Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080272286 | Vacuum Housing System for MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry - The present invention is directed to ion source and vacuum housings for use in MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry which operates with any type of mass analyzer including linear, reflector, or tandem TOF-TOF instruments. By removing the requirement for the vacuum lock, the present invention allows operation of the ion source vacuum chamber at a pressure at least two orders of magnitude higher than conventional instruments. The present invention also requires only a single valve that isolates the ion source vacuum housing from the TOF analyzer vacuum housing. This is a significant improvement over vacuum locks in the art where the valve opening must be sufficiently large to allow the sample plate to pass through. | 11-06-2008 |
20080272290 | Reflector TOF With High Resolution and Mass Accuracy for Peptides and Small Molecules - Many applications in the study of metabolics and proteomics require measurements on peptides and small molecules with high resolving power and mass accuracy. These are often present in complex mixtures and sensitivity over a relatively broad mass range, speed of analysis, reliability, and ease of use are very important. The present invention is a time-of-flight mass spectrometer providing optimum performance for these and similar applications. | 11-06-2008 |
20080272293 | Reversed Geometry MALDI TOF - The TOF mass spectrometer disclosed places an even number of ion mirrors in close proximity to a MALDI ion source and a field-free drift space between the exit from the mirrors and an ion detector. This “reversed geometry” configuration may be distinguished from a conventional reflecting TOF analyzer employing a single ion mirror where a large fraction of the total drift space is located between the ion source and the mirror. | 11-06-2008 |
20090108196 | ION OPTICS SYSTEMS - In various embodiments, provided are ion optics systems comprising an even number of ion mirrors arranged in pairs such that a trajectory of an ion exiting the ion optics system can be provided that intersects a surface substantially parallel to an image focal surface of the ion optics system at a position that is substantially independent of the kinetic energy the ion had on entering the ion optics system. In various embodiments, provided are ion optics systems comprising an even number of ion mirrors arranged in pairs where the first member and second member of each pair are disposed on opposite sides of a first plane such that the first member of the pair has a position that is substantially mirror-symmetric about the first plane relative to the position of the second member of the pair. | 04-30-2009 |
20090294658 | TOF MASS SPECTROMETRY WITH CORRECTION FOR TRAJECTORY ERROR - A time-of-flight mass spectrometer includes a pulsed ion source that generates a pulse of ions from a sample to be analyzed. An ion lens focuses the pulse of ions into an ion beam. An ion deflector deflects the ion beam into a deflected ion beam path. An ion mirror is positioned in the deflected ion beam path so that a plane of constant ion flight time is parallel to an input surface of the ion mirror. The ion mirror decelerates and then accelerates ions so that ions of like mass and like charge exit the ion mirror in a reflected ion beam and reach an ion detector at substantially the same time. An ion detector is positioned in the path of the reflected ion beam so that a plane of constant ion flight time is substantially parallel to an input surface of the ion detector. The ion detector detects a time-of-flight of ions from the pulsed ion source to the ion detector that is substantially independent of a path traveled. | 12-03-2009 |
20100193681 | Quantitative Measurement Of Isotope Ratios By Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry - A mass spectrometer includes a pulsed ion source that generates an ion beam comprising a plurality of ions. A first timed ion selector passes a first group of ions. A first ion mirror generates a reflected ion beam comprising the first group of ions that at least partially compensates for an initial kinetic energy distribution of the first group of ions. A second timed ion selector passes a second group of ions. A second ion mirror generates a reflected ion beam comprising the second group of ions that at least partially compensates for an initial kinetic energy distribution of the second group of ions. A timed ion deflector deflects the second group of ions to a detector assembly comprising at least two ion detectors which detects the deflected ion beam. | 08-05-2010 |
20100301202 | Tandem TOF Mass Spectrometer With High Resolution Precursor Selection And Multiplexed MS-MS - A tandem TOF mass spectrometer includes a first TOF mass analyzer that generates an ion beam comprising a plurality of ions and that selects a group of precursor ions from the plurality of ions. A pulsed ion accelerator accelerates and refocuses the selected group of precursor ions. An ion fragmentation chamber is positioned to receive the selected group of precursor ions that is refocused by the pulsed ion accelerator. At least some of the selected group of precursor ions is fragmented in the ion fragmentation chamber. A second TOF mass analyzer receives the selected group of precursor ions and ion fragments thereof from the ion fragmentation chamber and separates the ion fragments and then detects a fragment ion mass spectrum. | 12-02-2010 |
20110049350 | Tandem TOF Mass Spectrometer With Pulsed Accelerator To Reduce Velocity Spread - A tandem TOF mass spectrometer includes a pulsed ion source that generates a pulse of precursor ions from a sample to be analyzed. A first pulsed ion accelerator accelerates and refocuses a predetermined group of precursor ions. A first timed ion passes the predetermined group of precursor ions and rejects substantially all other ions. An ion fragmentation chamber fragments at least some of the precursor ions in the predetermined group. A second timed ion selector selects a predetermined range of masses centered on each precursor in the predetermined group and rejects substantially all other ions. A second pulsed ion accelerator accelerates and refocuses the selected precursor ions and fragments thereof. An ion mirror generates a reflected ion beam. An ion detector detects precursor ions and fragments, wherein a flight time from the second pulsed ion accelerator to the ion detector is dependent on a mass-to-charge ratio of the selected precursor ions and fragments thereof and nearly independent of an initial velocity distribution of ions in the pulse of ions. | 03-03-2011 |
