An ion soft landing device for soft landing preparation mass spectrometers

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of mass spectrometers, in particular to an ion soft landing device for a soft landing preparation mass spectrometer, wherein an ion funnel, a grid and a deposition target are arranged in an ion deposition cavity in sequence from left to right along an X direction, the ion funnel comprises eight or more ion transmission electrodes, each ion transmission electrode is a flat plate structure with a through hole in the middle, the ion transmission electrode closest to the grid is a small hole electrode, and the through holes on each ion transmission electrode form an ion transmission cavity in the shape of a horizontally coaxial funnel; ions entering the ion deposition cavity pass through the ion transmission cavity and can only reach the grid through the through hole on the small hole electrode, and the ions decelerated by the grid are deposited on the deposition target. The soft landing part of the soft landing preparation mass spectrometer is reasonably designed, so as to achieve the purposes of large ion flow, efficient ion transmission and guaranteeing the integrity of ion structure.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of mass spectrometry, in particular to an ion soft landing device for soft landing preparation mass spectrometer, which is used for preparing ion soft landing of mass spectrometry. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the continuous development of characterization technology, people's demand for high-resolution images is also increasing; characterization means that can obtain high-resolution images, such as scanning tunneling microscope (STM), require extremely high purity and flat surface of the sample. At present, small molecules can be prepared by thermal evaporation method to realize high-resolution imaging of STM. However, due to the low structural stability of synthetic macromolecules, it is not suitable to prepare samples by thermal evaporation method. At present, the existing sample preparation methods for STM characterization of synthetic macromolecules include solution drop coating method and electrospray method, but both of these two methods involve solvents, and the prepared samples are not pure enough, which seriously affects the high-resolution imaging of STM. Soft landing preparation mass spectrometry realizes the preparation of atomic level pure sample through mass selection, and can adjust the preparation amount to produce a monolayer surface, which can provide STM with a sample of ultra-high purity and flat surface. The existing soft landing preparation mass spectrometry has the problems of low ion transmission and soft landing flux. SUMMARY

[0003] In order to solve the problem of low ion transmission and soft landing flux of soft landing preparation mass spectrometry, the purpose of the present application is to provide an ion soft landing device for soft landing preparation mass spectrometer. The ion soft landing device converges ions through the ion funnel, deposits soft landing through the grid, and improves the transmission and soft landing efficiency.

[0004] The purpose of the present application is realized by the following technical scheme:

[0005] The present application comprises an ion funnel transmission system and a grid soft landing system, wherein the ion funnel transmission system comprises an ion deposition cavity and an ion funnel having a converging effect on ions, the grid soft landing system comprises a grid and a deposition target, the ion funnel, the grid and the deposition target are all arranged in the ion deposition cavity and sequentially arranged from left to right along the X direction, the ion funnel comprises eight or more ion transmission electrodes, each ion transmission electrode is a flat plate structure with a through hole in the middle, the ion transmission electrode closest to the grid is a small hole electrode, and the through holes on each ion transmission electrode form an ion transmission cavity in the shape of a horizontally coaxial funnel; the ions entering the ion deposition cavity pass through the ion transmission cavity and can only reach the grid through the through hole on the small hole electrode, and the ions decelerated by the grid are deposited on the deposition target.

[0006] Among them: each ion transmission electrode is parallel to each other, and a spacing is left between adjacent ion transmission electrodes, and the ion transmission electrodes are arranged at equal intervals.

[0007] The axial center lines of the through holes on each of the ion transmission electrodes are collinear and collinear with the axial center line of the grid and the deposition target.

[0008] The through hole aperture on the small hole electrode of each of the ion transmission electrodes is 1-3 mm, and the through hole aperture on the ion transmission electrode other than the small hole electrode is 3-20 mm.

[0009] The deposition target is connected to direct current, the grid is grounded and not connected to direct current, and after the deposition target is connected to direct current, a voltage is applied between the grid and the deposition target, forming an electric field opposite to the direction of ion movement, and then the ions are deposited on the deposition target.

[0010] The through hole aperture on the ion transmission electrode close to the small hole electrode is smaller than the through hole aperture on the ion transmission electrode away from the small hole electrode, and then the through holes on each of the ion transmission electrodes form a horizontally placed funnel-shaped ion transmission cavity.

