Claims
- 1. A time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) array instrument that allows for the bundling of a plurality of mass analyzers into a single array working in parallel fashion to greatly enhance the throughput of the TOF-MS array instrument by multiplexing the data collection process, comprising:an array of a plurality of parallel TOF-MSs, wherein each parallel TOF-MS processes ions from a different sample surface area simultaneously with the other parallel TOF-MSs; a vacuum chamber enclosing the array of the plurality of parallel TOF-MSs and defining an opening for passing a laser beam therethrough; and at least one mounting assembly for mounting each of the plurality of parallel TOF-MSs of the array within the vacuum chamber.
- 2. The array instrument according to claim 1, further comprising means for providing at least one substance for being analyzed by mass spectrometry, said means for providing being within the vacuum chamber.
- 3. The array instrument according to claim 2, wherein the means for providing is selected from the group consisting of silicon chips, membranes, and multi-sample substrates.
- 4. The array instrument according to claim 1, further comprising another array of a plurality of TOF-MSs provided in a mirror-image formation to the array of the plurality of TOF-MSs.
- 5. The array instrument according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of TOF-MSs of the array comprises:an ionization extraction device; a microchannel plate detector assembly having channel extending through at least a portion of the assembly; and a circuit-board reflector, wherein said channel is aligned with a central axis of said ionization extraction device and a central axis of said reflector.
- 6. The array instrument according to claim 5, wherein the ionization extraction device defines an unobstructed central chamber for guiding ions there through.
- 7. The array instrument according to claim 5, wherein the microchannel plate detector assembly includes a cylindrical mount with a center tube extending through at least a portion of the assembly and a pin anode extending from the cylindrical mount and located in proximity to the center tube.
- 8. The array instrument according to claim 7, wherein the microchannel plate detector assembly includes a clamping ring having an entrance grid connected to an inner ring, the inner ring being connected to an outer surface of the cylindrical mount.
- 9. The array instrument according to claim 8, wherein a microchannel plate assembly having a series of microchannel plates is provided between the inner ring and the center tube of the cylindrical mount.
- 10. The array instrument according to claim 8, wherein the outer surface of the cylindrical mount includes an insulating material.
- 11. The array instrument according to claim 9, wherein the pin anode extends from the rear of the cylindrical mount and the pin anode is configured for collecting electrons emitted from the microchannel plate assembly.
- 12. The array instrument according to claim 6, wherein the ionization extraction device includes a first region for accelerating ions and a second region for de-accelerating the ions to collimate the ions and to reduce the velocity of the ions.
- 13. The array instrument according to claim 12, wherein the first region creates an ion acceleration/extraction field for accelerating the ions.
- 14. The array instrument according to claim 13, wherein the ion acceleration/extraction field created measures up to 10 kV/mm.
- 15. The array instrument according to claim 12, wherein the ionization extraction device includes a third region for causing the ions to disperse and has an electric field measurement of approximately 0 kV/mm.
- 16. The array instrument according to claim 12, wherein the ionization extraction device includes a plurality of micro-cylinders mounted within the chamber for passing the ions there through from the first region to the second region.
- 17. The array instrument according to claim 16, wherein the micro-cylinders are metallic.
- 18. The array instrument according to claim 12, further comprising at least two regions between the first region and the second region, wherein the at least two regions have a different electric field measurement than the first region and the second region.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/214,516, filed Jun. 28, 2000.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/US01/19570 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO02/01599 |
1/3/2002 |
WO |
A |
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Smith et al. |
Dec 1991 |
A |
5171987 |
Waldron et al. |
Dec 1992 |
A |
5206508 |
Alderdice et al. |
Apr 1993 |
A |
6483109 |
Reinhold et al. |
Nov 2002 |
B1 |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/214516 |
Jun 2000 |
US |