TIMS Analyzer Elevated Pressure Ion Current Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current hybrid mass spectrometric systems with trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS) struggle to handle higher ion currents from ion sources, limiting the detection of low-abundant ion species due to constraints in ion trapping and separation capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The system operates a TIMS analyzer at elevated pressures above 500 Pa, utilizing an electric DC field gradient and counteracting gas flow for axial trapping, with an ion gate for selective ion transfer between TIMS analyzers, and an RF multipole for additional filtering and fragmentation, allowing higher ion currents and improved mobility resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a TIMS analyzer is operated at low pressure (2-500 Pa) with conventional ion trapping, then mobility separation is achieved, but the system cannot handle higher ion currents from ion sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter from conventional low pressure (2-500 Pa) to elevated pressure (above 500 Pa, preferably 1000-10000 Pa). This parameter change enables the TIMS analyzer to handle higher ion currents while maintaining mobility separation capability, as the elevated pressure increases the RF pseudo-potential depth and ion trapping efficiency without compromising the fundamental mobility separation mechanism
2Measurement precision
If ion current from the ion source is increased to lower detection limits, then sensitivity for low-abundant species improves, but the TIMS analyzer cannot effectively trap and separate the higher ion currents
Solution Approach 1:
By operating at elevated pressure (above 500 Pa), the system increases the RF pseudo-potential depth and ion-molecule collision frequency, which enhances ion trapping efficiency and allows the analyzer to process higher ion currents from the ion source while maintaining effective separation, thereby enabling lower detection limits for low-abundant species
3Quantity of substance
If the TIMS analyzer operates at elevated pressure above 500 Pa, then ion current handling and detection sensitivity improve, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies the vacuum system by operating at elevated pressure (above 500 Pa) rather than requiring high vacuum conditions. This pressure elevation reduces the complexity of vacuum pumps and sealing requirements while enabling enhanced ion current handling through increased RF pseudo-potential depth and improved ion trapping efficiency
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 configuration enables higher ion current handling and lower detection limits for low-abundant species by enhancing RF pseudo-potential, mobility resolution, and ion throughput without compromising selectivity, thereby improving the overall analytical capability.
Implementation Method 1
ions are at first trapped along a non-uniform electric DC field (electric field gradient, EFG) by a counteracting gas flow
Implementation Method 2
The trapped ions are at first separated in space in a TIMS analyzer according to mobility and subsequently eluted from the TIMS analyzer over time according to their mobility by adjusting one of the gas velocity and the height of axial electric DC field
Implementation Method 3
A TIMS analyzer is operated in the low pressure range of 2 to 500 Pa and uses an electric RF field for radially confining the ions
Implementation Method 4
Transient electric potentials are applied to the electrodes of the ion gate such that the transmission for ions in at least one limited mobility range is reduced
Implementation Method 5
Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is an analytical technique that is used to investigate the mobility of ions in a buffer gas and to separate them according to their mobility
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
The invention provides hybrid mass spectrometric systems which comprise an ion source, a first trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS) analyzer and a mass analyzer, wherein the TIMS analyzer is located and operated in a first vacuum chamber at an elevated pressure above 500 Pa, and methods for operating the hybrid mass spectrometric systems.