Patent · US Active

Methods and apparatus of ion mobility spectrometer

US7696474B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
8References
43Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 5, 2008
Grant dateApr 13, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 2, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N27/624
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present invention describes apparatuses and methods that provide energy to ions in a non-thermal manner. The elevated ion energy minimizes or eliminates interferences due to clustering with polar molecules, such as water. The energized ions are separated in an ion mobility spectrometer. During the ion transportation and separation process, the elevated energy level of ions prevents them from clustering with neutral molecule inside the spectrometer. The additional electric field component only causes ions to reach elevated energy level, whereby the spectrometer can preserve its normal performance, meanwhile avoiding interference from water and other neutral molecules. A RF electric field is applied to the ions in ionization, reaction and separation region of ion mobility spectrometers.

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