33 results about "Miniature mass spectrometer" patented technology

A miniature mass spectrometer that may be coupled to an atmospheric pressure ionisation source is described. Ions pass through a small orifice from a region at atmospheric pressure or low vacuum, and undergo efficient collisional cooling as they transit a very short, differentially pumped ion guide. A narrow beam of low energy ions is passed through a small aperture and into a separate chamber containing the mass analyser.

A method of interfacing atmospheric pressure ion sources, including electrospray and desorption electrospray ionization sources, to mass spectrometers, for example miniature mass spectrometers, in which the ionized sample is discontinuously introduced into the mass spectrometer. Discontinuous introduction improves the match between the pumping capacity of the instrument and the volume of atmospheric pressure gas that contains the ionized sample. The reduced duty cycle of sample introduction is offset by operation of the mass spectrometer under higher performance conditions and by ion accumulation at atmospheric pressure.

A field portable mass spectrometer system comprising a sample collector and a sample transporter. The sample transporter interfaces with the sample collector to receive sample deposits thereon. The system further comprises a time of flight (TOF) mass spectrometer. The time of flight mass spectrometer has a sealable opening that receives the sample transported via the sample transporter in an extraction region of the mass spectrometer. The system further comprises a control unit that processes a time series output by the mass spectrometer for a received sample and identifies one or more agents contained in the sample.

A miniature mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an atmospheric pressure ionisation source, a first vacuum chamber having an atmospheric pressure sampling orifice or capillary, a second vacuum chamber located downstream of the first vacuum chamber and a third vacuum chamber located downstream of the second vacuum chamber. A first vacuum pump is arranged and adapted to pump the first vacuum chamber, wherein the first vacuum pump is arranged and adapted to maintain the first vacuum chamber at a pressure <10 mbar. A first RF ion guide is located within the first vacuum chamber and an ion detector is located in the third vacuum chamber. The ion path length from the atmospheric pressure sampling orifice or capillary to an ion detecting surface of the ion detector is ≦400 mm. The mass spectrometer further comprises a tandem quadrupole mass analyser, a 3D ion trap mass analyser, a 2D or linear ion trap mass analyser, a Time of Flight mass analyser, a quadrupole-Time of Flight mass analyser or an electrostatic mass analyser arranged in the third vacuum chamber. A split flow turbomolecular vacuum pump comprising an intermediate or interstage port is connected to the second vacuum chamber and a high vacuum (“HV”) port is connected to the third vacuum chamber. The first vacuum pump is also arranged and adapted to act as a backing vacuum pump to the split flow turbomolecular vacuum pump and the first vacuum pump has a maximum pumping speed ≦10 m³/hr (2.78 L/s).

Analysis of solid chemical and biological particles is achieved by a miniature mass spectrometer and apparatus attached thereto for vaporizing or ablating a stream of chemical and biological particles by a pulsed laser and/or pyrolysis heater sub-assembly at atmospheric pressure or, when desirable, in a vacuum. The mass spectrometer includes a collimation chamber, a repeller assembly, an internal ionization chamber, a mass filter and ion separation chamber, a drift space region, and a multi-channel ion detection array so as to permit the collection and analysis of ions formed over a wide mass range simultaneously. The apparatus for vaporizing or ablating includes an output port adjacent the input to the collimation and vaporization chamber so as to maximize the amount of vaporized material being fed into the mass spectrometer.

A microengineered multipole ion guide for use in miniature mass spectrometer systems is described. Exemplary methods of mounting rods in hexapole, octupole, and other multipole geometries are described. The rods forming the ion guide are supported in etched silicon structures defined in at least first and second substrates.

A miniature, low cost mass spectrometer capable of unit resolution over a mass range of 10 to 50 AMU. The mass spectrometer incorporates several features that enhance the performance of the design over comparable instruments. An efficient ion source enables relatively low power consumption without sacrificing measurement resolution. Variable geometry mechanical filters allow for variable resolution. An onboard ion pump removes the need for an external pumping source. A magnet and magnetic yoke produce magnetic field regions with different flux densities to run the ion pump and a magnetic sector mass analyzer. An onboard digital controller and power conversion circuit inside the vacuum chamber allows a large degree of flexibility over the operation of the mass spectrometer while eliminating the need for high-voltage electrical feedthroughs. The miniature mass spectrometer senses fractions of a percentage of inlet gas and returns mass spectra data to a computer.

The invention generally relates to sample analysis with a miniature mass spectrometer. In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods that involve generating ions of a first analyte and ions of a second analyte. Those ions are transferred through a discontinuous sample introduction interface into a first ion trap of a mass spectrometer in a manner in which the discontinuous sample introduction interface remains open during the transferring. The discontinuous sample introduction interface is closed and the ions are sequentially transferred to a second ion trap of the mass spectrometer where they are sequentially analyzed.

