Multiplexed ToF Mass Spectrometry for High-Rate Ion Pushes
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-resolution Time of Flight (ToF) mass spectrometry is limited by long ion flight times, which reduce the rate at which ions can be pushed into the analyzer without causing spectral overlap, making it difficult to use with fast upstream ion separation techniques.
Innovation Solution
A method involving pushing ions into a ToF mass analyzer in multiple pushes with time spacings shorter than the longest flight time or range of flight times, allowing for high-rate recording of mass spectral data and enabling high mass resolution analysis even with long flight times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ions are pushed into a ToF mass analyser at a high rate, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to spectral overlap from long flight times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the continuous ion signal into discrete pushes, where each push is assigned a unique time stamp. By segmenting the ion arrival times and associating them with specific push events, the system can process multiple pushes simultaneously without spectral confusion, thereby maintaining both high productivity and measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent assigns time stamps to each ion push before the ions complete their flight through the analyser. This preliminary timing assignment allows the system to pre-organize spectral data by push origin, enabling high-rate data acquisition while maintaining the ability to precisely resolve individual mass spectra through post-acquisition decoding
2Measurement precision
If a long flight path is used in the ToF mass analyser, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to reduced ion push rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic ion pushes into the long flight path analyser, with each push occurring at a defined time interval. By using periodic action with unique time stamps for each push, the system can maintain high mass resolution from the long flight path while increasing the overall ion push rate through systematic repetition of the push cycle
Solution Approach 2:
Time stamps are assigned to each periodic push before ions complete their long flight, allowing the system to pre-organize data from the long flight path. This preliminary timing assignment enables the analyser to maintain high mass resolution while operating at increased productivity through multiple periodic pushes
3Productivity
If multiple pushes are performed with time spacing shorter than flight time, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to spectral decoding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns unique time stamps to each ion push before the ions complete their flight and before spectral analysis occurs. This preliminary timing information simplifies the decoding process by providing a pre-established reference framework, allowing the system to handle multiple overlapping pushes with shorter time spacing while managing complexity through pre-organized data structure
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the recorded time stamps as feedback to correctly assign and decode spectral data from multiple pushes. By feeding back the timing information to the data processing stage, the system can automatically resolve spectral overlaps from high-rate pushes without requiring complex real-time processing, thereby improving productivity while managing device complexity
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 allows for high-resolution ToF mass spectrometry to sample ions at a high rate, even with long flight times, effectively profiling quickly changing ion signals and maintaining high mass resolution.
Implementation Method 1
time of flight (ToF) mass spectrometry in which ions are pushed into the ToF mass analyser
Implementation Method 2
detecting the ions with a ToF detector so as to obtain spectral data
Data Source
AI summary
A method of time of flight (ToF) mass spectrometry comprising: pushing ions into a ToF mass analyser in a plurality of pushes, wherein the time spacing between adjacent pushes is shorter than either the longest flight time, or the range of flight times, of the ions; detecting the ions so as to obtain spectral data; decoding the spectral data to determine first mass spectral data relating to ions pushed into the ToF mass analyser by a first plurality of the pushes (P1-P4), and allocating this first mass spectral data to a first time stamp (t1); and decoding the spectral data to determine second mass spectral data relating to ions pushed into the ToF mass analyser by a second plurality of the pushes (P5-P8), and allocating this second mass spectral data to a second time-stamp (t2); wherein the first and second time-stamps have a time difference therebetween that is shorter than said longest flight time, or said range of flight times (4), in the ToF mass analyser.