Electrostatic Trap Ion Injection With m/z-Tuned Timing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mass spectrometers face challenges in efficiently injecting ions into electrostatic traps, particularly due to timing mismatches between ion ejection and capture fields, leading to loss of ions with low and high mass-to-charge ratios.
Innovation Solution
The method involves starting the ejection potential and injection potentials at different times, with the timing difference based on the desired mass-to-charge ratios, allowing for optimized ion capture and detection across a wider range of m/z ratios by adjusting the delay between these potentials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If synchronous injection potentials are applied to multiple electrodes during ion injection, then ion capture efficiency is improved, but the detectable mass-to-charge ratio range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic injection potentials with different timing for electrodes at different potentials. The controller adjusts the timing of injection potentials based on the mass-to-charge ratio of ions to be injected, creating a dynamic system that adapts to different ion types. This resolves the contradiction by making the injection system flexible rather than fixed, allowing efficient capture across a wide mass-to-charge ratio range through timed potential adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the timing parameter of injection potentials applied to different electrodes. By adjusting when each electrode receives its injection potential based on ion mass-to-charge ratio, the system optimizes capture efficiency for each ion type. This parameter adjustment allows the system to maintain high capture efficiency while expanding the detectable mass-to-charge ratio range.
2Quantity of substance
If ion injection is performed over hundreds of microseconds at high energies, then ion capture is achieved, but ion stability is compromised due to multiple reflections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies injection potentials to electrodes in advance before ions arrive, creating ready-to-capture electric fields. By pre-configuring the potential landscape, ions are captured in a single pass without multiple reflections, maintaining stability while achieving efficient capture. The preliminary application of potentials ensures the trapping field is ready when ions enter the electrostatic trap.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a short injection time is used to maintain ion stability, then ion reflections are reduced, but ion capture requirements become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamic timing adjustments of injection potentials to different electrodes based on ion mass-to-charge ratio. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain short injection times for stability while automatically adjusting electrode timing to simplify capture requirements for each ion type, making the system easier to operate across different mass ranges.
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 enables the detection of ions with m/z ratios as low as 35 Th and as high as 20,000 Th, significantly expanding the detectable range and improving signal-to-noise ratios, with the ability to tune the mass spectrometer for optimal ion detection.
Implementation Method 1
applying an ejection potential to an ion storage device, to cause ions stored in the ion storage device to be ejected towards the electrostatic trap
Implementation Method 2
applying one or more injection potentials to one or more electrodes, to cause the ions ejected from the ion storage device to be captured by the electrostatic trap
Data Source
AI summary
Ions are injected into an orbital electrostatic trap. An ejection potential is applied to an ion storage device, to cause ions stored in the ion storage device to be ejected towards the orbital electrostatic trap. Synchronous injection potentials are applied to a central electrode of the orbital electrostatic trap and a deflector electrode associated with the orbital electrostatic trap, to cause the ions ejected from the ion storage device to be captured by the electrostatic trap such that they orbit the central electrode. Application of the ejection potential and application of the synchronous injection potentials are each started at respective different times, the difference in times being selected based on desired values of mass-to-charge ratios of ions to be captured by the orbital electrostatic trap.