysis. In one embodiment, the processor 252 is operable to receive ion measurement event data from the processor 250 in the form of charge magnitude and charge detection timing information measured during each of multiple “charge detection events” (as this term is defined above) making up the “ion measurement event” (as this term is defined above), and to process such charge detection events making up such an ion measurement event to determine ion charge and mass-to-charge data, and to then determine ion mass data therefrom. Multiple ion measurement events may be processed in like manner to create mass spectral information for the sample under analysis.
As briefly described above with respect to
As illustrated in
Referring now to
Referring now to
In some embodiments, the processor 252 is illustratively operable, i.e., programmed, to control the ELIT 212 in a “random trapping mode” or “continuous trapping mode” in which the processor 252 is operable to control the ion mirror M1 to the reflection mode (R) of operation after the ELIT 212 has been operating in the state illustrated in
In any case, with both of the ion mirrors M1, M2 controlled to the ion reflection operating mode (R) to trap an ion within the ELIT 212, the at least one charged particle is caused by the opposing ion reflection fields established in the regions R1 and R2 of the ion mirrors M1 and M2 respectively to oscillate back and forth between the ion mirrors M1 and M2, each time passing through the charge detection cylinder CD as illustrated by the ion trajectory 264 depicted in
In some embodiments, the charged particle measurement event files are analyzed in the frequency domain using a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm. In such implementations, the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) of a charged particle moving through the ELIT 212 is determined from the oscillation frequency (f0) of the charged particle measurement event data using a calibration constant (C) (Equation 1), the charge of the charged particle is determined by the magnitude of the fundamental frequency peak in the FFT and the mass of the charged particle is then determined as a product of m/z and the ion charge.
In alternate embodiments, the signal measurements contained in the charged particle measurement event files may be analyzed in the time domain, in conjunction with the FFT, in a manner that incorporates information contained within higher order harmonics by fitting the signal measurements to a simulated waveform to more precisely measure the ion charge. Details relating to one example process for carrying out such a time-domain analysis can be found in co-pending International Application No. PCT/US2021/016435, filed Feb. 3, 2021 and published as WO 2021/158676 A1, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
A previous ELIT design, an example of which is disclosed in co-pending U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. US 2020/0357626, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, was configured to optimize the accuracy of the charge measurement and at the same time reduce the contribution to the m/z resolution from the ion energy distribution. A method was also developed for optimizing geometric and electrostatic parameters of a cylindrical ELIT 212 to make the oscillation frequency of the trapped charged particle, and thus the measured m/z, highly resistant to change with variations in the energy and the trajectory of trapped charged particles while also preserving features of the design that give rise to a high charge resolution, as disclosed in co-pending International Application No. PCT/US2022/073503, filed Jul. 7, 2022, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
As described above, the ELIT 212 is illustratively designed such that charged particles move within the ELIT 212 close to the longitudinal axis 218, which ideally extends centrally through the charge detector CD and the ion mirrors M1, M2, under the influence of electric fields selectively established in the ion mirrors M1, M2 by the voltage sources V1, V2. However, in physical implementations of an ELIT in which the ion mirrors M1, M2 are constructed of multiple ion mirror electrodes, such as illustrated by example in
Such physical misalignment(s) between one or more of the ion mirror electrodes 2201, 2202, 2203, resulting in potential loss of charged particle data as just described, may thus adversely affect the trapping efficiency of the ELIT 212, wherein “trapping efficiency” is defined for purposes of this disclosure as the percentage of “full” trapping events over a set number of trapping events. A “full” trapping event is illustratively defined as one in which a charged particle is trapped within the ELIT 212 for at least a set amount of the total trapping time of the trapping event, e.g., for at least 90% of the total trapping time of the trapping event.
