Patent ID: 6815668
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: B01D,G01N,H01J

Abstract:
Apparatus for characterization of a chromatographic eluent, comprising:an input part, an ion filter part for filtering ions, an output part, and a flow path connecting said parts, said parts being supported by a support structure, said ion filter part including at least a pair of filter electrodes on said support structure, said flow path axis extending between said input part and said output part through said ion filter part, said input part for receiving a chromatographic eluent, said eluent including at least one analyte, said analyte being represented by a chromatographic peak that is associated with a chromatographic residence time, said peak having a peak duration in said ion filter part, said input part for delivering a flow of ions to said flow path, said flow of ions including at least one ion species associated with said analyte, said flow of ions flowing along said flow path to said ion filter part, said ion filter part filtering said flow of ions, said support structure including an electrode support in said ion filter part adjacent to said filter electrodes for support of said filter electrodes in said ion filter part, said filter electrodes being separated and forming an analytical gap in said ion filter part, said filter electrodes providing a compensated asymmetric filter field within said analytical gap, said flow path extending through said analytical gap, wherein surfaces of said flow path in said ion filter part are cooperatively defined by said electrodes and said support structure, said ion filter part for providing said compensated asymmetric field across said flow path transverse to said flow path for selection of said at least one ion species out of said flow of ions, said selection being at least in part based on mobility characteristics of said selected at least one ion species in said compensated asymmetric field, and said ion filter part passing said selected at least one ion species to said output part within said peak duration for characterizing said at least one ion species within said peak duration, said characterizing being based on said passing of said selected at least one ion species.