US4818862A — Characterization of compounds by time-of-flight m…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 121 words

An apparatus for characterizing the mass of sample and daughter particles, comprising: a source for providing sample ions; a fragmentation region wherein a fraction of the sample ions may fragment to produce daughter particles; an electrostatic field region held at a voltage level G1 to effect ion-neutral separation of fragments from the same sample ion and to separate ions of different kinetic energy; a detector system for measuring the relative arrival time of particles; processing means operatively connected to said detector system to receive and store said relative arrival times and operable to compare said arrival times with times detected at the detector when said electrostatic field region is held at a voltage level G2 and to thereafter characterize said particles.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 121 words

An apparatus for characterizing the mass of sample and daughter particles, comprising: a source for providing sample ions; a fragmentation region wherein a fraction of the sample ions may fragment to produce daughter particles; an electrostatic field region held at a voltage level G1 to effect ion-neutral separation of fragments from the same sample ion and to separate ions of different kinetic energy; a detector system for measuring the relative arrival time of particles; processing means operatively connected to said detector system to receive and store said relative arrival times and operable to compare said arrival times with times detected at the detector when said electrostatic field region is held at a voltage level G2 and to thereafter characterize said particles.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processing means includes timing control means operable to control production of sample ions and subsequent detection of said fragments, said timing means effectively separating at the detector the arrival of particles produced from separate ionizing events.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said processing means further includes voltage supply means for controlling the voltage levels associated with said electrostatic field region.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising an accelerator means disposed between the sample ion source and fragmentation region to provide said sample ions with a substantially constant relationship between mass and velocity.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a drift region disposed between said accelerator means and said fragmentation region, said drift region being of sufficient length to allow sample ions of different mass to achieve a desired separation in time commensurate with ultimate time differences before reaching the fragmentation region.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said electrostatic field region is held at a voltage potential G1 to accelerate ions.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said detector input is held at the same electrostatic field level as the level of the electrostatic field region.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said particle detector is composed of two components, a first component which detects only neutral particles and a second component which detects only charged particles which are deflected therein prior to entering the neutral particle detector.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the ion particle detector is disposed sufficiently close to the path of the neutral and ion components and facing the neutral particle detector such that when the charged ion particles are reflected velocity spread compensation is effected.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 38 words

The apparatus of claim 6 further including an electrostatic field region having a voltage level different than G1 and G2 disposed at the entrance to said detector, said region acting as an input buffer for the detector system.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said electrostatic field region is held at a voltage potential G1 to decelerate ions.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said detector input is held at the same electrostatic field level as the level of the electrostatic field region.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said particle detector is composed of two components, a first component which detects only neutral particles and a second component which detects only charged particles which are deflected therein prior to entering the neutral particle detector.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the ion particle detector is disposed sufficiently close to the path of the neutral and ion components and facing the neutral particle detector such that when the charged ion particles are reflected velocity spread compensation is effected.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a drift region disposed between said accelerator means and said fragmentation region, said drift region being of sufficient length to allow sample ions of different mass to achieve a desired separation in time commensurate with ultimate time differences before reaching the fragmentation region.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 79 words

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a charged particle deflector is disposed at the entrance to the detector system, said particle deflector operating in response to a control signal from said processing means to activate and deactivate said deflector to deflect charged particles from the path of said neutrals, said deflector activation allowing the detector to be activated only by a neutral particle followed by deflector deactivation allowing the detector to be activated by trailing ionic or neutral particles.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 215 words

A mass spectrometer comprising a source of sample ions, an ion accelerator for accelerating said sample ions to provide sample ions having a substantially constant relationship between mass and velocity, said accelerated ions being allowed to drift a distance sufficient to achieve a desired separation in time between ions of different mass, a fragmentation region adapted to receive said sample ions and to induce a significant portion of said sample ions to fragment into neutral and ion daughter fragments, a first electrostatic field region adapted to effect separation between neutral and ion fragments originating from the same sample ion and to effect separation between ions of different kinetic energy, and a detector system to measure relative arrival times of said particles; a second electrostatic field region disposed between said first electrostatic region and said detector and having a voltage setting to allow said fragmented particles to be detected without having said first electrostatic field affect the electrostatic requirements of the detector; and means for comparing the detected relative arrival times obtained when said first electrostatic field region has a potential setting G1 with detected arrival times when said first electrostatic field region has a potential setting G2 and for determining masses of said particles based upon said relative arrival times and said electrostatic field settings.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 215 words