[0011] The advantages and positive effects of the present application are:

[0012] 1. The present application improves the transmission and soft landing efficiency by ion funnel converging ions and grid soft landing.

[0013] 2. The ion funnel, grid and deposition target of the present application are coaxially arranged so that as many ions as possible transmitted from the front end are deposited on the deposition target.

[0014] 3. The ion funnel of the present application has a converging effect on ions, ensuring the transmission efficiency of ions; the grid has a deceleration effect on ions, ensuring the complete deposition of ions as much as possible.

[0015] 4. The present application reasonably designs the soft landing part of the soft landing mass spectrometer, thereby achieving large ion flow, efficient ion transmission and ensuring the integrity of ion structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present application;

[0017] Among them: 1 is the ion deposition cavity, 2 is the ion transmission electrode, 3 is the grid, 4 is the deposition target, 5 is the ion funnel, 6 is the ion transmission cavity. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] It should be noted that the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict. The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings and in combination with the embodiments.

[0019] In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, but not all embodiments of the present application. The following description of at least one example embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way limiting on the application or its uses. Based upon a review of the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments that would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the present application.

[0020] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments in accordance with the present application. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0021] The relative arrangement of parts and steps, numerical expressions, and numerical values set forth in the examples are not intended to limit the scope of the application unless otherwise specifically stated. It should be apparent that the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not to scale and are only meant to illustrate the general principles of the application. Techniques, methods, and apparatus known to those of ordinary skill are not discussed in detail because they would be apparent in light of the teachings herein. All examples shown and discussed herein are intended to be illustrative of the application and not limiting thereof. Thus, other examples of the example embodiments can have different values. It should be noted that like reference numerals and letters in the various figures indicate like elements, and therefore, further discussion of the same will not be repeated.

[0022] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the orientation words such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "transverse, vertical, perpendicular, horizontal" and "top, bottom" and the like indicated orientation or position relationship are generally based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, without the opposite indication, these orientation words do not indicate and imply that the indicated device or element must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, therefore, it cannot be understood as a limitation on the scope of protection of the present application: the orientation words "inner, outer" refer to the inner and outer relative to the contour of each component.

[0023] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] As Figure 1As shown, the present application comprises an ion funnel transmission system and a grid soft landing system, wherein the ion funnel transmission system comprises an ion deposition cavity 1 and an ion funnel 5 having a converging effect on ions, and the grid soft landing system comprises a grid 3 and a deposition target 4; the ion deposition cavity 1 is a hollow sealed cavity, with the right direction as the X direction (ion transmission direction) and the downward direction as the Y direction (vertical plane perpendicular to the ion transmission direction); the ion funnel 5, the grid 3 and the deposition target 4 are all arranged in the ion deposition cavity 1 and sequentially arranged from left to right along the X direction; the ion funnel 5 comprises eight or more ion transmission electrodes 2, each ion transmission electrode 2 is a flat plate structure with a through hole in the middle, and the ion transmission electrode 2 closest to the grid 3 is a small hole electrode 7; the through holes on each ion transmission electrode 2 form an ion transmission cavity 6 in the shape of a horizontally placed funnel.

[0025] Each ion transmission electrode 2 is parallel to each other, and a spacing is left between adjacent ion transmission electrodes 2; the ion transmission electrodes 2 are arranged at equal intervals. The axial center lines of the through holes on each ion transmission electrode 2 are collinear, and are collinear with the axial center lines of the grid 3 and the deposition target 4. The ion funnel 5 of the embodiment is composed of eight ion transmission electrodes 2, the eighth ion transmission electrode 2 from left to right is the small hole electrode 7, the aperture of the through hole on the ion transmission electrode 2 close to the small hole electrode 7 is smaller than the aperture of the through hole on the ion transmission electrode 2 far from the small hole electrode 7, and further the through holes on each ion transmission electrode 2 form an ion transmission cavity 6 in the shape of a horizontally coaxial placed funnel; the aperture of the through hole on the small hole electrode 7 in the embodiment is 1-3 mm, and the apertures of the through holes on the remaining seven ion transmission electrodes 2 are 3-20 mm. The eight ion transmission electrodes 2 are all electrified, and the accelerated ions pass through the ion transmission cavity 6; the ions are transmitted through the ion funnel 5, pass through the small hole electrode 7, reach the grid 3, and the gas pressure in the ion funnel 5 area is 10 -6 ~10 -8 Pa, and the embodiment selects 10 -6 Pa.

