Mesh Electrode RF Ion Manipulation for Mass Spectrometry Miniaturization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RF devices for ion manipulation in mass spectrometry require complex structures of alternating electrodes, which complicates fabrication and hinders miniaturization, limiting the mass range of trapped ions and complicating the formation of massive arrays.
Innovation Solution
A radio frequency (RF) surface is formed using a single mesh electrode within an RF field, which repels ions without the need for alternating electrodes, allowing for miniaturization and the creation of compact ion guides and traps, enabling efficient ion manipulation and mass separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional RF devices use complex structures of alternating electrodes, then ion manipulation capability is achieved, but device complexity increases and miniaturization is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of ion repulsion from the complex alternating electrode structure and implements it using a single mesh electrode. By removing the alternating electrode configuration and retaining only the functional element (mesh electrode) that generates the repulsive force, the device achieves miniaturization while maintaining ion manipulation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple electrode functions into a single mesh electrode structure. Instead of requiring separate alternating electrodes to generate the RF field, the mesh electrode alone suffices to create the ion-repelling surface, simplifying the overall device architecture and enabling compact designs.
2Reliability
If conventional RF devices use alternating electrodes, then ion trapping is achieved, but fabrication complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the ion trapping function from the complex alternating electrode assembly and implements it using a single mesh electrode. This extraction simplifies fabrication by eliminating the need to manufacture and assemble multiple alternating electrodes, while preserving the essential ion trapping capability through the mesh's RF field generation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional RF devices use complex electrode structures, then ion manipulation is achieved, but mass range of trapped ions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the mesh electrode structure universal by demonstrating its ability to manipulate ions across a broad mass range. The single mesh electrode design is not limited to specific ion masses, providing versatile ion manipulation capability that extends to both small and large ions, unlike conventional alternating electrode structures.
4Reliability
If conventional RF devices use alternating electrodes, then ion confinement is achieved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the ion confinement function from the bulky alternating electrode structure and implements it in a compact form using a single mesh electrode. This extraction reduces the device volume significantly while maintaining the confining capability, enabling miniaturized ion guides and traps.
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh electrode acts as a thin, flexible structure that can be configured in compact geometries. The mesh's fine-wire construction allows it to create effective ion-repelling surfaces in small volumes, enabling the design of compact ion guides and traps that maintain confinement capability while reducing overall device size.
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 mesh-based RF surface facilitates miniaturization, allowing for tighter ion beam confinement, increased mass range, and improved mass resolution, while eliminating space charge effects, enabling the formation of massive arrays for efficient ion chromatography and time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
Implementation Method 1
penetration of a radio frequency (RF) field through a mesh to form an ion-repelling surface
Implementation Method 2
Confinement of ions within a channel formed by such surface
Data Source
AI summary
Ion manipulation systems include ion repulsion by an RF field penetrating through a mesh. Another comprises trapping ions in a symmetric RF field around a mesh. The system uses macroscopic parts, or readily available fine meshes, or miniaturized devices made by MEMS, or flexible PCB methods. One application is ion transfer from gaseous ion sources with focusing at intermediate and elevated gas pressures. Another application is the formation of pulsed ion packets for TOF MS within trap array. Such trapping is preferably accompanied by pulsed switching of RF field and by gas pulses, preferably formed by pulsed vapor desorption. Ion guidance, ion flow manipulation, trapping, preparation of pulsed ion packets, confining ions during fragmentation or exposure to ion to particle reactions and for mass separation are disclosed. Ion chromatography employs an ion passage within a gas flow and through a set of multiple traps with a mass dependent well depth.