Ion mobility measurement at a potential barrier

US8080787B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Bruker Daltonik GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Oliver Räther · Lilienthal, DE
• Gökhan Baykut · Bremen, DE
• Jochen Franzen · Bremen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 27, 2009
• Grant date: Dec 20, 2011
• Expiry date: May 29, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N27/623
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Ion mobilities are measured by entraining the ions in a gas and adiabatically expanding the ion-containing gas through a nozzle to form a gas jet. An electrical field barrier with variable height is located at the nozzle exit. The field barrier may be located adjacent to the nozzle exit or an ion guide may be located between the nozzle and the field barrier. If a continuous ion current is supplied, the height of the barrier is varied and the ion current of the ions passing over the barrier is measured, the ion current can be differentiated to generate a mobility spectrum. Alternatively, the ions can be temporarily stored in the ion guide so that measurement of the ion current of the ions passing over the barrier results in a direct measurement of the mobility spectrum.