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Publication Number
US-11543385-B2
Publication Date
2023-01-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
An ion mobility filter is disclosed. The present invention relates to but not exclusively a field asymmetric ion spectrometry filter. For example, we describe an ion filter for filtering ions in a gas sample. The ion filter is comprised of a plurality of electrodes, a first ion channel, and a second ion channel. The first ion channel filters ions from a target chemical in the gas sample, defines a gap between a first pair of electrodes in the plurality of electrodes, and has a first ion channel gap width. The second ion channel filters ions from the target chemical in the gas sample, defines a gap between a second pair of electrodes in the plurality of electrodes, and has a second ion channel gap width. The first ion channel gap width is greater than the second ion channel gap width.
Core Innovation
The disclosure relates to an ion mobility/FAIMS ion filter for filtering ions in a gas sample for gas-phase chemical detection. The ion filter includes a plurality of electrodes forming multiple electrode-defined ion channels, including a first ion channel with a first ion channel gap width and a second ion channel with a second ion channel gap width.
The ion channel gap widths are selected such that the first ion channel gap width is greater than the second ion channel gap width. This differing gap-width arrangement increases selectivity by preferentially passing target ions under an appropriate tuning/compensation field, and the concept extends to arrays having at least three ion channels with optional neighboring-channel gap-width differences and tapering toward the center for more even ion flow.
Implementation options include a monolithic electrode layer with interdigitated finger electrodes, a continuous aperture or aperture-less channel, curved hollow-cylinder electrode geometries, and alternative multi-layer electrode stacks. The filter is incorporated into an ion mobility spectrometry system including an ionizer, detector, detector electrodes per ion channel, and a processor that generates an output based on ion current measured versus dispersion and compensation fields.
Claims Coverage
The provided content identifies one independent claim directed to an ion filter, with dependent claims refining electrode and channel geometry and extending the filter into an ion mobility spectrometry system. The main inventive features center on multiple electrode-defined ion channels within a monolithic electrode layer and different channel gap widths, with the first gap width greater than the second.
Gap-width-differentiated first and second ion channels within a monolithic electrode layer
An ion filter with a plurality of electrodes forming a first ion channel that defines a gap between a first pair of electrodes and has a first ion channel gap width, and a second ion channel that defines a gap between a second pair of electrodes and has a second ion channel gap width, wherein each ion channel and each of the plurality of electrodes are located within a monolithic electrode layer, and wherein the first ion channel gap width is greater than the second ion channel gap width.
The claim coverage centers on an ion filter implemented with multiple electrode-defined ion channels inside a monolithic electrode layer, where different channel gap widths are used to filter ions from a target chemical in the gas sample. Dependent claims further specify multi-channel arrays and geometric refinements, and extend to an ion mobility spectrometry system with dispersion and compensation-field-based processing.
Stated Advantages
Increase selectivity by preferentially passing target ions using differing ion channel gap widths under a tuning/compensation field.
Aids chemical identification despite temperature and pressure-induced spectral shifts.
Documented Applications
Use in an ion mobility spectrometry system for gas-phase chemical detection, including ionizer and detector components and processor output generation based on ion current versus dispersion and compensation fields.
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