Deuterium gas generator and storage device thereof

Abstract

An analytical instrument. The analytical instrument includes one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell. One or both of the ion trap or the collision cell are filled with deuterium gas.

Description

[0001] Related applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. non-provisional application S / N 18 / 473,049, filed September 22, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0002] Ion traps and collision cells are frequently used in mass spectrometry analysis; examples of these are known in the art, see, for example, US7180057 and US18 / 047,801, which are incorporated herein by reference. Typically, collision cells use nitrogen or argon because heavier gases are better suited for dissociating ions. Hydrogen is used in some cases, such as in reaction cells in ICP-MS. It is worth noting that, depending on the gas introduced, a collision cell can function as either a collision cell or a reaction cell. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure relates to analytical instruments comprising one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell, wherein one or both of the ion trap or the collision cell is filled with deuterium gas, specifically to mass spectrometers comprising one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell, and methods of using such instruments. This disclosure also relates to the use of deuterium as a gas in one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell. It should be understood that “one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell” encompasses only an ion trap, only a collision cell, and both an ion trap and a collision cell. It should be understood that “one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell is filled with deuterium gas” encompasses only having deuterium gas in the ion trap (whether or not a collision cell is also present), only having deuterium gas in the collision cell (whether or not an ion trap is also present), and having deuterium gas in both the ion trap and the collision cell.

[0004] Chromatography can be used as an analytical tool, feeding its output into a detector that reads the contents of a mixture. It can also be used as a purification tool, separating the components of a mixture for use in other experiments or procedures. Typically, analytical chromatography uses far less material than chromatography used to purify mixtures or extract specific components from them.

[0005] Chromatography can use liquids or gases as the mobile phase, and when used as an analytical tool, it is usually connected to a mass spectrometer.

[0006] Mass spectrometry can be used for detailed analysis of samples. It can provide qualitative (e.g., whether X is present) and quantitative (e.g., how much X is present) data on a large number of compounds in a sample. These properties have been used in a variety of analyses, such as testing for drug use, identifying pesticide residues in food, monitoring water quality, and more.

[0007] Typical mass spectrometers used for GC-MS, LC-MS, IC-MS, or ICP-MS generally require some high-vacuum pumping device. This pumping helps remove permanent gases (e.g., nitrogen and oxygen) and carrier gases (e.g., helium, hydrogen, or nitrogen) to achieve an appropriate mean free path length for ion beam transport. Removing these gases also prevents unwanted ion-molecule reactions, collisional scattering, source component oxidation, and high-voltage breakdown. Furthermore, this pumping helps maintain a high vacuum environment to remove introduced contaminants that would otherwise lead to detrimental analytical performance.

[0008] Ion traps utilize background or buffer gases to induce collision damping, thereby improving mass resolution and sensitivity. Different types of ion traps use different gases depending on the mission. Heavier gases are generally preferred because they provide collision damping for ions and improve capture and fragmentation efficiency. However, in the case of linear or 3D quadrupole ion traps, heavy gases can cause problems when ions are ejected. Lower molecular weight buffer gases help prevent significant momentum changes, such as smaller displacements and velocities, upon collision with analyte ions, thus minimizing the loss of captured ions. Therefore, helium is often used as a compromise in terms of molecular weight.

[0009] Light buffer gases provide significant performance improvements for ion trap mass spectrometers and collision cells (such as quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometers).

[0010] Helium has been the most commonly used gas recently, but it can be difficult to obtain and is expensive. Hydrogen can be used as an alternative buffer gas and has been found to be effective in generating mass spectra. However, hydrogen (H2) is not effective as a collisional partner for dissociation because it is too light to efficiently convert translational energy into internal energy. One solution is to mix H2 with the partial pressure of heavier gases such as nitrogen (N2) or Ar, but mixing them in a consistent manner can be challenging. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a lighter buffer gas that can be effectively used as an alternative to helium and hydrogen and addresses at least some of the aforementioned problems.

[0011] The inventors have discovered that, in mass spectrometry applications, deuterium can surprisingly serve as an effective gas alternative to helium, where deuterium has the advantage of being significantly drier than helium, which can reduce ion / molecular interactions and / or the formation of erroneous ions.

