Charged Particle Transport Device Bunch Formation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charged particle transport devices face challenges in efficiently injecting a wide range of charged particles into potential wells, leading to mass discrimination and loss of ions due to scattering and distortion during the extraction process, which reduces the accuracy and duty cycle of downstream analysis devices.
Innovation Solution
A control unit is used to generate a gathering potential in a bunch forming region to collect charged particles and then transition to a transport potential, forming a selected potential well to receive a bunch of charged particles, reducing spillage and scattering, and maintaining a buffer gas to minimize thermal energy and prevent over-spilling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a non-uniform high-frequency electric field with multiple potential wells is used to transport charged particles in bunches, then charged particles can be transported in discrete bunches suitable for analysis devices, but charged particles with lower mass have a tendency to be received by different potential wells compared with higher mass particles, limiting the mass range of each bunch
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a preliminary DC gathering potential to the bunch forming region before the transport potential is activated. This gathering potential collects charged particles of wide mass range into a concentrated bunch, which is then transferred to a single selected potential well. This preliminary action ensures that particles of different masses are pre-positioned together, preventing mass discrimination during the transport phase.
2Productivity
If an extraction potential is applied to extract a target bunch from the transport device, then the target bunch can be delivered to the analysis device, but other bunches may be distorted causing ion loss, increased ion energy, and reduced duty cycle
Solution Approach 1:
The transport device is divided into multiple independent potential wells that can be individually controlled. When extracting a target bunch, the extraction potential is applied only to the specific well containing the target bunch, while other wells maintain their transport potentials. This segmentation isolates the extraction action to the target well, preventing distortion of other bunches and maintaining their integrity for subsequent extraction.
3Productivity
If charged particles are injected directly into potential wells without a gathering potential, then the transport device can operate continuously, but mass discrimination occurs and ion spillage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic switching between the DC gathering potential and the AC transport potential in the bunch forming region. During the gathering phase, the DC potential collects particles into a tight bunch. During the transport phase, the AC potential transfers the bunch to the selected well. This periodic action repeats continuously, maintaining overall continuous operation while ensuring high bunch formation accuracy during each cycle.
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
This approach enhances the efficiency of charged particle transport by reducing mass discrimination and ion loss, improving the accuracy and duty cycle of analysis devices by ensuring that a majority of charged particles are contained within the selected potential well.
Implementation Method 1
the control unit is configured to control voltages applied to the electrodes to: temporarily generate a gathering potential in the bunch forming region so that charged particles received by the transport device are gathered in the bunch forming region
Implementation Method 2
generate the transport potential in the bunch forming region so that a selected potential well is formed in the bunch forming region with the selected potential well receiving a bunch of charged particles formed from the charged particles gathered in the bunch forming region by the gathering potential
Implementation Method 3
maintaining a buffer gas to minimize thermal energy and prevent over-spilling
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for transporting charged particles. The apparatus includes a control unit and a transport device having a plurality of electrodes arranged around a transport channel, wherein the transport channel includes a bunch forming region configured to receive charged particles received by the transport device. The control unit is configured to control voltages applied to the electrodes to generate a transport potential in the transport channel, the transport potential having a plurality of potential wells which are configured to move so as to transport charged particles along the transport channel in one or more bunches. The control unit is further configured to control voltages applied to the electrodes: temporarily generate a gathering potential in the bunch forming region so that charged particles received by the transport device are gathered in the bunch forming region; and then generate the transport potential in the bunch forming region so that a selected potential well is formed in the bunch forming region with the selected potential well receiving a bunch of charged particles formed from the charged particles gathered in the bunch forming region by the gathering potential.