Chemical probe using field-induced droplet ionization mass spectrometry
US7394065B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 28, 2006 |
| Grant date | Jul 1, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 26, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J49/165
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for probing the chemistry of a single droplet are provided. The technique uses a variation of the field-induced droplet ionization (FIDI) method, in which isolated droplets undergo heterogeneous reactions between solution phase analytes and gas-phase species. Following a specified reaction time, the application of a high electric field induces FIDI in the droplet, generating fine jets of highly charged progeny droplets that can then be characterized. Sampling over a range of delay times following exposure of the droplet to gas phase reactants, the spectra yield the temporal variation of reactant and product concentrations. Following the initial mass spectrometry studies, we developed an experiment to explore the parameter space associated with FIDI in an attempt to better understand and control the technique. In an alternative embodiment of the invention switched electric fields are integrated with the technique to allow for time-resolved studies of the droplet distortion, jetting, and charged progeny droplet formation associated with FIDI.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.