[0026] The material of the ion deposition cavity 1 can be selected according to the user's analysis requirements (such as 304 stainless steel or 316 stainless steel), and the ion deposition cavity 1 of 304 stainless steel material is used in the embodiment.

[0027] The material of the grid 3 can be selected according to the user's analysis requirements (such as 304 stainless steel or 316 stainless steel), and the grid of 304 stainless steel material is used in the embodiment. The material of the deposition target 3 can be selected according to the user's analysis requirements (such as a gold target or a palladium target), and a palladium target is used in the embodiment.

[0028] The deposition target 4 of the embodiment is supplied with direct current, and the grid 3 is grounded and not electrified.

[0029] The working principle of the present application is as follows:

[0030] The ions entering into the ion deposition cavity 1 from the front end enter into the ion transmission cavity 6, and the accelerated ions in the ion transmission cavity 6 can only come out through the through hole of the small hole electrode 7. After the deposition target 4 is supplied with direct current, the ions coming out through the through hole of the small hole electrode 7 pass through the grid 3, a voltage is applied between the grid 3 and the deposition target 4, an electric field opposite to the direction of ion movement is formed, so that the ions are deposited on the deposition target 4.

[0031] An exhaust port is arranged on the ion deposition cavity 1, and the exhaust port is connected with a vacuum pump; the vacuum pump always performs vacuumizing on the inside of the ion deposition cavity 1 during the working process.

[0032] The application can solve the problems of low ion transmission and low ion flux of soft landing in the preparation of mass spectrum, and has a broad application prospect in the direction of high-purity sample preparation.

Claims

1. An ion soft landing device for soft landing preparation of a mass spectrometer, characterized by: The invention comprises an ion funnel transmission system and a grid soft landing system, wherein the ion funnel transmission system comprises an ion deposition chamber (1) and an ion funnel (5) having a converging effect on ions, the grid soft landing system comprises a grid (3) and a deposition target (4), the ion funnel (5), the grid (3) and the deposition target (4) are all arranged in the ion deposition chamber (1) and arranged in sequence from left to right along the X direction, the ion funnel (5) comprises eight or more ion transmission electrodes (2), each of the ion transmission electrodes (2) is a flat plate structure with a through hole in the middle, the closest to the grid (3) in each of the ion transmission electrodes (2) is a small hole electrode (7), and the through holes on each of the ion transmission electrodes (2) form a horizontally coaxially placed funnel-shaped ion transmission chamber (6); ions entering the ion deposition chamber (1) pass through the ion transmission chamber (6) and can only reach the grid (3) through the through holes on the small hole electrode (7), and the ions decelerated by the grid (3) are deposited on the deposition target (4); The axial center lines of the through holes on each of the ion transport electrodes (2) are collinear, and are also collinear with the axial center lines of the grid (3) and the deposition target (4); Direct current is applied to the deposition target (4), and the grid (3) is grounded and not energized. After the direct current is applied to the deposition target (4), a voltage is applied between the grid (3) and the deposition target (4), forming an electric field opposite to the direction of ion movement, thereby causing the ions to be deposited on the deposition target (4).

2. The ion soft landing device for soft landing to prepare a mass spectrometer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ion transmission electrodes (2) are parallel to each other, and a spacing is left between adjacent ion transmission electrodes (2), and the ion transmission electrodes (2) are arranged at equal spacings.

3. The ion soft landing device for soft landing to prepare a mass spectrometer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The through hole diameter of the small hole electrode (7) in each of the ion transmission electrodes (2) is 1 to 3 mm, and the through hole diameters of the remaining ion transmission electrodes (2) except the small hole electrode (7) are 3 to 20 mm.

4. The ion soft landing device for soft landing to prepare a mass spectrometer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The aperture of the through hole on the ion transmission electrode (2) close to the small hole electrode (7) is smaller than the aperture of the through hole on the ion transmission electrode (2) away from the small hole electrode (7), and thus a horizontally placed funnel-shaped ion transmission cavity (6) is formed by the through holes on each of the ion transmission electrodes (2).

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