Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer Aberration Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Time-of-flight mass spectrometers face limitations in mass and spatial resolution due to uncorrected timing, chromatic, and geometrical aberrations, which affect the quality of images produced on the image plane.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a straight ion optical axis with electrostatic axial symmetrical mirrors and lenses to compensate for third-order and higher-order geometrical and chromatic aberrations, allowing for improved focusing and image correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If electrostatic mirrors and lenses are used to correct aberrations, then mass resolution and spatial resolution are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ion optical system is divided into multiple functional segments: electrostatic mirrors for timing aberration correction, electrostatic lenses for spatial focusing, and electrostatic deflectors for trajectory control. Each component addresses specific aberrations independently, allowing optimized correction without requiring a complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nested electrostatic components where mirrors, lenses, and deflectors are positioned within the same vacuum chamber along a shared optical axis. The electrostatic mirrors are placed upstream, followed by lenses and deflectors downstream, creating a compact nested arrangement that corrects multiple aberration types simultaneously.
2Measurement precision
If electrostatic mirrors and lenses are used to correct aberrations, then spatial resolution is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ion optical system is divided into multiple functional segments: electrostatic mirrors for timing aberration correction, electrostatic lenses for spatial focusing, and electrostatic deflectors for trajectory control. Each component addresses specific aberrations independently, allowing optimized correction without requiring a complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nested electrostatic components where mirrors, lenses, and deflectors are positioned within the same vacuum chamber along a shared optical axis. The electrostatic mirrors are placed upstream, followed by lenses and deflectors downstream, creating a compact nested arrangement that corrects multiple aberration types simultaneously.
3Manufacturing precision
If a straight ion optical axis is used with symmetrical mirrors, then higher-order aberrations are corrected, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
While maintaining an overall symmetrical ion optical axis, the patent employs asymmetrical electrode geometries within the electrostatic mirrors and lenses. The electrode shapes are specifically designed to generate electric field distributions that compensate for third-order and higher-order aberrations, achieving precise correction without requiring perfect mechanical symmetry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes adjustable voltage parameters on the electrostatic components to dynamically correct aberrations. By varying the electric field strengths and potentials on mirrors, lenses, and deflectors, the system can compensate for manufacturing tolerances and achieve the required precision without extremely tight mechanical manufacturing specifications.
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
Significantly enhances mass and spatial resolution by minimizing aberrations, resulting in higher analytical quality and more precise ion detection.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating a straight ion optical axis with electrostatic axial symmetrical mirrors and lenses to compensate for third-order and higher-order geometrical and chromatic aberrations
Implementation Method 2
Incorporating a straight ion optical axis with electrostatic axial symmetrical mirrors and lenses to compensate for third-order and higher-order geometrical and chromatic aberrations
Implementation Method 3
A time-of-flight analyzer ionizes a sample, accelerates the ions to fly in a space of a certain distance, measures the time required for the flight, and obtains mass to charge ratio of ions from the flight time
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed embodiments include a time-of-flight mass spectrometer with a straight ion optical axis comprising: an ion gate is electrically insolated electrode on which applied voltages to reject/pass ions through ion gate, entrance module and exit module set in focus/mirror modes, and create ion optical image on image plane located in field view aperture, electrostatic object lens, entrance module in focus mode and, transport electrostatic lens, exit module in focus mode and projection lens focused and map ions from image plane of field view aperture to image plane of ion detector, projection lens configured to form ion optical image of sample holder on image plane of ion detector and ion optical components with corrected geometrical, chromatic and timed aberrations configured to compensate time arriving disturbance in image plane of ion detector and improve mass and spatial resolution of image on image plane of ion detector.