Mass Spectrometer Reverse Axial Field Potential Drop

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mass spectrometers face issues with large potential drops across components, leading to electrical breakdown, power supply range limitations, safety concerns, and control complexity, particularly when transmitting ions with high mass-to-charge ratios or requiring collision-induced dissociation.

Innovation Solution

Applying a reverse axial electric field to specific components within the mass spectrometer to reduce the total potential drop, allowing for localized potential differences and maintaining upstream components at static potentials, thereby avoiding the need for them to track the potential drop.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If large potential drops are introduced across components to enable collision-induced dissociation or transmit high mass-to-charge ratio ions, then ion transmission efficiency and fragmentation capability are improved, but electrical breakdown risk and power supply complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveion transmission efficiencyVSAvoidelectrical breakdown risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The instrument is divided into multiple regions with independently controllable potentials. Instead of applying a single large potential drop across the entire instrument, the potential gradient is segmented into smaller steps across different components (ion source, transfer regions, collision cell, detector). This allows the total potential drop to be distributed, reducing the risk of electrical breakdown while maintaining ion transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs dynamic potential tracking where upstream components adjust their potentials to follow the potential drop requirements. By implementing floating or tracking potentials on upstream components, the system can accommodate large total potential drops needed for high mass-to-charge ratio ion transmission and collision-induced dissociation without requiring any single component to withstand excessive voltage, thereby reducing electrical breakdown risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If all upstream components float or track the potential drop to transmit continuous ion beams, then ion transmission is maintained, but device complexity and control requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous ion beam transmissionVSAvoidpotential tracking complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic potential tracking where upstream components automatically adjust their potentials to follow the potential drop requirements of downstream components. This dynamic adaptation allows continuous ion beam transmission through the instrument while the control system manages the complexity by establishing tracking relationships between components rather than requiring independent control of each component's potential.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Force

If cumulative voltage increases are applied to upstream components to accommodate downstream potential drops, then ion acceleration and focusing are achieved, but safety concerns and power supply range requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveion accelerationVSAvoidsafety concerns

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cumulative voltage increase is segmented across multiple components rather than concentrated on a single upstream component. Each component experiences only the potential difference required for its specific function (ion acceleration, focusing, or transmission), rather than the total cumulative voltage. This segmentation reduces safety concerns while maintaining the necessary ion acceleration forces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 reduces the overall potential drop along the instrument, mitigates electrical breakdown risks, and enables larger potential differences without compromising safety or control complexity, while allowing for efficient ion transmission and fragmentation control.

Implementation Method 1

reducing the total potential drop across the first and second devices by applying a reverse axial electric field to the first device and/or the second device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReverse axial electric field: Electric Field

Implementation Method 2

driving ions through the first device and/or the second device against the reverse axial electric field

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIon movement against electric field: Electrophoresis

Data Source

PatentUS9978572B2Mass spectrometer with reduced potential drop

Publication Date: 2018.05.22 MICROMASS UK LTD

AI summary

A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising providing a first device and a second device disposed downstream of the first device. The method further comprises introducing a potential difference between the exit of the first device and the entrance of the second device and reducing the total potential drop across the first and second devices by applying a reverse axial electric field to the first device and/or the second device. Ions are driven through the first device and/or the second device against the reverse axial electric field.