Improved Ion Mobility Spectrometer

摘要

A method of analysing ions by ion mobility separation is disclosed. The method comprises controlling the amount of charge within an ion trap and then pulsing the ions from the ion trap into an ion mobility separator. This enables the charge injected into the ion mobility separator to be controlled and hence prevents space-charge interactions between the ions from distorting the ion mobility peaks detected by the detector.

主权项

1. A method of analysing ions by ion mobility separation or mass separation comprising:
providing an ion mobility separator separation region (IMS) and an ion trap for releasing packets of ions into the IMS; selecting a predetermined maximum charge desired to be released into the IMS in each packet of ions released from the ion trap into the IMS; releasing a first packet of ions from the ion trap; detecting the charge of ions in the first packet of ions using a detector; determining a difference between the charge detected by the detector and said predetermined maximum charge; and releasing a second, subsequent packet of ions from the ion trap into the IMS, wherein the formation of the second packet of ions is controlled based on the difference between the charge detected in the first packet of ions and the predetermined maximum charge, such that the charge of ions in the second packet of ions is substantially the same or less than said predetermined maximum charge.