Segmented Mirror for Ion Source Cleaning and Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cleaning MALDI ion source electrodes without venting the evacuated housing are not resilient to repeated cleaning cycles, leading to degradation of the cleaning effectiveness over time.
Innovation Solution
A method using a mirror with a first reflective surface optimized for UV light to desorb contaminant material and a second reflective surface optimized for visible light to produce an image, allowing for effective cleaning and imaging without venting the housing, with specific reflectivity and curvature configurations to enhance durability and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single reflective surface mirror is used for UV light reflection to clean the ion source, then the cleaning function is achieved, but the mirror surface degrades over repeated cleaning cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror is divided into two distinct reflective surfaces: a first reflective surface optimized for UV light reflection (to enable cleaning by desorbing contaminant material) and a second reflective surface optimized for visible light reflection (to enable imaging of the ion source). This segmentation allows each surface to be specialized for its specific wavelength band, preventing the degradation that occurs when a single surface must handle both UV and visible light.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror employs composite material construction with different reflective coatings on each surface. The first surface has a coating optimized for UV reflectivity while the second surface has a coating optimized for visible light reflectivity. This composite approach allows the mirror to maintain high performance in both cleaning and imaging functions without the UV-degradation issues that plague single-surface mirrors.
2Productivity
If UV light is used to desorb contaminant material from the ion source surface, then cleaning is achieved, but the mirror surface used to reflect UV light deteriorates over time
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror is divided into two distinct reflective surfaces: a first reflective surface optimized for UV light reflection (to enable cleaning by desorbing contaminant material) and a second reflective surface optimized for visible light reflection (to enable imaging of the ion source). This segmentation allows each surface to be specialized for its specific wavelength band, preventing the degradation that occurs when a single surface must handle both UV and visible light.
3Measurement precision
If the mirror is optimized for UV light reflection, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but visible light imaging capability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror is divided into two distinct reflective surfaces: a first reflective surface optimized for UV light reflection (to enable cleaning by desorbing contaminant material) and a second reflective surface optimized for visible light reflection (to enable imaging of the ion source). This segmentation allows each surface to be specialized for its specific wavelength band, preventing the degradation that occurs when a single surface must handle both UV and visible light.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror is designed to perform multiple functions: the first reflective surface enables UV-based cleaning while the second reflective surface enables visible light imaging. This multi-functionality allows a single mirror component to serve both the cleaning and diagnostic imaging needs of the ion source system without requiring separate optical components.
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 method effectively cleans the electrodes, maintaining performance across multiple cleaning cycles without venting the housing, reducing maintenance frequency and operational complexity.
Implementation Method 1
reflecting light that has a wavelength in a first wavelength band onto a surface of the ion source so that contaminant material is desorbed from the surface of the ion source
Implementation Method 2
reflecting light that has a wavelength in a second wavelength band and that comes from the surface of the ion source towards an imaging apparatus for producing an image of the surface of the ion source
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A method of cleaning an ion source. The method includes: at a first reflective surface of a mirror, reflecting light that has a wavelength in a first wavelength band onto a surface of the ion source so that contaminant material is desorbed from the surface of the ion source; at a second reflective surface of the mirror, reflecting light that has a wavelength in a second wavelength band and that comes from the surface of the ion source towards an imaging apparatus for producing an image of the surface of the ion source, wherein the light that has a wavelength in the second wavelength band passes through the first reflective surface of the mirror before being reflected at the second reflective surface of the mirror.