Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for the mass spectrometric quantification of two or more known target ion species, in which a mass spectrometric signal, composed of signal components of the two or more target ion species, which are not mass resolved in the mass spectrum, is weighted with quantification functions and summed, and a quantification parameter is determined for the two or more target ion species from the weighted sums.

Abstract: The invention relates to time-of-flight mass spectrometers in which individual time-of-flight spectra are measured by detection systems with limited dynamic measurement range and are summed to sum spectra. The invention proposes a method to increase the dynamic range of measurement of the spectrum. To achieve this, those ion signals whose measured values display saturation of the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) are replaced by correction values, particularly if several successive measured values are in saturation. The correction values are obtained from the width of the signals, preferably simply from the number of measured values in saturation.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for determining the reduced ion mobility Ko of an ion species by trapped ion mobility spectrometry wherein the reduced ion mobility Ko is determined from a measured arrival time tm of the ion species and predetermined instrumental parameters by applying the inverse of a system function: Ko=SYS?1(tm,pi) or from multiple arrival times tm,i of the ion species measured for multiple values of an instrumental parameter.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for acquiring as many fragment mass spectra of selected substances, e.g. proteins, of complex mixtures, as possible using a hybrid mass spectrometric system which comprises an ion source, an ion mobility separator, a mass filter, a fragmentation cell, and a mass analyzer. The fragment mass spectra are used for identifying the substances by their fragment mass spectra. The invention proposes to control the dwell time of the mass filter and to adapt the dwell time to the length of the ion mobility signal in a mass-mobility map.

Abstract: The invention is related to a trapped ion mobility spectrometer (TIMS device) and proposes to use higher order (order N>2) linear multipole RF systems to accumulate and analyze ions at an electric DC field barrier, either pure higher order RF multipole systems or multipole RF systems with transitions from higher order towards lower order, e.g. from a linear octopolar RF system (N=4) to a linear quadrupole RF system (N=2) in front of the apex of the electric DC field barrier.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for acquiring as many fragment mass spectra of selected substances, e.g. proteins, of complex mixtures, as possible using a hybrid mass spectrometric system which comprises an ion source, an ion mobility separator, a mass filter, a fragmentation cell, and a mass analyzer. The fragment mass spectra are used for identifying the substances by their fragment mass spectra. The invention proposes to control the dwell time of the mass filter and to adapt the dwell time to the length of the ion mobility signal in a mass-mobility map.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for determining the reduced ion mobility Ko of an ion species by trapped ion mobility spectrometry wherein the reduced ion mobility Ko is determined from a measured arrival time tm of the ion species and predetermined instrumental parameters by applying the inverse of a system function: Ko=SYS?1(tm,pi) or from multiple arrival times tm,i of the ion species measured for multiple values of an instrumental parameter.

Abstract: The invention is related to a trapped ion mobility spectrometer (TIMS device) and proposes to use higher order (order N>2) linear multipole RF systems to accumulate and analyze ions at an electric DC field barrier, either pure higher order RF multipole systems or multipole RF systems with transitions from higher order towards lower order, e.g. from a linear octopolar RF system (N=4) to a linear quadrupole RF system (N=2) in front of the apex of the electric DC field barrier.

Abstract: The invention is related to a trapped ion mobility spectrometer (TIMS device) and proposes to use higher order (order N>2) linear multipole RF systems to accumulate and analyze ions at an electric DC field barrier, either pure higher order RF multipole systems or multipole RF systems with transitions from higher order towards lower order, e.g. from a linear octopolar RF system (N=4) to a linear quadrupole RF system (N=2) in front of the apex of the electric DC field barrier.

Abstract: The invention relates to the operation of ion mobility spectrometers based on gases pushing the ions over electrical field barriers, preferably in combination with mass spectrometers, and relates to trapped ion mobility spectrometers (“TIMS”). The invention proposes to accumulate and to scan the ions of a selected range of mobilities by using a long and flat electric field ramp created by additional voltages. By a voltage supplied at the beginning of the flat ramp, the lowest mobility of the mobility range of ions to be collected can be selected. By the difference of the voltages at the beginning and the end, the width of the mobility range is determined. The spatial zoom advantageously can collect considerable more ions of interest than a temporal zoom without severe losses by space charge effects, and more ions can be detected in the mass-mobility map.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for acquiring fragment ion spectra of substances in complex substance mixtures wherein a trapped ion mobility spectrometer (“TIMS”) is used as the ion mobility separator separation device. The fragment ion spectra may be used for the identification of high numbers of proteins in complex mixtures, or for a safe quantification of some substances, by their fragment ion mass spectra in a mass spectrometer with up-front substance separator. TIMS with parallel accumulation provides the unique possibility to prolong the ion accumulation duration to find more detectable ion species without decreasing the measuring capacity for fragment ion mass spectra. The high measurement capacity for fragment ion mass spectra permits the repeated measurement of low abundance ion species to improve the quality of the fragment ion spectra.

