Abstract: In one aspect, an ion guide for use in a mass spectrometry system is disclosed, which comprises an inlet for receiving a plurality of ions entrained in a gas flow, and a plurality of rods arranged in a multipole configuration so as to provide a passageway through which the received ions can traverse. At least one of the rods is configured for application of a DC and/or an RF voltage thereto for generating an electromagnetic field within the passageway suitable for focusing the ions, and a controller configured to maintain an operational pressure of the ion guide within a predefined range.

Abstract: A method of operating a differential mobility spectrometer (DMS) includes providing a heater disposed proximate a ceramic body of a DMS cell. A first control voltage is applied to the heater. A first threshold is detected by a first sensor disposed within a curtain plate that substantially surrounds the DMS cell. A second control voltage is applied to the heater based at least in part on the detected first threshold. During application of the second control voltage, a mass spectrometry analysis of a gas within the DMS cell is performed.

Abstract: In one aspect, an ion source for use in a mass spectrometry system is disclosed, which comprises a housing, a first and a second ion probe coupled to said housing, and a first and a second emitter configured for coupling, respectively, to said first and second ion probes. The first ion probe is configured for receiving a sample at a flow rate in nanoflow regime and the second ion probe is configured for receiving a sample at a flow rate above the nanoflow regime. Each of the ion probes includes a discharge end (herein also referred to as the discharge tip) for ionizing at least one constituent of the received sample. In some embodiment, each ion probe receives the sample from a liquid chromatography (LC) column. Further, the ion probes can be interchangeably disposed within the housing.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling the temperature gradient along a differential mobility spectrometer having a differential mobility spectrometer having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet is configured to receive ions transported from an ion source by a transport gas. The differential mobility spectrometer has an internal operating pressure, electrodes, and at least one voltage source for providing DC and RF voltages to the electrodes for separating ions that are transported from the inlet to the outlet. A gas port is provided near the outlet for introducing a throttle gas to control the flow rate of the transport gas through the differential mobility spectrometer and thereby adjust the ion residence time. A heater is provided for controlling the temperature of the throttle gas to minimize the temperature gradient between the inlet and outlet of the differential mobility spectrometer. A method of calibrating a DMS is also disclosed.

Abstract: In one aspect, an ion source for use in a mass spectrometry system is disclosed, which comprises a housing, a first and a second ion probe coupled to said housing, and a first and a second emitter configured for coupling, respectively, to said first and second ion probes. The first ion probe is configured for receiving a sample at a flow rate in nanoflow regime and the second ion probe is configured for receiving a sample at a flow rate above the nanoflow regime. Each of the ion probes includes a discharge end (herein also referred to as the discharge tip) for ionizing at least one constituent of the received sample. In some embodiment, each ion probe receives the sample from a liquid chromatography (LC) column. Further, the ion probes can be interchangeably disposed within the housing.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer comprises an orifice plate having an orifice, a first multipole ion guide in a first chamber downstream of said orifice plate, said first multipole ion guide comprising a plurality of rods, and a second multipole ion guide in a second chamber downstream of said first chamber, said second multipole ion guide comprising a plurality of rods. A first ion lens is between the first and the second multipole ion guides. A third multipole ion guide is in a third chamber downstream of the second chamber, the third multipole ion guide comprises a plurality of rods. A second ion lens is between the second and third chambers. A tunable DC voltage source applies a tunable DC offset voltage to at least one of the above ion guide and ion lenses to increase an axial kinetic energy of the ions to cause at least one of declustering and/or fragmentation.