20110155901 | Merged Ion Beam Tandem TOF-TOF Mass Spectrometer - A tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer includes a first pulsed ion source that produces ions with a first mass and charge that directs the ions into a first stage of a tandem TOF mass spectrometer. In addition, a second pulsed ion source produces ions with a second mass and an opposite charge directs the ions into the first stage of the tandem TOF mass spectrometer. A field-free reaction region is positioned in the ion flight path so that ions from first and second pulsed ion source arrive at the entrance of the field-free reaction region substantially simultaneously in at least one of time and space. At least some of the ions from the first and second pulsed ion source are fragmented by ion-ion collision between positive and negative ions. A second stage of the tandem mass spectrometer separates fragment ions produced in the reaction region according to their mass-to-charge ratio. | 06-30-2011 |
20110266431 | Tandem TOF Mass Spectrometer With High Resolution Precursor Selection And Multiplexed MS-MS And MS-MS Operation - A tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer includes a first TOF mass analyzer that generates an ion beam comprising a plurality of precursor ions and that selects a group of precursor ions from the plurality of precursor ions. A first pulsed ion accelerator accelerates the selected group of precursor ions. A first ion fragmentation chamber fragments at least some of the selected group of precursor ions. A second pulsed ion accelerator accelerates the selected group of precursor ions and fragments thereof. A second ion fragmentation chamber further fragments at least some of the selected group of precursor ion fragments. A second TOF mass analyzer separates the fragments and detects a fragment ion mass spectrum. | 11-03-2011 |
20120145889 | Reflector Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry with Simultaneous Space and Velocity Focusing - A time-of-flight mass spectrometer includes an ion source that generates ions. A two-field ion accelerator accelerates the ions through an ion flight path. A pulsed ion accelerator focuses the ions to a first focal plane where the ion flight time is substantially independent to first order of an initial velocity of the ions prior to acceleration. An ion reflector focuses ions to a second focal plane where the ion flight time is substantially independent to first order of an initial velocity of the ions prior to acceleration. An ion detector positioned at the second focal plane detects the ions. The two-field ion accelerator and the ion reflector cause the ion flight time to the ion detector for the ion of predetermined mass-to-charge ratio to be substantially independent to first order of both the initial position and the initial velocity of the ions prior to acceleration. | 06-14-2012 |
20120145893 | Linear Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry With Simultaneous Space And Velocity Focusing - A time-of-flight mass spectrometer includes an ion source that generates ions. A two-field ion accelerator receives the ions generated by the ion source and generates an electric field that accelerates the ions through an ion flight path. A pulsed ion accelerator generates an accelerating electric field that focuses the ions to a focal plane where the ion flight time to the focal plane for an ion of predetermined mass-to-charge ratio is substantially independent to first order of an initial velocity of the ions prior to acceleration. An ion detector is positioned at the focal plane to detect ions. The two-field ion accelerator generates electric fields that cause the ion flight time to the ion detector for an ion of predetermined mass-to-charge ratio to be substantially independent to first order of both the initial position and the initial velocity of the ions prior to acceleration. | 06-14-2012 |
20120168618 | Tandem Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry With Simultaneous Space And Velocity Focusing - A tandem TOF mass spectrometer includes a first TOF mass analyzer that generates an ion beam comprising a plurality of ions and that selects a group of precursor ions from the plurality of ions. A pulsed ion accelerator accelerates and refocuses the selected group of precursor ions. An ion fragmentation chamber is positioned to receive the selected group of precursor ions that is refocused by the pulsed ion accelerator. At least some of the selected group of precursor ions is fragmented in the ion fragmentation chamber. A second TOF mass analyzer receives the selected group of precursor ions and ion fragments thereof from the ion fragmentation chamber and separates the ion fragments and then detects a fragment ion mass spectrum. | 07-05-2012 |
20150048245 | Ion Optical System For MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer - An ion accelerator for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer includes a pulsed ion accelerator positioned proximate to a sample plate and having an electrode that is electrically connected to the sample plate. An accelerator power supply generates an accelerating potential on the ion accelerator electrode that accelerates a pulse of ions generated from the sample positioned on the sample plate. An ion focusing electrode is positioned after the pulsed ion accelerator. A potential applied to the ion focusing electrode focuses the pulse of ions into a substantially parallel beam propagating in an ion flight path. A static ion accelerator is positioned proximate to the ion focusing electrode with an input that receives the pulse of ions focused by the ion focusing electrode. The static ion accelerator accelerating the focused pulse of ions. | 02-19-2015 |