[0012] In one aspect, this disclosure provides an analytical instrument. The analytical instrument includes one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell. One or both of the ion trap or the collision cell is filled with deuterium gas.

[0013] In another aspect, this disclosure provides a method for using a gas in an analytical instrument. The method includes using deuterium as the primary gas in one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell.

[0014] In another aspect, this disclosure provides a mass spectrometry method. The method includes generating a first ion, processing the first ion in one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell, and analyzing the first ion. One or both of the ion trap or the collision cell is filled with deuterium gas.

[0015] Other aspects of this disclosure will become apparent from consideration of the specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the analytical instrument.

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a mass spectrometer.

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an ion trap. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Before explaining any embodiment of this disclosure in detail, it should be understood that this disclosure, in its application, is not limited to the details of the construction and arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or shown in the following drawings. This disclosure can have other embodiments and can be practiced or implemented in various ways.

[0020] The inventors have discovered that, in mass spectrometry applications, deuterium can surprisingly serve as an effective gas alternative to helium, where deuterium has the advantage of being significantly drier than helium, which can reduce ion / molecular interactions and / or the formation of erroneous ions.

[0021] Therefore, this disclosure provides an analytical instrument comprising one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell, wherein one or both of the ion trap or the collision cell is filled with deuterium gas. In the analytical instrument of this disclosure, deuterium gas can be present / used to provide various functions. For example, deuterium gas can be present / used as a carrier gas to transport samples through the analytical instrument.

[0022] Alternatively, deuterium gas may be present / used for impact damping. That is, deuterium gas can be used in ion traps to capture incoming ions and / or in collision cells and other ion guides to reduce the energy and positional diffusion of the ion beam.

[0023] Alternatively or alternatively, deuterium may be present / used for fragmentation (collision-induced dissociation) in one or both of the ion trap or collision cell. Alternatively or alternatively, deuterium may be present / used to induce reactions with one or both of the ion trap or collision cell, such as ICP-MS. Alternatively or alternatively, deuterium may act as / be used as a buffer gas.

[0024] Therefore, this disclosure can provide an analytical instrument comprising one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell, wherein the ion trap and / or collision cell is filled with deuterium gas as a carrier gas, a collision damping gas, a fragmentation gas, a reactive gas, and / or a buffer gas.

[0025] Elemental hydrogen exists in three forms: protium, the "common" isotope of hydrogen, traditionally used as a carrier gas; the other forms are the stable isotope deuterium and the radioactive isotope tritium. All these isotopes have very similar chemical properties, but differ in mass due to the number of neutrons in their nuclei. They are also diatomic gases, meaning they exist as molecules containing two atoms under normal temperature and pressure conditions. Although these atoms can combine in various combinations, such as protium-deuterium, deuterium-tritium, and protium-tritium, unless otherwise stated herein, the term "deuterium" refers to the isotopically pure diatomic deuterium-deuterium type, and "hydrogen" refers to the isotopically pure protium-protium type.

[0026] As described above, one or both of the ion traps or collision cells in the analytical instrument are filled with deuterium gas.

[0027] As used herein, the term “fill” is intended to mean that one or both of the ion trap or collision cell contain a gas of about 1 mTorr to about 200 mTorr, such as about 20 mTorr to about 140 mTorr or about 40 mTorr to about 100 mTorr.

[0028] As used herein, the term "deuterium gas" is intended to mean a gas containing at least 51% deuterium, preferably at least 75%, such as at least 90% or at least about 99% deuterium. For example, deuterium gas can contain from about 51% to about 100% deuterium, such as from about 75% to about 100%. Thus, one or both of an ion trap or collision cell can contain a gas containing at least 51% deuterium at a pressure of from about 1 mTorr to about 100 mTorr, or such combinations derived from the above combinations.

[0029] Background gases (such as air or nitrogen) can typically be below 1 × 10⁻⁵ Torr.

[0030] The analytical instrument can be any instrument including one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell. However, it is preferable that the analytical instrument includes a mass spectrometer. That is, the analytical instrument can be a mass spectrometer or a mass spectrometer used in connection with / in combination with other analytical instruments, such as a chromatography system. In a preferred aspect, the analytical instrument can be a mass spectrometer connected to / used in combination with a chromatography system. When the analytical instrument is connected to / used in combination with a chromatography system, the chromatography system can be a gas chromatography system or a liquid chromatography system. In some aspects, the ion trap can be a quadrupole ion trap or a mass analyzer. Deuterium gas can be supplied by any suitable means to one or both of the ion trap or the collision cell. It is preferable that the deuterium gas can be supplied by a deuterium gas cylinder. Alternatively, deuterium gas can be supplied by a deuterium generator.