Abstract: An electrospray probe for use in an electrospray ion source is disclosed, which comprises a cannula extending from a proximal end having an inlet aperture for receiving a liquid sample containing at least one analyte to a discharge emitter end having an outlet aperture through which charged liquid droplets containing ions of said analyte are discharged, and an electrically conductive coating covering at least a portion of an external surface and at least a portion of an internal surface of said emitter end.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The second electrode is placed in parallel with the first electrode to provide constant gap distance. The gap between the first electrode and the second electrode is at atmospheric pressure. Ions are introduced into the center of the gap and travel through the apparatus in a direction parallel to the first electrode and the second electrode. The apparatus is configured as a high-field symmetric-waveform apparatus for filtering high mobility ions or for fragmenting ions. The apparatus is also configured for three modes of operation: as a conventional DMS; as a filter high mobility ions; and as fragmentation device. A symmetric electric field is produced in the gap with a maximum density normalized field strength greater than 10 Td to filter high mobility ions and with a maximum density normalized field strength greater than 100 Td to fragment ions.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The second electrode is placed in parallel with the first electrode to provide constant gap distance. The gap between the first electrode and the second electrode is at atmospheric pressure. Ions are introduced into the center of the gap and travel through the apparatus in a direction parallel to the first electrode and the second electrode. The apparatus is configured as a high-field symmetric-waveform apparatus for filtering high mobility ions or for fragmenting ions. The apparatus is also configured for three modes of operation: as a conventional DMS; as a filter high mobility ions; and as fragmentation device. A symmetric electric field is produced in the gap with a maximum density normalized field strength greater than 10 Td to filter high mobility ions and with a maximum density normalized field strength greater than 100 Td to fragment ions.

Abstract: Because most ion optics of mass spectrometry systems are subject to ion deposition and may exhibit significantly different behavior following substantial contamination (e.g., loss of sensitivity), fouled surfaces must be regularly cleaned to maintain sensitivity. While the surfaces of front-end components (e.g., curtain plates, orifice plates, Qjet, Q0, IQ0) may be relatively easy to clean, the fouling of components contained within the downstream high-vacuum chambers (e.g., Q1, IQ1) can incur substantial delays and expense as the high-vacuum chambers must be vented and substantially disassembled prior to cleaning. Methods and systems for controlling contamination of components of mass spectrometer systems are provided herein. By reducing the transmission of contaminating ions during non-data acquisition periods, the present teachings can increase throughput, improve robustness, and/or decrease the downtime typically required to vent/disassemble/clean the fouled components.

Abstract: In one aspect, an ion source for use in a mass spectrometry system is disclosed, which comprises a housing, a first and a second ion probe coupled to said housing, and a first and a second emitter configured for coupling, respectively, to said first and second ion probes. The first ion probe is configured for receiving a sample at a flow rate in nanoflow regime and the second ion probe is configured for receiving a sample at a flow rate above the nanoflow regime. Each of the ion probes includes a discharge end (herein also referred to as the discharge tip) for ionizing at least one constituent of the received sample. In some embodiment, each ion probe receives the sample from a liquid chromatography (LC) column. Further, the ion probes can be interchangeably disposed within the housing.

Abstract: Because most ion optics of mass spectrometry systems are subject to ion deposition and may exhibit significantly different behavior following substantial contamination (e.g., loss of sensitivity), fouled surfaces must be regularly cleaned to maintain sensitivity. While the surfaces of front-end components (e.g., curtain plates, orifice plates, Qjet, Q0, IQ0) may be relatively easy to clean, the fouling of components contained within the downstream high-vacuum chambers (e.g., Q1, IQ1) can incur substantial delays and expense as the high-vacuum chambers must be vented and substantially disassembled prior to cleaning. Methods and systems for controlling contamination of components of mass spectrometer systems are provided herein. By reducing the transmission of contaminating ions during non-data acquisition periods, the present teachings can increase throughput, improve robustness, and/or decrease the downtime typically required to vent/disassemble/clean the fouled components.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The second electrode is placed in parallel with the first electrode to provide constant gap distance. The gap between the first electrode and the second electrode is at atmospheric pressure. Ions are introduced into the center of the gap and travel through the apparatus in a direction parallel to the first electrode and the second electrode. The apparatus is configured as a high-field symmetric-waveform apparatus for filtering high mobility ions or for fragmenting ions. The apparatus is also configured for three modes of operation: as a conventional DMS; as a filter high mobility ions; and as fragmentation device. A symmetric electric field is produced in the gap with a maximum density normalized field strength greater than 10 Td to filter high mobility ions and with a maximum density normalized field strength greater than 100 Td to fragment ions.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods for reducing or eliminating crosstalk in ion mobility spectrometers are provided. In some aspects, the apparatus, systems, and methods can reduce or eliminate crosstalk without significantly increasing the overall capacitive load of the ion mobility system. In accordance with various aspects of the applicant's teachings, cross talk compensation circuits are disclosed herein that address resulting issues in RF pickup and/or crosstalk in ion mobility spectrometers used with high-sensitivity downstream mass spectrometers such as mass spectrometers having high velocity gas interfaces that can be coupled to the ion mobility spectrometer.

