Patent · US Expired

Method and device for cleaning desorption ion sources

US7297942B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
6References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 14, 2004
Grant dateNov 20, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 13, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T436/25
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to the cleaning of contaminated accelerating or guiding electrodes of ion sources used for ion generation by desorption. A cleaning plate is used that has an outer contour similar to that of a standard sample support plate, and may be equipped with cleaning scrubbers that can be moved out when necessary to contact the electrodes. The scrubbers may include soft covers, and can carry out the cleaning by dry rubbing or with the help of high-boiling solvents for the matrix substances. The moving out of the cleaning scrubbers can be controlled by external light pulses from a laser or video camera spot light. Alternatively, the cleaning plate may be equipped with spray nozzles connected to a reservoir of cleaning fluid which is sprayed onto the electrodes, and the evacuation of the ventilated ion source chamber may be used to initiate the spraying.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.