[0031] In analytical instruments, deuterium gas is typically supplied to one or both of the ion trap or collision cell at a pressure of at least 0.1 mTorr. For example, deuterium gas can be supplied at a pressure of about 1 mTorr to about 200 mTorr, such as about 20 mTorr to about 140 mTorr or about 40 mTorr to about 100 mTorr.

[0032] This disclosure also provides a method for using deuterium as the primary gas in ion traps (such as quadrupole ion traps) and / or collision cells.

[0033] As described above, the deuterium gas used in one or both of the ion trap or collision cell can be used as a carrier gas, collision damping gas, fragmentation gas, reactive gas, and / or buffer gas.

[0034] As used herein, the term "primary gas" is intended to mean the maximum percentage of the specified gas (i.e., deuterium) in the gas. That is, in the methods of this disclosure, the deuterium gas may contain at least 51% deuterium, preferably at least 75%, such as at least 90% or at least about 99% deuterium. For example, the deuterium gas may contain from about 51% to about 100% deuterium, such as from about 75% to about 100%, and is generally supplied to one or both of the ion trap or collision cell at a pressure of at least 0.1 mTorr. For example, the deuterium gas may be supplied at a pressure of from about 1 mTorr to about 200 mTorr, such as from about 20 mTorr to about 140 mTorr or from about 40 mTorr to about 100 mTorr.

[0035] In the methods of this disclosure, one or both of the ion trap or collision cell may preferably be located in a mass spectrometer used in conjunction with a chromatographic system. The chromatographic system may be a gas chromatographic system or a liquid chromatographic system as defined above.

[0036] In the method disclosed herein, deuterium gas can be supplied via a deuterium generator system or via a deuterium compressed gas cylinder.

[0037] This disclosure also provides a mass spectrometry analysis method, the method comprising: (i) generating a first ion; (ii) processing the first ion in one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell, wherein one or both of the ion trap or the collision cell is filled with deuterium gas; and (iii) analyzing the first ion or a second ion derived from the first ion.

[0038] In the methods of this disclosure as defined herein, the deuterium gas may contain at least 51% deuterium, preferably at least 75%, such as at least 90% or at least about 99% deuterium. For example, the deuterium gas may contain from about 51% to about 100% deuterium, such as from about 75% to about 100%, and is typically supplied to one or both of the ion trap or collision cell at a pressure of at least 0.1 mTorr. For example, the deuterium gas may be supplied at a pressure of from about 1 mTorr to about 200 mTorr, such as from about 20 mTorr to about 140 mTorr or from about 40 mTorr to about 100 mTorr.

[0039] In the method disclosed herein, processing the first ion may include impact cooling of the first ion.

[0040] The method may further include deriving a second ion from the first ion; and analyzing the second ion. Alternatively, processing the first ion may include fragmenting the first ion by colliding it with a collision gas to generate fragment ions, and the analysis may include analyzing the fragment ions.

[0041] Alternatively, processing the first ion may include reacting the first ion with deuterium gas to generate a secondary ion, and analysis may include analyzing the secondary ion.

[0042] Analysis of fragment ions or secondary ions can be performed in one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell, or by ejecting fragment ions or secondary ions and sending them to the analysis device.

[0043] Alternatively, processing the first ion may include fragmenting the first ion by colliding it with a collision gas to generate fragment ions, and ejecting the fragment ions for further reaction and / or fragmentation and / or analysis. Alternatively, processing the first ion may include reacting the first ion with deuterium gas to generate secondary ions, and ejecting the secondary ions for further reaction and / or fragmentation and / or analysis.

[0044] The foregoing and other aspects of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description, which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0045] In this detailed description of various embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth for illustrative purposes to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that these various embodiments may be practiced with or without these specific details. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the specific order in which the methods are presented and performed is illustrative, and that such order may be altered while still remaining within the spirit and scope of the various embodiments disclosed herein.

