Ion Mobility Pre-Filtering for Higher IMS Duty Cycle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) devices with time-based separation techniques have low duty cycles and are limited by space-charge effects, while those with space-based separation techniques have lower transmission efficiency, resolution, and sensitivity.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method for ion manipulation that includes multiple separation regions and a switch to alternate electric fields, allowing for improved duty cycle by accumulating and separating ions in overlapping time periods, using pre-filter regions to reduce ion load and increase accumulation time, and employing nonlinear separation paths with gates for simultaneous filtering and separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If time-based separation techniques are used in IMS devices, then separation resolution is improved, but duty cycle decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into multiple independent separation regions (first separation region, second separation region) that operate in parallel. Each region processes a portion of the ion population simultaneously, allowing the system to maintain high resolution separation while increasing overall throughput and duty cycle by eliminating the sequential processing bottleneck
Solution Approach 2:
The switch alternates electric fields to guide different portions of ions to different separation regions in an overlapping time period, ensuring continuous ion processing without idle accumulation time. This continuous operation maintains high duty cycle while preserving separation resolution through the parallel processing capability
2Productivity
If space-based separation techniques are used in IMS devices, then duty cycle is improved, but transmission efficiency and sensitivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The ion beam is segmented into multiple portions that are distributed to parallel separation regions. Each region maintains optimized conditions for high transmission efficiency while the parallel architecture ensures high duty cycle through simultaneous processing of multiple ion packets
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from single-path space-based separation to multi-path parallel separation, adding the dimension of temporal overlap. Multiple separation processes occur simultaneously in different spatial regions, achieving both high duty cycle and maintained transmission efficiency
3Measurement precision
If ion accumulation time is increased in time-based IMS devices, then separation quality is improved, but space-charge effects limit the maximum accumulation time
Solution Approach 1:
The ion population is divided into multiple portions that are accumulated and processed in parallel across separate regions. Each region accumulates fewer ions for shorter durations, avoiding space-charge limitations while maintaining high separation quality through the combined output of multiple parallel separation processes
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple separation processes operating in parallel are merged to achieve the same analytical goals as a single long-duration separation. The combined results from multiple short-duration, high-quality separations equivalent to one long separation, bypassing space-charge effects
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
The solution enhances the duty cycle of ion manipulation, increasing the time for ion accumulation and separation while maintaining high resolution and sensitivity, overcoming space-charge limitations and improving the efficiency of ion transmission.
Implementation Method 1
IMS is a technique for separating and identifying ions in gaseous phase based on their mobilities
Implementation Method 2
By applying the electric field over a separation distance (e.g., in a drift tube) of an IMS device, ions from an ion mixture can be temporally or spatially separated based on their mobility
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for ion manipulation having improved duty cycle that includes a pre-filter region and an accumulation region. The pre-filter region is configured to receive ions and perform a first ion mobility filtering operation on the ions to separate the ions into a first group of ions and a second group of ions based on mobility of the ions. The accumulation region is configured to receive the first group of ions from the pre-filter region, accumulate the first group of ions into an ion packet, and release the ion packet into an ion mobility separation region configured separate the ions based on mobility of the ions. Wherein the pre-filter region is configured to reduce the amount of ions provided to the accumulation region and increase the amount of time the accumulation region can accumulate ions.