Abstract: A system for separating ions may include an ion source configured to generate ions from a sample, at least one ion separation instrument configured to separate the generated ions as a function of at least one molecular characteristic, and an orbitrap in which a rotating and oscillating ion induces charges on inner and outer electrode halves of the orbitrap, and wherein charge detection circuitry is configured to detect the charges induced on each of the inner electrode halves and on each of the outer electrode halves, and to combine the detected charges for each oscillation to produce a measured ion charge signal.

Abstract: An instrument for separating ions may include an ion source in a first pressure environment at a first pressure and configured to generate ions from a sample, an ion separation instrument, controlled to an instrument pressure that is less than the first pressure, and configured to separate ions as a function of at least one molecular characteristic and an interface, controlled to a second pressure less than the first pressure and greater than the instrument pressure, for transporting the generated ions from the first pressure environment into the ion separation instrument operating at the instrument pressure. The interface may include a sealed ion funnel defining an axial passageway therethrough, and an ion carpet sealed to the first ion funnel. A portion of the axial passageway tapers from a first cross-sectional area to a reduced cross-sectional area such that the tapered axial passageway defining a virtual jet disrupter therein.

Abstract: An orbitrap may include elongated inner and outer electrodes, wherein the inner and outer electrodes each define two axially spaced apart electrode halves with a central transverse plane extending through the electrodes also passing between both sets of electrode halves, a cavity defined radially about and axially along the inner electrode between the two inner electrode halves and the two outer electrode halves, means for establishing an electric field configured to trap an ion in the cavity and to cause the trapped ion to rotate about, and oscillate axially along, the inner electrode, wherein the rotating and oscillating ion induces charges on the inner and outer electrode halves, and charge detection circuitry configured to detect the charges induced on the inner and on outer electrode halves, and to combine the detected charges for each oscillation to produce a measured ion charge signal.

Abstract: A charge detection mass spectrometer includes an ion trap configured to receive and store ions therein and to selectively release stored ions therefrom, and an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) spaced apart from the ion trap, the ELIT including first and second ion mirrors and a charge detection cylinder positioned therebetween, and means for selectively controlling the ion trap to release at least some of the stored ions therefrom to travel toward and into the ELIT, and for controlling the first and second ion mirrors in a manner which traps in the ELIT a single one of the ions traveling therein and causes the trapped ion to oscillate back and forth between the first and second ion mirrors each time passing through and inducing a corresponding charge on the charge detection cylinder.

Abstract: A charge detection mass spectrometer may include an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) or orbitrap, a source of ions to supply ions to the ELIT or orbitrap, a processor operatively coupled to the ELIT or orbitrap, a display monitor coupled to the processor, and a memory having instructions stored therein executable by the processor to produce a control graphic user interface (GUI) on the display monitor, the control GUI including at least one selectable GUI element for at least one corresponding operating parameter of the ELIT or orbitrap, receive a first user command, via user interaction with the control GUI, corresponding to selection of the at least one selectable GUI element, and control the ELIT or orbitrap to control the at least one corresponding operating parameter of the ELIT or orbitrap in response to receipt of, and based on, the first user command.

Abstract: A method for analyzing charged particles may include generating, in or into an ion source region, charged particles from a sample of particles, causing the charged particles to enter a mass spectrometer from the ion source region at each of a plurality of differing physical and/or chemical conditions in a range of physical and/or chemical conditions in which the sample particles undergo structural changes, controlling the mass spectrometer to measure at least the charge magnitudes of the generated charged particles at each of the plurality of differing physical and/or chemical conditions, determining, with a processor, an average charge magnitude of the generated charged particles at each of the plurality of differing physical and/or chemical conditions based on the measured charge magnitudes, and determining, with the processor, an average charge magnitude profile over the range of physical and/or chemical conditions based on the determined average charge magnitudes.

Abstract: A charge detection mass spectrometer may include an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) or an orbitrap, an ion source to supply ions thereto, at least one amplifier operatively coupled to the ELIT or orbitrap, a processor coupled to ELIT or orbitrap and to the amplifier(s), and processor programmed to control the ELIT or orbitrap as part of a trapping event to attempt to trap therein a single ion supplied by the ion source, to record ion measurement information based on output signals produced by the amplifier(s) over a duration of the trapping event, to determine, based on the measurement information, whether the control of the ELIT or orbitrap resulted in trapping of a single ion, no ion or multiple ions, and to compute an ion mass or mass-to-charge ratio from the measurement information only if a single ion was trapped during the trapping event.

