Mass Spectrometer Charge Profiling for Structural Subspecies Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spectrometry instruments lack the ability to measure particle charge and process particles based on their charge, limiting the molecular information obtained from charged particle analysis.
Innovation Solution
An instrument comprising an ion generator, mass spectrometer, thermal energy source, processor, and memory that controls the thermal energy source to vary the temperature or pressure of charged particles, allowing for measurement and analysis of charge magnitudes over a range of conditions, determining average charge magnitudes and profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If spectrometry instruments measure only mass without charge information, then the measurement process is simple, but the molecular information obtained is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent measures particle charge as an additional parameter alongside mass, transforming the single-parameter measurement into a multi-parameter analysis. By detecting charge magnitude variations across different temperatures, the system extracts conformational information without fundamentally redesigning the spectrometry instrument architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a temperature dimension to the traditional mass measurement, creating a three-dimensional analysis space (mass, charge, temperature). This allows differentiation of conformational subspecies that have identical mass but different charge characteristics at varying temperatures
2Measurement precision
If the instrument analyzes particles at a single temperature, then the analysis is quick and simple, but it cannot identify structural subspecies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic temperature variation to induce conformational changes in particles. By cycling through temperature ranges and measuring charge at each stage, the system identifies structural subspecies through their characteristic thermal responses, transforming a static measurement into a dynamic characterization process
3Loss of information
If the instrument measures charge magnitudes at multiple temperatures, then structural subspecies can be identified, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses temperature as an intermediary parameter to reveal structural information. Rather than directly measuring complex structural properties, the system measures charge magnitude as a function of temperature, where temperature acts as a mediator that induces conformational changes detectable through charge variations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the identification of new structural subspecies of charged particles by analyzing charge magnitudes at varying temperatures or pressures, providing detailed insights into structural changes and stability of samples.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal energy source configured to transfer thermal energy to at least one of the sample particles and the charged particles generated by the ion generator
Data Source
AI summary
A method for analyzing charged particles may include generating, in or into an ion source region, charged particles from a sample of particles, causing the charged particles to enter a mass spectrometer from the ion source region at each of a plurality of differing physical and/or chemical conditions in a range of physical and/or chemical conditions in which the sample particles undergo structural changes, controlling the mass spectrometer to measure at least the charge magnitudes of the generated charged particles at each of the plurality of differing physical and/or chemical conditions, determining, with a processor, an average charge magnitude of the generated charged particles at each of the plurality of differing physical and/or chemical conditions based on the measured charge magnitudes, and determining, with the processor, an average charge magnitude profile over the range of physical and/or chemical conditions based on the determined average charge magnitudes.