[0046] Figure 1 schematically illustrates the analytical instrument. In a non-limiting example of Figure 1, a mass spectrometer is shown. However, it should be understood that any analytical instrument including one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell can be used.

[0047] The exemplary mass spectrometers described herein are similar in various aspects to those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 10,607,824 to ThermoFinnigan LLC and U.S. Patent No. 7,230,232 to ThermoFisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, which are expressly incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

[0048] As shown in Figure 1, the instrument includes an ion source 10, an ion trap 20, a collision cell 30, and a mass analyzer 40.

[0049] Ion source 10 is configured to generate ions from a sample. Ion source 10 can be coupled to a chromatographic separation apparatus (not shown), such as a liquid chromatography (LC) separation apparatus, a gas chromatography (GC) separation apparatus, or a capillary electrophoresis separation apparatus, such that the sample ionized in ion source 10 originates from the separation apparatus. Ion source 10 can be any suitable ion source, such as an electrospray ionization (ESI) ion source, an atmospheric pressure ionization (API) ion source, a chemical ionization ion source, an electron collision (EI) ion source, etc.

[0050] An ion trap 20 is disposed downstream of an ion source 10 and configured to receive ions from the ion source 10. The ion trap 20 is configured to filter the received ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m / z). The ion trap 20 can be configured such that received ions with m / z within the ion trap's m / z transmission window are forward-propagated by the ion trap, while received ions with m / z outside the m / z transmission window are attenuated by the ion trap and not forward-propagated.

[0051] The width and / or center m / z of the transmission window can be controllable (variable), for example, by appropriately controlling the RF and / or DC voltages applied to the electrodes of the ion trap 20. Thus, for example, the ion trap 20 can operate in a transmission mode, whereby most or all of the ions within a relatively wide m / z window are transmitted forward by the ion trap 20; and it can also operate in a filtering mode, whereby only ions within a relatively narrow m / z window (centered on the desired m / z) are transmitted forward by the ion trap 20. The ion trap 20 can be any suitable type of ion trap, such as a quadrupole ion trap.

[0052] The collision cell 30 is arranged downstream of the ion trap 20 and configured to receive most or all of the ions transmitted by the ion trap 20. The collision cell 30 can be configured to selectively fragment some or all of the received ions, i.e., to generate fragment ions. The collision cell 30 can operate in a fragmentation mode, whereby most or all of the received ions are fragmented to generate fragment ions (which can then be transmitted forward from the collision cell 30); and it can also operate in a non-fragmentation mode, whereby most or all of the received ions are transmitted forward without (intentionally) fragmentation. A non-fragmentation mode can also be achieved by allowing ions to bypass the collision cell 30. The collision cell 30 can also operate in one or more intermediate operating modes, whereby the degree of fragmentation is controllable (variable). The collision cell 30 can also operate in higher orders (MS... n The fragmentation operation mode is used, for example, the fragment ions are further fragmented once or multiple times by the collision cell 30.

[0053] The collision pool 30 can be any suitable type of collision pool, such as, for example, a collision-induced dissociation (CID) collision pool, an electron-induced dissociation (EID) collision pool, a photodissociation collision pool, etc. Many other types of fragmentation are also possible.

[0054] In some embodiments, the collision cell 30 is a collision-induced dissociation (CID) collision cell. Therefore, the collision cell may include a collision cell that can be filled with, for example, a collision gas maintained at a relatively high pressure. The kinetic energy at which ions enter the collision cell can be controlled (changed) to selectively fragment the ions within the collision cell. In a fragmentation operation mode, ions can be accelerated so that they enter the collision cell with relatively high kinetic energy, which may cause most or all of the accelerated ions to fragment. In a non-fragmentation operation mode, ions can enter the collision cell with relatively low kinetic energy, which may be insufficient to cause most or all of the ions to fragment. In an intermediate mode, ions can enter the collision cell with moderate kinetic energy.

[0055] Deuterium gas is introduced into the ion trap or collision cell through a tube or orifice. The deuterium pressure is controlled using a pressure or flow controller. The pressure in the collision cell can be measured using a pressure sensing device, such as a Pirani vacuum gauge, thermocouple vacuum gauge, capacitive pressure gauge, ionization vacuum gauge, or other devices. This pressure measurement can be used to provide feedback to the pressure or flow controller for closed-loop pressure control. Alternatively, conduction outside the cell can be pre-characterized, and a fixed flow rate of gas can be introduced. The flow controller can consist of a pressure controller and a fixed constraint (such as a capillary). Alternatively, a mass flow controller can be used.