A mass spectrometer comprising a source of sample ions, an ion accelerator for accelerating said sample ions to provide sample ions having a substantially constant relationship between mass and velocity, said accelerated ions being allowed to drift a distance sufficient to achieve a desired separation in time between ions of different mass, a fragmentation region adapted to receive said sample ions and to induce a significant portion of said sample ions to fragment into neutral and ion daughter fragments, a first electrostatic field region adapted to effect separation between neutral and ion fragments originating from the same sample ion and to effect separation between ions of different kinetic energy, and a detector system to measure relative arrival times of said particles; a second electrostatic field region disposed between said first electrostatic region and said detector and having a voltage setting to allow said fragmented particles to be detected without having said first electrostatic field affect the electrostatic requirements of the detector; and means for comparing the detected relative arrival times obtained when said first electrostatic field region has a potential setting G1 with detected arrival times when said first electrostatic field region has a potential setting G2 and for determining masses of said particles based upon said relative arrival times and said electrostatic field settings.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 19 words

A mass spectrometer in accordance with claim 17 wherein said fragmentation region comprises a drift region facilitating metastable decomposition.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 16 words

A mass spectrometer in accordance with claim 17 wherein said fragmentation region comprises a collision chamber.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 22 words

A mass spectrometer in accordance with claim 17 wherein said fragmentation region comprises a means for injecting energy into the sample ion.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 22 words

A mass spectrometer in accordance with claim 20 wherein said means comprises a laser beam to cause fragmentation of the sample ions.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 20 words

A mass spectrometer in accordance with claim 19 wherein said accelerator means provides sample ions having substantially equal kinetic energy.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 19 words

A mass spectrometer in accordance with claim 17 wherein said accelerator means provides sample ions having substantially equal momentum.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 17 words

The means of claim 17 wherein said ion source is a field desorption source operated without pulsing.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 21 words

The means of claim 17 wherein said ion source is a projectile bombardment ion source operated at very low bombardment rates.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 126 words

A mass spectrometry method for determining relationships between sample ions and daughter particles produced by fragmentation, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing sample ions, (b) accelerating said sample ions, (c) facilitating fragmentation of a fraction of said accelerated sample ions without substantial change in velocity to produce daughter particles, (d) directing the daughter particles and any unfragmented sample ions through an electrostatic G field region to effect ion-neutral separation, (e) detecting ions subsequent to passage through the electrostatic G field and subsequent to separation in time, (f) altering the G field setting of the electrostatic field and repeating steps (a) through (e), (g) determining a relationship between the sample and daughter particles based on the time separation values and the varied G field setting.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 126 words

A mass spectrometry method for determining relationships between sample ions and daughter particles produced by fragmentation, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing sample ions, (b) accelerating said sample ions, (c) facilitating fragmentation of a fraction of said accelerated sample ions without substantial change in velocity to produce daughter particles, (d) directing the daughter particles and any unfragmented sample ions through an electrostatic G field region to effect ion-neutral separation, (e) detecting ions subsequent to passage through the electrostatic G field and subsequent to separation in time, (f) altering the G field setting of the electrostatic field and repeating steps (a) through (e), (g) determining a relationship between the sample and daughter particles based on the time separation values and the varied G field setting.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 19 words

A mass spectrometry method in accordance with claim 26 wherein said electrostatic G field is an ion accelerating field.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 19 words

A mass spectrometry method in accordance with claim 26 wherein said electrostatic G field is an ion decelerating field.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 140 words

A detector system for a conventional mass spectrometer having a continuous beam output, comprising an acceleration means for accelerating said continuous beam output ions to provide said ions with a substantially constant relationship between mass and velocity, a fragmentation region wherein substantially all the ions present in said ion beam may fragment to produce daughter ions, an electrostatic field region held at a voltage level G1 to effect ion-neutral separation and to separate ions of different kinetic energy, a detector for measuring the relative arrival time of said particles and processing means operatively connected to said detector to receive and store said relative arrival times and operable to thereafter characterize said particles with respect to mass, said system increasing the informing power capabilities of said conventional mass spectrometer by further mass resolving said continuous beam output into accurate mass fractions.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 140 words

A detector system for a conventional mass spectrometer having a continuous beam output, comprising an acceleration means for accelerating said continuous beam output ions to provide said ions with a substantially constant relationship between mass and velocity, a fragmentation region wherein substantially all the ions present in said ion beam may fragment to produce daughter ions, an electrostatic field region held at a voltage level G1 to effect ion-neutral separation and to separate ions of different kinetic energy, a detector for measuring the relative arrival time of said particles and processing means operatively connected to said detector to receive and store said relative arrival times and operable to thereafter characterize said particles with respect to mass, said system increasing the informing power capabilities of said conventional mass spectrometer by further mass resolving said continuous beam output into accurate mass fractions.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-04-03	1992-10-03	1993-04-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-04-03	1996-10-03	1997-04-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-04-03	2000-10-03	2001-04-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Characterization of compounds by time-of-flight measurement utilizing random fast ions

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