Ion Mobility Spectrometry Receiver for Soft Landing Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of ion mobility separation cells with mass spectrometers is hindered by high pressure requirements, leading to complex and costly instrumentation, and time limitations in detecting mobility-separated ions, which restricts the use of ion mobility spectra, especially when combined with slower mass analyzers like FT-ICR MS.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus and method separate ion mobility separation from mass spectrometric analysis, allowing mobility-separated ions to be deposited onto a receiver for subsequent analysis in a different instrument, enabling spatial focusing and controlled deposition techniques such as 'soft landing' or 'crash landing' to preserve or fragment ions, and allowing for accumulative deposition and analysis under optimal conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ion mobility separation cells are integrated with mass spectrometers, then mobility-separated ions can be detected, but the high pressure requirements lead to complex and costly instrumentation with vacuum system challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the analytical system into two independent segments: an ion mobility separation device operating at atmospheric pressure and a mass spectrometer operating under vacuum. The mobility separator and mass analyzer are physically separated, eliminating the need for complex vacuum systems in the mobility separation path while maintaining reliable mobility-separated ion detection through independent operation of each module.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary transfer mechanism (such as a transfer capillary or interface region) that connects the atmospheric pressure mobility separation device to the vacuum mass spectrometer. This intermediary allows ions to transition from the atmospheric pressure environment to the vacuum environment without requiring the entire mobility separation path to operate under vacuum, thus reducing system complexity.
2Productivity
If mobility-separated ions are detected rapidly, then time limitations are addressed, but slower mass analyzers like FT-ICR MS cannot be used effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs ion mobility separation beforehand (preliminarily) in an atmospheric pressure device before transferring ions to the mass spectrometer. This preliminary separation action allows the mass analyzer to work at its own optimal speed without being constrained by rapid detection requirements, enabling the use of slower but more versatile analyzers like FT-ICR MS while still achieving effective mobility-separated ion analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the analytical process into a preliminary mobility separation stage and a subsequent mass analysis stage, the patent decouples the time constraints of rapid detection from the mass analyzer operation. Each segment can operate independently at its optimal timescale, allowing versatile but slower mass analyzers to be used effectively.
3Measurement precision
If ion mobility separation is performed in a high pressure environment, then separation efficiency is improved, but integration with mass spectrometers becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the system into an atmospheric pressure ion mobility separation module and a vacuum mass spectrometer module. The separation module operates independently at atmospheric pressure where high separation efficiency is achieved through collisions with buffer gas, while the mass spectrometer operates under vacuum. This segmentation allows each module to optimize for its specific function without compromising the other, maintaining high separation efficiency while avoiding the complexity of integrating high pressure systems with vacuum instruments.
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 eliminates vacuum system challenges and time limitations, enabling efficient analysis of mobility-separated ions using various analytical techniques, allowing for longer analysis times and improved resolution without the need for rapid detection, and facilitates the use of slower analysis instruments.
Implementation Method 1
Ions are accelerated in an electric field. Due to the collisions with gas molecules the ions are also exposed to a drag force and therefore move through the cell with a constant velocity proportional to the electric field. The proportionality constant is called 'ion mobility'
Implementation Method 2
Due to the collisions with gas molecules the ions are also exposed to a drag force and therefore move through the cell with a constant velocity proportional to the electric field
Implementation Method 3
Ions with the same mass but with different collisions cross sections have different mobilities. If different conformational isomers of the same compound are accelerated in an ion mobility cell, the isomer with the smallest geometric cross section will have the highest ion mobility. Ions with open (unfolded) conformation will be exposed to a larger number of collisions and therefore fly slower
Implementation Method 4
The introduction of electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) techniques helped mass spectrometry to experience a giant leap
Implementation Method 5
The introduction of electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) techniques helped mass spectrometry to experience a giant leap
Implementation Method 6
by collisions with neutral particles (collision induced dissociation, CID)
Implementation Method 7
by sequential absorption of multiple infrared photons from a CO2 laser (infrared multiphoton dissociation, IRMPD)
Implementation Method 8
by capturing low energy electrons (electron capture dissociation, ECD)
Implementation Method 9
by electron transfer from a negative ion (electron transfer dissociation, ETD)
Data Source
AI summary
In an ion mobility spectrometer, ions are generated, mobility-separated and deposited on a receiver, preferably at spatially separated positions by soft landing or crash landing techniques. The ion mobility spectrometer can be a stand-alone instrument or part of a hybrid analysis instrument. To analyze the deposited ions, the receiver is removed from the vacuum system of the ion mobility spectrometer and introduced into an analytical instrument. Various physical, chemical, and biological analysis techniques and instrumentation can be used, such as mass spectrometry or surface analytical techniques, by selecting a special receiver suitable for the desired analytical technique.