[0056] Mass analyzer 40 is positioned downstream of collision cell 30 and configured to receive ions from collision cell 30. Therefore, depending on the operating mode of collision cell 30, mass analyzer 40 may receive undisturbed precursor ions or fragment ions. Mass analyzer 40 is configured to analyze the received ions to determine their mass-to-charge ratio (m / z) and / or mass, i.e., the mass spectrum of the generated ions. Mass analyzer 40 can be any suitable type of mass analyzer, such as an ion trap mass analyzer, an electrostatic orbit trap mass analyzer (such as the Orbitrap™ FT mass analyzer manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific), or a time-of-flight (ToF) mass analyzer (such as a multiple reflection time-of-flight (MR-ToF) mass analyzer).

[0057] It should be noted that Figure 1 is merely illustrative, and the instrument may and in embodiments may indeed include any number of one or more additional components. For example, the instrument may include one or more ion transfer stages arranged between any of the components shown, such as including an atmospheric pressure interface and / or one or more ion directors, lenses, and / or other ion optics configured to allow some or all of the ions to be suitably transported through the instrument. The ion transfer stage may include any suitable number and configuration of ion optics, optionally including one or more ion directors, lenses, and / or other ion optics.

[0058] Figure 2 shows a more detailed schematic arrangement of the mass spectrometer that can be used in this disclosure.

[0059] In Figure 2, the sample to be analyzed (e.g., from an autosampler) is supplied to a chromatographic device such as a liquid chromatography (LC) column (not shown in Figure 2). One such example of an LC column is Thermo Fisher Scientific's PROSWIFT(RTM) monolithic column, which provides high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) by forcing a sample carried in the mobile phase through a stationary phase composed of irregularly or spherically shaped particles under high pressure. In an HPLC column, sample molecules elute at different rates depending on their degree of interaction with the stationary phase. For example, sample molecules can be protein or peptide molecules.

[0060] Then, the sample molecules separated by liquid chromatography are ionized to form sample ions using an electrospray ionization (ESI) source 120 at atmospheric pressure.

[0061] Sample ions generated by ESI source 120 are transported to ion trap 180 via ion transport device of mass spectrometer 110. According to the ion transport device, sample ions generated by ESI source 120 enter the vacuum chamber of mass spectrometer 110 and are guided by capillary 125 to RF-only S-lens 130. Ions are focused by S-lens 130 onto injection flat bar 140, which injects ions into curved flat bar 150 with an axial field. Curved flat bar 150 guides (charged) ions along a curved path, while unwanted neutral molecules (such as entrained solvent molecules) are not guided along the curved path and are lost. Ion gate 160 is located at the distal end of curved flat bar 150 and controls the entry of ions from curved flat bar 150 into transport multipole 170. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, transport multipole 170 is a transport octupole. The transfer multipole 170 guides analyte ions from the curved flat bar 150 into the ion trap 180.

[0062] Ion trap 180 is configured to confine and cool the injected ions. The detailed operation and construction of ion trap 180 will be explained below. Cooled ions confined in ion trap 180 can be ejected orthogonally from ion trap 180 toward mass analyzer 190, or alternatively toward collision cell 1100.

[0063] As ions continue along their path through ion trap 180 into collision cell 1100, the transport or capture of ions by ion trap 180 can be selected by adjusting the voltage applied to the end electrodes of ion trap 180. Therefore, ion trap 180 can also be effectively operated as an ion guide in the second operating mode. Alternatively, ions captured and cooled in ion trap 180 can be ejected from ion trap 180 into collision cell 1100 in the axial direction. This ejection can be controlled by applying a suitable voltage to the end electrodes of ion trap 180.