The invention provides a microwave micro-plasma electron source. The micro-plasma electron source is a silicon-glass double-layered structure, wherein the lower layer is a silicon substrate and the upper layer is glass; a plasma cavity, an electronic accelerating lens, an electronic focusing lens, an energy filter and a detector are formed on the silicon substrate through a deep silicon etching technique, and then bonded with the glass to form the micro-plasma electron source. The micro-plasma electron source applies a high-pressure ceramic device to provide argon high-voltage drive, and then adopts a micro-strip resonator with a three-loop branching structure to provide argon for 1 W microwave power coupling with frequency of 2.4-2.5 GHz, thus a stable plasma is formed; through an electronic extraction, acceleration and focusing system, the electron is extracted and accelerated to focus to be a target electronic energy; the voltage applied by the electronic extraction, acceleration and focusing system determines the electronic beam energy of the charged ion source, and so as to further determine the scale of detectable matters of a mini-sized mass spectrometer.

The invention relates to the technical field of mass spectrometric detection, and discloses an electrospray ion source device without an auxiliary gas cylinder. The electrospray ion source device comprises a peristaltic pump, an injector, an electrophoresis capillary tube, a metal spray needle, an ionization voltage source and a negative pressure ionization chamber; the metal spray needle is fixed in the negative pressure ionization chamber and is connected to one end of the electrophoresis capillary tube; the injector is connected with the electrophoresis capillary tube, and the peristaltic pump pushes a sample solution in the injector to enter the electrophoresis capillary tube and reach the metal spray needle; the ionization voltage source is electrically connected with the metal spray needle; the negative pressure ionization chamber is provided with an in-chamber air pressure regulating valve; and a mass spectrum sample inlet is formed in the negative pressure ionization chamber opposite to the metal spray needle. According to the electrospray ion source device, electrospray can be realized without an additional auxiliary gas cylinder, the system complexity is remarkably reduced, the ionization efficiency is high, the anti-pollution robustness is high, and the functions of a miniature mass spectrometer are expanded while the miniaturization of the miniature mass spectrometer is facilitated.

A pulse sample introduction apparatus used for a mass spectrometer and mass spectrum equipment possessing the apparatus are disclosed. The pulse sample introduction apparatus comprises a hollow capillary, a centrifugal tube, a driving mechanism and a control module. The driving mechanism is controlled by the control module. A driving effect of the driving mechanism makes that the centrifugal pipe and the hollow capillary generate relative motion so that a tip of the hollow capillary is contacted with a sample solution in the centrifuge tube so as to carry out sample introduction or is separated from the sample solution in the centrifuge tube. A driving mode of the driving mechanism is controlled so that the hollow capillary realizes pulse-type sample introduction. The apparatus has a simple structure, is convenient to control, can realize the pulse sample introduction of the mass spectrometer, guarantees a vacuum degree of a miniature mass spectrometer during a sample introduction process and simultaneously can increase sensitivity and signal intensity of the mass spectrometer.

The invention discloses a miniature mass spectrometer, in particular comprising an ionization source for converting sample molecules into gas phase ions in a region substantially at atmospheric pressure, a capturing device for capturing and storing ions, and a discontinuous atmospheric pressure interface device for transferring ions from the substantially atmospheric pressure region to at least one further region of reduced pressure. The atmospheric pressure interface device comprises a valve for controlling the ions to enter or stop entering the capturing device, and by opening the valve a plurality of times, ions are conveyed into the capturing device in a discontinuous mode, and the ions are captured and enriched. The miniature mass spectrometer further comprises a mass analyzer, a detector, a circuit, a vacuum cavity, a vacuum pump, a barometer and a computer. The invention provides a miniature mass spectrometer capable of improving sensitivity, ion detection limit and ion strengthstability.

The invention generally relates to probes, systems, cartridges, and methods of use thereof. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a probe including a porous material and a hollow member coupled to a distal portion of the porous material. The invention provides probes that interface well with mass spectrometers that employ a curtain gas and with miniature mass spectrometers. Aspects of theinvention are accomplished by adding a hollow member (e.g., capillary emitter) to a porous substrate (e.g., paper substrate) for a paper-capillary spray. The data herein show that probes of the invention had significant, positive impact on the sensitivity and reproducibility for direct mass spectrometry analysis. The paper-capillary devices were fabricated and characterized for the effects due tothe geometry, the treatment to the capillary emitters, as well as the sample disposition methods.

Firstly the invention provides a multi-ion simultaneous isolation method for a quadrupole mass spectrometer. Compared with a traditional linear sweep frequency isolation method, the method has the advantages that target ions can be enriched more effectively and selectively, the space charge effect caused by interaction between the ions is reduced, and the sensitivity, resolution and accuracy of the instrument are improved. Secondly, the invention provides a method for improving the sensitivity and quantitative analysis capability of the miniature mass spectrometer, selective enrichment of target ions and removal of non-target ions are realized by using the multi-ion simultaneous isolation method, and a pseudo multi-reaction monitoring mode is realized by combining the method with a composite scanning mode, the method is used for quantitative analysis of a target object, and functions and application range of the miniature mass spectrometer.