Abstract: An electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) array includes a plurality of ion mirrors and a plurality of elongated charge detection cylinders each defining an axial passageway centrally therethrough, the ion mirrors and the charge detection cylinders arranged relative to one another such that each charge detection cylinder is positioned between a different respective pair of the ion mirrors with the respective axial passageways of each coaxial with one another, wherein the axial passageways of the ELITs are not coaxial with one another, means for selectively directing at least one ion into each of the plurality of ELITs, and means for controlling each of the ion mirrors in a manner which causes the at least one ion in at least two of the ELITs to become trapped therein and to simultaneously oscillate back and forth between the respective ion mirrors each time passing through the respective charge detection cylinder.

Abstract: An interface transports ions from a first pressure environment to a lower pressure analysis instrument and may include a first region pumped to a second pressure less than the first pressure, a first ion funnel disposed in the first region, a first ion carpet in the first region opposite an ion outlet end of the first ion funnel, a second region pumped to a third pressure less than the second pressure and greater than the instrument pressure, a second ion funnel disposed in the second region and a second ion carpet in the second region opposite an ion outlet end of the second ion funnel. Ions from the environment pass sequentially through the first and second ion funnels and into the analysis instrument. Each of the first and second ion funnels define a tapered axial passageway therethrough each defining a respective virtual jet disrupter therein.

Abstract: An electrostatic linear ion trap has first and second axially aligned ion mirrors separated by a charge detection cylinder axially aligned with each ion mirror. Electric fields are selectively established within the first and second ion mirrors in a manner which causes an ion in the trap to oscillate back and forth through the charge detection cylinder between the first and second ion mirrors with a duty cycle, corresponding to a ratio of time spent by the ion passing through the charge detection cylinder and total time spent traversing a combination of the first and second ion mirrors and the charge detection cylinder during one complete oscillation cycle, of approximately 50%.

Abstract: An electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) array includes multiple elongated charge detection cylinders arranged end-to-end and each defining an axial passageway extending centrally therethrough, a plurality of ion mirror structures each defining a pair of axially aligned cavities and an axial passageway extending centrally therethrough, wherein a different ion mirror structure is disposed between opposing ends of each cylinder, and front and rear ion mirrors each defining at least one cavity and an axial passageway extending centrally therethrough, the front ion mirror positioned at one end of the arrangement of charge detection cylinders and the rear ion mirror positioned at an opposite end of the arrangement of charge detection cylinders, wherein the axial passageways of the charge detection cylinders, the ion mirror structures, the front ion mirror and the rear ion mirror are coaxial to define a longitudinal axis passing centrally through the ELIT array.

Abstract: A system for trapping ions for measurement thereof may include an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT), a source of ions to supply ions to the ELIT, a processor operatively coupled to ELIT, and a memory having instructions stored therein executable by the processor to produce at least one control signal to open the ELIT to allow ions supplied by the source of ions to enter the ELIT, determine an ion inlet frequency corresponding to a frequency of ions flowing from the source of ions into the open ELIT, generate or receive a target ion charge value, determine an optimum threshold value as a function of the target ion charge value and the determined ion inlet frequency, and produce at least one control signal to close the ELIT when a charge of an ion within the ELIT exceeds the optimum threshold value to thereby trap the ion in the ELIT.

Abstract: An orbitrap may include elongated inner and outer electrodes, wherein the inner and outer electrodes each define two axially spaced apart electrode halves with a central transverse plane extending through the electrodes also passing between both sets of electrode halves, a cavity defined radially about and axially along the inner electrode between the two inner electrode halves and the two outer electrode halves, means for establishing an electric field configured to trap an ion in the cavity and to cause the trapped ion to rotate about, and oscillate axially along, the inner electrode, wherein the rotating and oscillating ion induces charges on the inner and outer electrode halves, and charge detection circuitry configured to detect the charges induced on the inner and on outer electrode halves, and to combine the detected charges for each oscillation to produce a measured ion charge signal.