[0064] In the mass spectrometer of Figure 2, the collision cell 1100 is a high-energy collisional dissociation (HCD) device to which collision gas is supplied. Sample ions arriving in the collision cell 1100 collide with collision gas molecules, causing the sample ions to fragment into fragment ions. These fragment ions can be returned from the collision cell 1100 to the ion trap 180 by applying an appropriate potential to the end electrodes of the collision cell 1100 and the ion trap 180. The fragment ions can be cooled and confined in the extraction trap 180, and then the fragment ions can be ejected from the extraction trap 180 into the mass analyzer 190 or for mass analysis. A transfer octupole can also be used to mass filter the sample ions before they are injected into the ion trap 180 and the collision cell 1100. Therefore, the transfer octupole 170 can also be a mass-resolved octupole.

[0065] Although the HOD collision cell 1100 is shown in Figure 2, other fragmentation devices can be used instead, employing methods such as collision-induced dissociation (CID), electron capture dissociation (ECD), electron transfer dissociation (ETD), photodissociation, etc.

[0066] The mass analyzer shown in Figure 2 is an Orbitrap (RTM) mass analyzer 190, sold by Thermo Fisher Scientific. The Orbitrap (RTM) mass analyzer 190 is an example of a Fourier transform mass analyzer. The Orbitrap (RTM) mass analyzer 190 has an eccentric injection port in its outer electrode, through which ions are injected as coherent packets. The ions are then trapped within the Orbitrap (RTM) mass analyzer by a superlogarithmic electric field, causing them to move back and forth in the longitudinal direction as they orbit the inner electrode. The axial component (approximately) of the movement of the ion packets in the Orbitrap (RTM) mass analyzer is defined as simple harmonic motion, where the angular frequency in the axial direction is related to the square root of the mass-to-charge ratio of a given ion species. Therefore, over time, the ions separate according to their mass-to-charge ratio.

[0067] It should be noted that although the orbital trap mass analyzer 190 is shown in Figure 2, other Fourier transform mass analyzers can also be used. For example, a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass analyzer can be used as a mass analyzer. Other types of electrostatic traps can also be used as Fourier transform mass analyzers. Fourier transform mass analyzers (such as the orbital trap mass analyzer 190 and the ion cyclotron resonance mass analyzer) can even be used in this disclosure in cases where other types of signal processing, different from Fourier transform, are used to obtain mass spectrometry information from transient signals (see, for example, WO-A-2013 / 171313, Thermo Fisher Scientific).

[0068] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary ion trap 200 that can be used in this disclosure. The ion trap 200 has a linear geometry. Therefore, the ion trap 200 can be used in place of the ion trap 80 shown in the mass spectrometer of Figure 2. It should be understood that the ion trap 200 can be provided in a linear form as shown, or alternatively in a curved form similar to a C-type trap.

[0069] The ion trap 200 of Figure 3 includes a first end electrode 210, a second end electrode 212, a first confinement electrode 214, a second confinement electrode 216, and a multi-electrode assembly 220. The multi-electrode assembly 220, the first confinement electrode 214, and the second confinement electrode 216 are arranged between the first end electrode 210 and the second end electrode 212. In this example, the first end electrode 210 and the second end electrode 212 are in the form of plate electrodes. Each of the first end electrode 210 and the second end electrode 212 has ion holes 211 and 213 disposed at its center for ion transport. For example, ions can axially enter and / or exit the ion trap 200 through the ion hole 211 in the first end electrode 210 or through the ion hole 213 in the second end electrode 212.

[0070] The multipolar electrode assembly 220 shown in Figure 3 includes a plurality of elongated electrodes arranged around a central axis to define an elongated ion channel. The multipolar electrode assembly includes an elongated pushing electrode 222 and opposing elongated pulling electrodes 224. The elongated pushing electrode 222 and the elongated pulling electrode 224 are spaced apart on opposite sides of the elongated ion channel. The elongated pushing electrode 222 and the elongated pulling electrode 224 are aligned substantially parallel to each other along the length of the elongated ion channel. As shown in Figure 3, the elongated pushing electrode 222 and the elongated pulling electrode 224 have substantially flat opposing surfaces. In some embodiments, the opposing surfaces may have a hyperbolic profile. The elongated pulling electrode 224 includes a pulling electrode aperture 225 at a point along its length. Figure 3As shown, the traction electrode hole 225 is located in the relatively central region of the elongated traction electrode 224. The traction electrode hole 225 penetrates the electrode thickness and provides a path for ions to exit the ion trap 200 in a direction generally transverse to the axial direction of the ion trap 200. In this way, ions can be extracted from the ion trap 200 and enter the mass analyzer 90 in a direction toward the mass analyzer 90, as shown in Figure 2.