The trapping efficiency of the ELIT 212 is determined by the processor 214 by monitoring the charge detection event data for each of a set number of successive trapping events, and computing the trapping efficiency as a ratio of full trapping events, i.e., in which the charge detection event data is consistent with a full trapping event, and non-full trapping events, i.e., in which the charge detection event data is not consistent with a full trapping event. Referring to
By implementing the offset ion mirror electrode 2203 of
Referring to
In the ELIT 212 illustrated by example in
In this embodiment, the memory 216 illustratively has stored therein instructions executable by the processor(s) 214 to control the voltage sources V1, V2 to determine, in real time, magnitudes of the various voltages to apply to the respective radial segments, which maximize the trapping efficiency of the ELIT 212. Mechanical misalignments between two or more of the ion mirror electrodes of the ion mirror M1 and/or the ion mirror M2 will be compensated for by appropriate selection of the various voltages so as to result in focusing of charged particles to and along the central, longitudinal axis 218 of the ELIT 212. In this embodiment, one or more radially segmented charged particle guides of the type illustrated in
The instructions stored in the memory 216 and executable by the processor(s) 214 to control the voltage sources V1, V2 to determine the magnitudes of the various voltages to apply to the respective radial segments of the one or more radially segmented ion mirror electrodes of M1 and/or M2 so as to maximize the trapping efficiency of the ELIT 212 may incorporate any conventional optimization strategy. In one embodiment, which should be considered to be limiting in any way, the optimization strategy illustrated in the logic flow chart 306 of
Once each potential combination is run, the optimization strategy 306 will check for the combination of potentials with the highest trapping efficiency. If all trapping efficiencies are zero, the optimization strategy 306 illustratively starts performing a random walk (randomly adjusting potentials) with each radially segmented ion mirror electrode until it finds a non-zero trapping efficiency. Once a non-zero trapping efficiency value is found, the optimization strategy 306 will start shifting the ion mirror electrodes one at a time in a positive and negative direction by half-volt increments. From there, each new iteration is compared to the current best and the better of the two is kept. Depending upon their relation, the optimization strategy will choose what step to perform next as shown in the flowchart depicted in
Referring now to
The control circuit 214 is illustratively configured to control the voltage sources connected to the segments of the various radially segmented ion mirror electrodes as described above with respect to
Referring now to
In some embodiments of the charged particle source 12, charged particles may exit the charged particle outlet 15 with different trajectories and/or with different axial positions relative to the central, longitudinal axis 14 defined through the charged particle source 12. As one example, which should not be considered to be limiting in any way, the final stage of the charged particle source 12 may be or include a multi-pole device configured to operate as a charged particle guide or a mass-to-charge ratio filter. Such a multi-pole device may illustratively be implemented in the form of a conventional quadrupole device, but may alternatively be implemented in the form of a hexapole, octopole or other multi-pole configuration. When configured to operate as a charged particle guide or a mass-to-charge ratio filter, an AC voltage signal, e.g., RF sine wave, is applied between pairs of poles or electrodes of the multi-pole device, and such a device in quadrupole form with an RF voltage applied is typically referred to as an “RF only quadrupole” charged particle guide. When configured to operate as a charged particle mass-to-charge ratio filter, a DC voltage is additionally applied between pairs of the multi-pole device, and the magnitude of the DC voltage defines the mass-to-charge ratio range of charged particles that will exit the multi-pole device.
Charged particles axially traverse the multi-pole device while also oscillating in the radial direction about the central, longitudinal axis 14 as a result of the time-varying nature of the AC voltage applied to the electrode pairs of the multi-pole device. In embodiments, in which the applied AC voltage is, for example, a sinusoidal RF voltage, charged particles move in a sinusoidal pattern in the radial direction about the central, longitudinal axis 14 as the charged particles travel axially along the multi-pole device and through the charged particle outlet 15. As a result of such RF confinement, charged particles may exit the charged particle outlet 15 at a so-called “node,” defined at and by the central, longitudinal axis 14, at a so-called “anti-node,” defined as the furthest radial distance from the central, longitudinal axis 14, and at any point between the node and the anti-node. This phenomenon is referred to as “noding,” and results in angular deviation from the central, longitudinal axis 14 of at least some of the charged particles exiting the charged particle source 12. Charged particles exiting the charged particle outlet 15 at an anti-node disperse angularly away from the central axis 14 as the charged particles travel toward the charged particle inlet 19 of the charged particle analysis stage 16. The angular deviance of the charged particles at the charged particle outlet 15 of the charged particle source 12, as illustrated by the dashed lines 502 in
One novel technique for eliminating, or at least reducing, the effects of noding as described above, is to sweep the frequency of the RF voltage over a range of frequencies, and then average the charged particle measurement data obtained by the charged particle analysis stage 16 over the number of sweeps. Further details relating to this technique are disclosed in co-pending U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 63/405,004, filed Sep. 9, 2022, and entitled METHOD OF CONTROLLING A MULTI-POLE DEVICE TO REDUCE OMISSION OF EXITING CHARGED PARTICLES FROM DOWNSTREAM ANALYSIS, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Another approach to eliminating, or at least reducing, the effects of noding described above is also depicted by example in
Referring to
In the example illustrated in
In the example system 500 illustrated in
While this disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the foregoing drawings and description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of this disclosure are desired to be protected. For example, it will be understood that the ELIT 212 illustrated in the attached figures and described herein is provided only by way of example, and that the concepts, structures and techniques described above may be implemented directly in ELITs of various alternate designs. Any such alternate ELIT design may, for example, include any one or combination of two or more ELIT regions, more, fewer and/or differently-shaped ion mirror electrodes, more or fewer voltage sources, more or fewer voltage signals produced by one or more of the voltage sources, one or more ion mirrors defining additional electric field regions, or the like.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/405,007, filed Sep. 9, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
This invention was made with government support under GM131100 awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The United States Government has certain rights in the invention.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63405007 | Sep 2022 | US |