Abstract: A charge detection mass spectrometer may include an ion source, an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) including a charge detection cylinder disposed between a pair of coaxially aligned ion mirrors, means for selectively establishing electric fields within the ion mirrors configured to cause the trapped ions in the ELIT to oscillate back and forth between the ion mirrors each time passing through the charge detection cylinder, and means for controlling a trajectory of the beam of ions entering the ELIT to cause the subsequently trapped ions to oscillate with different planar ion oscillation trajectories angularly offset from one another about the longitudinal axis with each extending along and crossing the longitudinal axis in each of the ion mirrors or with different cylindrical ion oscillation trajectories radially offset from one another about the longitudinal axis to form nested cylindrical trajectories each extending along the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A CDMS may include an ELIT having a charge detection cylinder (CD), a charge generator for generating a high frequency charge (HFC), a charge sensitive preamplifier (CP) having an input coupled to the CD and an output configured to produce a charge detection signal (CHD) in response to a charge induced on the CD, and a processor configured to (a) control the charge generator to induce an HFC on the CD, (b) control operation of the ELIT to cause a trapped ion to oscillate back and forth through the CD each time inducing a charge thereon, and (c) process CHD to (i) determine a gain factor as a function of the HFC induced on the CD, and (ii) modify a magnitude of the portion of CHD resulting from the charge induced on the CD by the trapped ion passing therethrough as a function of the gain factor.

Abstract: An instrument for separating ions may include an ion source configured to generate ions from a sample, at least one ion separation instrument configured to separate the generated ions as a function of at least one molecular characteristic and an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) positioned to receive ions exiting the at least one ion separation instrument. The ELIT has first and second ion mirrors separated by a charge detection cylinder, and is configured such that an ion trapped therein oscillates back and forth through the charge detection cylinder between the first and second ion mirrors with a duty cycle, corresponding to a ratio of time spent by the trapped ion traversing the charge detection cylinder and total time spent by the trapped ion traversing a combination of the first and second ion mirrors and the charge detection cylinder during one complete oscillation cycle, of approximately 50%.

Abstract: An instrument for separating ions may include an ion source in a first pressure environment at a first pressure and configured to generate ions from a sample, an ion separation instrument, controlled to an instrument pressure that is less than the first pressure, and configured to separate ions as a function of at least one molecular characteristic and an interface, controlled to a second pressure less than the first pressure and greater than the instrument pressure, for transporting the generated ions from the first pressure environment into the ion separation instrument operating at the instrument pressure. The interface may include a sealed ion funnel defining an axial passageway therethrough, and an ion carpet sealed to the first ion funnel. A portion of the axial passageway tapers from a first cross-sectional area to a reduced cross-sectional area such that the tapered axial passageway defining a virtual jet disrupter therein.

Abstract: A CDMS may include an ELIT having a charge detection cylinder (CD), a charge generator for generating a high frequency charge (HFC), a charge sensitive preamplifier (CP) having an input coupled to the CD and an output configured to produce a charge detection signal (CHD) in response to a charge induced on the CD, and a processor configured to (a) control the charge generator to induce an HFC on the CD, (b) control operation of the ELIT to cause a trapped ion to oscillate back and forth through the CD each time inducing a charge thereon, and (c) process CHD to (i) determine a gain factor as a function of the HFC induced on the CD, and (ii) modify a magnitude of the portion of CHD resulting from the charge induced on the CD by the trapped ion passing therethrough as a function of the gain factor.

Abstract: An electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) array includes multiple elongated charge detection cylinders arranged end-to-end and each defining an axial passageway extending centrally therethrough, a plurality of ion mirror structures each defining a pair of axially aligned cavities and an axial passageway extending centrally therethrough, wherein a different ion mirror structure is disposed between opposing ends of each cylinder, and front and rear ion mirrors each defining at least one cavity and an axial passageway extending centrally therethrough, the front ion mirror positioned at one end of the arrangement of charge detection cylinders and the rear ion mirror positioned at an opposite end of the arrangement of charge detection cylinders, wherein the axial passageways of the charge detection cylinders, the ion mirror structures, the front ion mirror and the rear ion mirror are coaxial to define a longitudinal axis passing centrally through the ELIT array.

Abstract: A system for trapping ions for measurement thereof may include an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT), a source of ions to supply ions to the ELIT, a processor operatively coupled to ELIT, and a memory having instructions stored therein executable by the processor to produce at least one control signal to open the ELIT to allow ions supplied by the source of ions to enter the ELIT, determine an ion inlet frequency corresponding to a frequency of ions flowing from the source of ions into the open ELIT, generate or receive a target ion charge value, determine an optimum threshold value as a function of the target ion charge value and the determined ion inlet frequency, and produce at least one control signal to close the ELIT when a charge of an ion within the ELIT exceeds the optimum threshold value to thereby trap the ion in the ELIT.