US 12,431,344 B2
Complemented ion funnel for mass spectrometer
Alexander A. Makarov, Bremen (DE); Eloy R. Wouters, San Jose, CA (US); Joshua A. Silveira, San Jose, CA (US); Mikhail G. Skoblin, Dolgoprudny (RU); and Viacheslav Kozlovskiy, Chernogolovka (RU)
Assigned to THERMO FINNIGAN LLC, San Jose, CA (US); and THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC (BREMEN) GMBH, Bremen (DE)
Filed by Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, Bremen (DE); and THERMO FINNIGAN LLC, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/053,698.
Application 18/053,698 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/345,549, filed on Jun. 11, 2021, granted, now 12,125,692.
Prior Publication US 2023/0084619 A1, Mar. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. H01J 49/04 (2006.01); H01J 49/06 (2006.01); H01J 49/24 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 49/04 (2013.01) [H01J 49/061 (2013.01); H01J 49/065 (2013.01); H01J 49/24 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of introducing ions generated from an atmospheric ion source into a vacuum chamber of a mass spectrometer system, comprising:
introducing the ions and gas into a first electrode section of an ion transport apparatus of the mass spectrometer system along an axis, wherein the ion transport apparatus further comprises a second electrode section that comprises:
an ion inlet configured to receive the ions from the first electrode section;
a plurality of electrodes to which radio frequency (RF) voltages are applied; and
an ion outlet aperture configured to receive the ions from the second electrode section and to transfer the ions to the vacuum chamber;
providing only non-oscillatory voltages to electrodes of the first electrode section of the ion transport apparatus, wherein the non-oscillatory voltages divert motion of the ions away from the axis and towards an entrance aperture of the second electrode section;
transporting the ions through the second electrode section to and through the ion outlet aperture to the vacuum chamber; and
removing a major portion of the gas through an exhaust port that is offset from the ion outlet aperture so that a major portion of the gas does not enter the ion inlet of the second electrode section.