Patent ID: 9129789
Filing Date: 2015-09-08
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. A method for storing ions comprising: providing a plurality of electrodes arranged in a polyhedral structure, said polyhedral structure including a plurality of regular polygonal surfaces defining a containment region within said structure; injecting ions into said containment region of said polyhedral structure; applying RF voltage to said plurality of electrodes such that neighboring electrodes are maintained at any point in time at opposing polarities, whereby a plurality of quadrupoles are formed from said plurality of electrodes for repelling the ions from each of said regular polygonal surfaces for containing the ions within said containment region; and applying RF voltage to a quadrupole ion guide provided adjacent said polyhedral structure for guiding ions out of said containment region, wherein ions are ejected from said containment region in a mass-to-charge dependent matter, and wherein a plurality of quadrupole ion guides are provided and RF voltages of different characteristic frequencies corresponding to different mass-to-charge windows are applied to said plurality of quadrupole ion guides for parallel analysis of mass-to-charge values of a range of ions stored in said containment region.