Spiral Plate-Electrode Ion Guide With Fewer IMS Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ion guide designs for ion mobility spectrometers are complex, costly, and prone to electrical failures due to the large number of electrodes and connections required, and they often suffer from low resolution and limited ion mobility range.
Innovation Solution
A compact ion guide design featuring a set of plate electrodes with multiple apertures arranged in a curved stack, creating a continuous helical or spiral ion flight path, which reduces the number of electrodes and connections needed, enhancing manufacturing simplicity and robustness while maintaining high resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a large number of electrodes are used to create a long drift path, then ion mobility resolution is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drift path is segmented into multiple sections, each containing a limited number of electrode pairs. Ions traverse each section multiple times through folding, effectively creating a long drift path without requiring a proportionally large number of electrodes. This segmentation allows high resolution to be achieved while controlling device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The drift path is folded back on itself in three-dimensional space, transforming a linear path into a multi-dimensional trajectory. This allows the ion beam to traverse the same electrode pairs multiple times, effectively extending the drift path length without adding proportional electrode complexity. The path folds between opposite polarity electrodes, creating a compact high-resolution structure.
2Measurement precision
If more electrodes are used to extend the drift path, then ion mobility resolution improves, but reliability decreases due to more electrical connections
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode system is divided into discrete sections with manageable numbers of electrodes each. This segmentation reduces the total number of electrical connections required while still achieving the desired drift path length through folding, thereby improving reliability by minimizing connection points that could fail.
Solution Approach 2:
By folding the drift path in three-dimensional space, the system achieves an extended effective drift length without proportionally increasing the number of physical electrodes and their connections. This dimensional approach maintains high resolution while improving reliability through reduced connection complexity.
3Volume of moving object
If the drift path is folded into a compact structure, then device size is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compact folded structure is achieved by dividing the drift region into repeatable sections that can be manufactured and assembled modularly. Each section contains a manageable number of electrodes and can be constructed using standard fabrication techniques, reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the compact folded geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The drift path is folded using smooth curved transitions between linear sections, allowing ions to navigate the compact structure without excessive scattering. The curved geometry is achieved through carefully designed electrode arrangements that guide ions through the folded path while maintaining control, balancing compactness with manufacturability.
4Volume of moving object
If a closed loop structure is used to save space, then device compactness improves, but ion mobility range and resolution are limited
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a single closed loop, the drift region is segmented into multiple linear sections that are folded back on themselves. This segmented approach allows ions to traverse the structure in a controlled sequence, maintaining sufficient path length for high resolution measurements while achieving compact device geometry, unlike closed loop structures where fast ions can catch up with slow ions.
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 design achieves high ion mobility spectrometer resolution in a compact form with fewer electrodes and connections, improving accuracy and duty cycle, and preserving ion mobility range at high resolution.
Implementation Method 1
A RF voltage is applied to the electrodes in order to confine ions radially within the ion guide
Implementation Method 2
A DC or transient DC voltage is applied to at least some of the electrodes in order to urge ions along the ion guide
Implementation Method 3
In IMS, ions are pushed down a gas filled drift tube by an electric field and separate spatially according to their ion mobilities
Data Source
AI summary
An ion guide may comprise a set of plate electrodes, each plate electrode having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough. The set of plate electrodes are spatially arranged such that a relative positioning of each plurality of apertures of a respective plate electrode of the set of plate electrodes and respective adjacent plate electrodes of the set of plate electrodes defines a continuous ion flight path through the respective plurality of apertures of each plate electrode of the set of plate electrodes. The continuous ion flight path has a helical-based and/or spiral-based shape.