Abstract: The invention is related to a trapped ion mobility spectrometer (TIMS device) and proposes to use higher order (order N>2) linear multipole RF systems to accumulate and analyze ions at an electric DC field barrier, either pure higher order RF multipole systems or multipole RF systems with transitions from higher order towards lower order, e.g. from a linear octopolar RF system (N=4) to a linear quadrupole RF system (N=2) in front of the apex of the electric DC field barrier.

Abstract: The invention relates to the operation of ion mobility spectrometers based on gases pushing the ions over electrical field barriers, preferably in combination with mass spectrometers, and relates to trapped ion mobility spectrometers (“TIMS”). The invention proposes to accumulate and to scan the ions of a selected range of mobilities by using a long and flat electric field ramp created by additional voltages. By a voltage supplied at the beginning of the flat ramp, the lowest mobility of the mobility range of ions to be collected can be selected. By the difference of the voltages at the beginning and the end, the width of the mobility range is determined. The spatial zoom advantageously can collect considerable more ions of interest than a temporal zoom without severe losses by space charge effects, and more ions can be detected in the mass-mobility map.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for acquiring fragment ion spectra of substances in complex substance mixtures wherein a trapped ion mobility spectrometer (“TIMS”) is used as the ion mobility separator separation device. The fragment ion spectra may be used for the identification of high numbers of proteins in complex mixtures, or for a safe quantification of some substances, by their fragment ion mass spectra in a mass spectrometer with up-front substance separator. TIMS with parallel accumulation provides the unique possibility to prolong the ion accumulation duration to find more detectable ion species without decreasing the measuring capacity for fragment ion mass spectra. The high measurement capacity for fragment ion mass spectra permits the repeated measurement of low abundance ion species to improve the quality of the fragment ion spectra.

Abstract: The invention relates to the operation of ion mobility spectrometers based on gases pushing the ions over electrical field barriers, preferably in combination with mass spectrometers, and relates to trapped ion mobility spectrometers (“TIMS”). The invention proposes to accumulate and to scan the ions of a selected range of mobilities by using a long and flat electric field ramp created by additional voltages. By a voltage supplied at the beginning of the flat ramp, the lowest mobility of the mobility range of ions to be collected can be selected. By the difference of the voltages at the beginning and the end, the width of the mobility range is determined. The spatial zoom advantageously can collect considerable more ions of interest than a temporal zoom without severe losses by space charge effects, and more ions can be detected in the mass-mobility map.

Abstract: The invention relates to time-of-flight mass spectrometers in which individual time-of-flight spectra are measured by detection systems with limited dynamic measurement range and are summed to sum spectra. The invention proposes a method to increase the dynamic range of measurement of the spectrum. To achieve this, those ion signals whose measured values display saturation of the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) are replaced by correction values, particularly if several successive measured values are in saturation. The correction values are obtained from the width of the signals, preferably simply from the number of measured values in saturation.

Abstract: The invention provides a trapping ion mobility analyzer and methods for operating the ion mobility analyzer. The trapping ion mobility analyzer comprises an RF field for radially confining ions along an axis, a region with an axial electric DC field and a gas flow along the axis counteracting the electric DC field in the region, wherein the region either comprises a rising edge with an increasing axial electric DC field or a falling edge with a decreasing axial electric DC field and wherein the slope of the electric field strength along the axis is not constant at a substantial portion of the edge.

Abstract: The invention relates to time-of-flight mass spectrometers in which individual time-of-flight spectra are measured by detection systems with limited dynamic measurement range and are summed to sum spectra. The invention proposes a method to increase the dynamic range of measurement of the spectrum. To achieve this, those ion signals whose measured values display saturation of the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) are replaced by correction values, particularly if several successive measured values are in saturation. The correction values are obtained from the width of the signals, preferably simply from the number of measured values in saturation.

Abstract: Methods are provided for acquiring sum spectra in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer with orthogonal pulsed acceleration, where each of the sum spectra is obtained from a plurality of summed individual spectra. The mass spectrometer has an ion storage device that collects the ions temporarily before they are transferred to an ion pulser, which pulses out the ions orthogonally. Acquisition conditions such as, for example, delay times between opening the ion storage device and the pulsed ejection in the ion pulser are varied for the individual spectra, which are added together to form the sum spectrum of ions with light masses and high masses.

Abstract: A calibration function for time-of-flight mass spectrometers that converts ion times of flight into mass to charge ratios, takes into account not only the time of flight of a specific ionic species, but also the ion signal intensity of that ionic species. Use of the conversion function reduces nonsystematic deviations of the calculated mass values from the true mass values previously experienced in time of flight mass spectrometers.