Collision Cell Lenses for Ion Fragmentation and Gas Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Mass spectrometry devices face challenges in efficiently controlling gas flows and pressures within collision cells, leading to reduced sensitivity and increased gas consumption, which affects the fragmentation and detection of ions.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a sectioned quadrature rod assembly with lenses and conductive elements that electrically couple to pole segments, allowing for controlled gas flow and pressure management through the use of gas ports and cooling gases, and the positioning of lenses to act as gas restrictors and ion focusers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gas flow is increased to improve ion fragmentation, then collision efficiency is improved, but gas consumption increases and pressure control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The collision cell is divided into multiple pressure zones separated by lenses acting as pressure barriers. This segmentation allows different gas pressures in different regions, enabling efficient ion fragmentation in high-pressure collision regions while maintaining low overall gas consumption and allowing precise pressure control in each zone.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the collision cell are assigned different gas pressures and densities optimized for their specific functions. The collision regions have higher gas density for efficient fragmentation, while other regions maintain lower pressure to reduce overall gas consumption and improve pressure control stability.
2Productivity
If gas pressure is increased to enhance ion collision, then fragmentation efficiency is improved, but sensitivity decreases due to pressure control issues
Solution Approach 1:
The collision cell is divided into multiple pressure zones separated by lenses acting as pressure barriers. This segmentation allows different gas pressures in different regions, enabling efficient ion fragmentation in high-pressure collision regions while maintaining low overall gas consumption and allowing precise pressure control in each zone.
Solution Approach 2:
Lenses serve as intermediary components between different pressure zones, acting as pressure barriers that allow electrical field continuity while blocking gas flow. This enables precise pressure control in different regions, maintaining sensitivity by preventing pressure fluctuations from propagating throughout the entire cell.
3Duration of action of moving object
If collision time is increased to improve fragmentation, then ion-gas interaction is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collision cell uses dynamic pressure gradients created by multiple pressure zones to extend ion residence time. Ions naturally drift from high-pressure to low-pressure regions, spending extended time in the collision zones without requiring complex mechanical structures. The segmented design with lenses creates dynamic pressure-driven ion transport that increases collision time while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.
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 configuration enables reduced gas consumption, improved pressure control, and enhanced ion focusing, leading to increased collision time and sensitivity in mass spectrometry, allowing for more effective ion fragmentation and detection.
Implementation Method 1
a lens coupled to two sections of the sectioned quadrature rod assembly, the lens comprising an aperture and a plurality of separate conductive elements disposed on each side of the lens, in which a respective disposed conductive element on at least one side of the lens is configured to electrically couple to the first, second, third, and fourth pole segments
Implementation Method 2
the lens is operative as a gas restrictor
Implementation Method 3
the downstream region comprises a gas port configured to introduce a cooling gas into the downstream region
Data Source
AI summary
Certain embodiments described herein are directed to collision cells that comprise one or more integrated lenses. In some examples, a lens is coupled to two sections of a sectioned quadrature rod assembly, the lens comprising an aperture and a plurality of separate conductive elements disposed each one side of the lens, in which a respective disposed conductive element on one side of the lens is configured to electrically couple to a first, second, third, and fourth pole segments of the sectioned quadrature rod assembly.