[0071] The multi-electrode assembly also includes first elongated segmented electrodes 226, 228 and second elongated segmented electrodes 230, 232. The first elongated segmented electrodes 226, 228 are spaced apart on the side of the elongated ion channel opposite to the second elongated segmented electrodes 230, 232. The first elongated segmented electrodes 226, 228 and the second elongated segmented electrodes 230, 232 are aligned substantially parallel to each other along the length of the elongated ion channel. The first elongated segmented electrodes 226, 228 and the second elongated segmented electrodes 230, 232 are spaced apart on the elongated ion channel in a direction transverse to the direction in which the elongated pushing electrode 222 and the elongated pulling electrode 224 are spaced apart. Thus, the first elongated segmented electrodes 226, 228 and the second elongated segmented electrodes 230, 232, the elongated pushing electrode 222, and the elongated pulling electrode 224 define the boundary of the elongated ion channel having a generally rectangular cross-section. A gas (such as deuterium in this disclosure) is introduced into an ion trap or collision cell through a tube or orifice (not shown).

[0072] Specific exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the specific forms disclosed, and many modifications and variations will be apparent from the foregoing teachings. Exemplary embodiments were chosen and described to explain certain principles of the disclosure and its practical application, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. The scope of this disclosure is intended to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0073] For the avoidance of doubt, in this specification, when the term “comprising” or “comprises” is used, we mean that the described detection pool or system must contain the listed components, but may optionally include additional components. “Comprising” should be considered to include the term “consisting of” or “consists of”, where the described flow pool or system must contain only the listed components.

[0074] To avoid ambiguity, unless the context otherwise indicates, preferences, options, specific features, etc. indicated with respect to a given aspect, feature, or parameter of this disclosure shall be deemed to have been disclosed in conjunction with any and all other preferences, options, specific features, etc. indicated with respect to the same or other aspects, features, and parameters of this disclosure.

[0075] As used herein, the term “about”, for example when referring to a measurable value (such as a quantity or parameter), means a change of ±20%, ±10%, ±5%, ±1%, ±0.5%, or specifically ±0.1%.

[0076] The various features and advantages of this disclosure are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An analytical instrument, the analytical instrument comprising: One or both of an ion trap or a collision cell The ion trap or the collision cell, or both, are filled with deuterium gas.

2. The analytical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the analytical instrument includes a mass spectrometer.

3. The analytical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the ion trap is a quadrupole ion trap.

4. The analytical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the ion trap is a mass analyzer.

5. The analytical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the analytical instrument comprises a chromatographic system combined with a mass spectrometer.

6. The analytical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the gas is supplied by a deuterium gas cylinder.

7. The analytical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the gas is provided by a deuterium generator.

8. The analytical instrument of claim 1, wherein the gas is supplied at a pressure of at least 0.1 mTorr.

9. The analytical instrument of claim 8, wherein the gas is supplied at a pressure of about 1 mTorr to about 10 mTorr.

10. A method for using a gas in an analytical instrument, the method comprising: Deuterium is used as the primary gas in one or both of the ion trap or collision cell.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising using one or both of the ion trap or the collision cell in a mass spectrometer combined with a chromatography system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the chromatographic system is a gas chromatographic system.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the chromatographic system is a liquid chromatography system.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising supplying the deuterium gas via a deuterium generator system or via a deuterium compressed gas cylinder.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising supplying the deuterium gas via a deuterium generator system or via a deuterium compressed gas cylinder.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the ion trap is a quadrupole ion trap.

17. A mass spectrometry analysis method, the method comprising: The first ion is produced; The first ion is treated in one or both of an ion trap or a collision cell, wherein one or both of the ion trap or the collision cell is filled with deuterium gas; and Analyze the first ion or a second ion derived from the first ion, or both.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein processing the first ion comprises collision cooling of the first ion.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein processing the first ion comprises fragmenting the first ion by colliding the first ion with the deuterium gas to generate fragment ions, and the analysis comprises analyzing the fragment ions.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein processing the first ion comprises reacting the first ion with the deuterium gas to generate a secondary ion, and the analysis comprises analyzing the secondary ion.

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