Patent ID: 8129675
Filing Date: 2012-03-06
Classification: G01N,H01J

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for the analysis of gaseous ions and neutral species and mixtures thereof, said apparatus comprising: an ion source for the production of gaseous ions and neutral species and mixtures thereof; a gas flow formation region fluidly coupled to said ion source, said gas flow formation region comprising a sectioned capillary having at least two electrodes, said gas flow formation region operable to accept ions and/or neutral species from said ion source; at least one sectioned radio-frequency multipole ion guide fluidly coupled to said gas flow formation region, said sectioned ion guide comprising a plurality of electrically isolated electrode sections; an exit orifice fluidly coupled to said at least one sectioned radio-frequency multipole ion guide, wherein said multipole ion guide produces a controlled DC electric field and/or an AC rotating field which traps specific ions from said gas flow and said mulitpole ion guide produces a resonant rotating field which extracts specific ions from said gas flow and causes said specific ions to follow a rotational orbit around the central axis of said multipole ion guide and whereby switching off the DC electric field, the AC rotating field and/or the resonant rotating field releases desired ions back into said gas flow; and, a detector fluidly coupled to said exit orifice; and, an electron source fluidly coupled to said exit orifice and to said detector, wherein said electron source is a pulsed electron source, a continuous electron source, or a combination thereof.