Abstract: Differential mobility spectrometry is performed under vacuum. Ions generated in a high pressure region are received from the inlet orifice of a vacuum chamber using a first ion guide located in the vacuum chamber. The first ion guide focuses the generated ions on a DMS device inlet end using a plurality of tapered electrodes. The DMS device is coaxial and adjacent to the first ion guide. The DMS device separates the focused ions using a plurality of electrodes. The inscribed diameter at the DMS device inlet end is larger than the inscribed diameter at the first ion guide exit end to maximize ion transfer. The separated ions are received from the DMS device using a second ion guide coaxial and adjacent to the DMS device. The second ion guide focuses the separated ions on an exit orifice of the vacuum chamber using a plurality of tapered electrodes.

Abstract: A method and system for performing an ion mobility based analysis that ionizes the components of a sample into ions; provides a field asymmetric waveform ion mobility or differential mobility spectrometry ion mobility based filter that comprises at least two electrodes, the at least two electrodes being spaced apart such that a constant sized gap is formed there between, through which a drift gas flows; introducing said ions into the drift gas, wherein said drift gas also comprises a mixture of liquid modifiers.

Abstract: A sample analysis system having a continuous beam ion mobility filter incorporates an ion removal mechanism for removing residual ions from the ion mobility filter to reduce cross-talk. A sample to be analyzed by the sample analysis system can be entered into the continuous beam ion mobility filter, which filters the ions of the sample and passes the filtered group of ions to a detector or a mass analyzer (e.g., via an ion optics assembly disposed between the mass analyzer and the ion mobility filter), where some or all of the ions in the group are detected. The ion removal mechanism then removes all or a substantial portion of the residual ions from the ion mobility filter that are left over from the first filtered group before a second filtered group is passed through. In some aspects, the ion removal mechanism can be operated concurrent with an ion removal mechanism for removing residual ions from an ion optics assembly.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing mass spectrometry are provided herein. In accordance with various aspects of the applicants' teachings, the methods and systems can utilize an ion mobility spectrometer operating at atmospheric or low-vacuum pressure to remove the major contributors to the contamination and degradation of critical downstream components of a mass spectrometer located within a high-vacuum system (e.g., ion optics, mass filters, detectors), with limited signal loss.

Abstract: A method and system for performing an ion mobility based analysis that ionizes the components of a sample into ions; provides a field asymmetric waveform ion mobility or differential mobility spectrometry ion mobility based filter that comprises at least two electrodes, the at least two electrodes being spaced apart such that a constant sized gap is formed there between, through which a drift gas flows; introducing said ions into the drift gas, wherein said drift gas also comprises a mixture of liquid modifiers.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods for reducing or eliminating crosstalk in ion mobility spectrometers are provided. In some aspects, the apparatus, systems, and methods can reduce or eliminate crosstalk without significantly increasing the overall capacitive load of the ion mobility system. In accordance with various aspects of the applicant's teachings, cross talk compensation circuits are disclosed herein that address resulting issues in RF pickup and/or crosstalk in ion mobility spectrometers used with high-sensitivity downstream mass spectrometers such as mass spectrometers having high velocity gas interfaces that can be coupled to the ion mobility spectrometer.