Ion Manipulation Using Traveling Wave Fields
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ion manipulation devices are limited to operating at low pressures, typically below 50 Torr, due to the inability of RF pseudopotentials to confine ions at higher pressures, leading to ion loss and increased device size, weight, and cost, with a need for effective ion confinement and manipulation at atmospheric pressure.
Innovation Solution
The use of a revolving voltage profile, specifically a cyclic traveling wave, to maintain ion trajectories in equilibrium within the volume defined by electrode rings, allowing for ion confinement and manipulation at pressures above 0.1 Torr, including atmospheric pressure, through the application of DC and transient DC voltages to guide and separate ions based on mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If RF pseudopotentials are used for ion confinement, then ions can be trapped and manipulated, but the device is limited to operating at low pressures below 50 Torr
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental confinement mechanism from RF pseudopotentials to traveling wave electric fields, enabling operation across a wide pressure range from vacuum to atmospheric pressure and beyond. This parameter change in the confinement approach allows the system to adapt to different pressure conditions where RF methods fail due to collisional damping.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the RF electromagnetic field-based confinement mechanism with a traveling wave electric field mechanism. This substitution replaces the oscillating RF fields that create pseudopotential wells with unidirectional traveling waves that push ions along defined paths, eliminating the pressure limitation inherent in RF-based systems.
2Reliability
If RF fields are used for ion trapping, then ions can be confined in dynamic equilibrium, but collisions with background neutrals prevent effective trapping at high pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamically evolving traveling wave fields that continuously move through the ion population, maintaining ion confinement through time-varying electric fields rather than static or oscillating RF fields. The traveling waves adapt their position and timing to guide ions along stable trajectories even in high-pressure environments with frequent neutral collisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodically applied voltage pulses to generate traveling waves that cycle through the electrode structure. This periodic action creates a sequence of electric field configurations that collectively confine and guide ions, with the periodicity tuned to maintain stability against collisional effects at various pressure levels.
3Reliability
If conventional IMS devices operate at low pressure for ion confinement, then ion loss is minimized, but device size, weight, and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal ion manipulation system that functions effectively across all pressure regimes from vacuum to atmospheric and above. This multi-functional capability eliminates the need for separate vacuum systems, pumping infrastructure, and pressure-specific device designs, thereby reducing overall system weight and complexity while maintaining ion confinement effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the vacuum system requirement from the ion manipulation apparatus. By enabling effective ion confinement and manipulation at atmospheric pressure through traveling wave fields, the system removes the heavy pumping equipment and vacuum maintenance infrastructure that traditionally accompany low-pressure IMS devices.
4Measurement precision
If ion traps manipulate ions based on mass-to-charge ratio using RF oscillation, then ions remain in dynamic equilibrium, but the system cannot operate at atmospheric pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces traveling wave electric fields as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between ion properties and detection outcomes. These traveling waves interact with ions based on their mobility characteristics under the specific pressure conditions, providing separation precision while adapting to atmospheric pressure through the wave-based interaction mechanism rather than direct RF oscillation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the separation mechanism from RF-based mass-to-charge ratio dependence to traveling wave-based mobility dependence. This parameter change in the separation physics allows the system to achieve precise ion differentiation while operating at atmospheric pressure, as the traveling wave interaction is less sensitive to collisional damping that limits RF methods.
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 lossless ion manipulation and confinement at any pressure above 0.1 Torr, facilitating operations at higher pressures and dense gases, with no upper pressure limit for ion confinement, and allows for complex ion separation, transfer, and trapping sequences.
Implementation Method 1
The use of a revolving voltage profile, specifically a cyclic traveling wave, to maintain ion trajectories in equilibrium within the volume defined by electrode rings
Implementation Method 2
Enables lossless ion manipulation and confinement at any pressure above 0.1 Torr
Implementation Method 3
separate ions based on mobility
Implementation Method 4
through the application of DC and transient DC voltages to guide and separate ions based on mobility
Data Source
AI summary
An ion manipulation device comprises a plurality of electrode rings arranged longitudinally adjacent to each other and defining a central axis therethrough. At least one electrode ring comprises a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first planar pattern. Electrodes are configured to periodically receive a voltage to generate a circular traveling wave that rotates around the electrodes of each electrode ring to confine ions within an interior of the apparatus.