Abstract

An ion source (30) for a static gas mass spectrometer is described. The ion source (30) comprises: a source block (310) defining a volume V to receive a sample gas G; an electron source (320) in fluid communication with the source block (310) and configured to provide a flux of electrons E therein for ionising the sample gas G; a set of electrodes (330), including a first electrode (330A), disposed between the electron source (320) and the source block (310); and a controller (not shown) configured to control a voltage applied to the first electrode (330A) to attenuate the flux of the electrons E into the source block (310) during a first time period following receiving of the sample gas G in the source block (310) and to permit the flux of the electrons E into the source block (310) during a second time period following the first time period.

IPC Classes  ?

• H01J 49/02 - Particle spectrometers or separator tubes - Details
• H01J 49/04 - Arrangements for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed, e.g. vacuum locks; Arrangements for external adjustment of electron- or ion-optical components
• H01J 49/28 - Static spectrometers

Abstract

An electron source in a gas-source mass spectrometer the electron source comprising: an electron emitter cathode presenting a thermionic electron emitter surface in communication with a gas-source chamber of the gas-source mass spectrometer for providing electrons there to; a heater element electrically isolated from the electron emitter cathode and arranged to be heated by an electrical current therein and to radiate heat to the electron emitter cathode sufficient to liberate electrons thermionically from said electron emitter surface, therewith to provide a source of electrons for use in ionising a gas the gas-source chamber.

IPC Classes  ?

• H01J 27/20 - Ion sources; Ion guns using particle bombardment, e.g. ionisers
• H01J 1/22 - Heaters
• H01J 1/28 - Dispenser-type cathodes, e.g. L-cathode

Abstract

An ion guide assembly for a mass spectrometer is described. The ion guide assembly comprises a collision / reaction cell, CRC, comprising an enclosure having a first multipole RF ion guide enclosed radially therein and a set of gas inlets, including a first gas inlet, therethrough; and a first ion energy filter disposed upstream of the CRC, to prevent ions having an ion energy below a first predetermined threshold from entering the CRC.

IPC Classes  ?

• H01J 49/00 - Particle spectrometers or separator tubes
• H01J 49/06 - Electron- or ion-optical arrangements
• H01J 49/10 - Ion sources; Ion guns

Goods & Services

Scientific, weighing, measuring, and teaching apparatus and instruments; apparatus and instruments for conducting, switching, transforming, accumulating, regulating or controlling electricity; apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images; data processing equipment, computers; computer software; mass spectrometers; source emission electronic regulators; power supply apparatus; electronic control apparatus for magnets; Faraday Acquisition units; Ion counting units; controls, displays and software for the foregoing.

Abstract

An ion source (30) for a static gas mass spectrometer is described. The ion source (30) comprises: a source block (310) defining a volume V to receive a sample gas G; an electron source (320) in fluid communication with the source block (310) and configured to provide a flux of electrons E therein for ionising the sample gas G; a set of electrodes (330), including a first electrode (330A), disposed between the electron source (320) and the source block (310); and a controller (not shown) configured to control a voltage applied to the first electrode (330A) to attenuate the flux of the electrons E into the source block (310) during a first time period following receiving of the sample gas G in the source block (310) and to permit the flux of the electrons E into the source block (310) during a second time period following the first time period.

IPC Classes  ?

• H01J 49/14 - Ion sources; Ion guns using particle bombardment, e.g. ionisation chambers
• H01J 49/00 - Particle spectrometers or separator tubes
• H01J 27/20 - Ion sources; Ion guns using particle bombardment, e.g. ionisers
• B01D 59/44 - Separation by mass spectrography

Abstract

A capacitive trans-impedance amplifier comprising a voltage amplifier having an inverting input terminal for connection to an input current source. A feed-back capacitor is coupled between the inverting input terminal and the output terminal to accumulate charges received from the input current source and to generate a feed-back voltage accordingly. A calibration unit includes a calibration capacitor electrically coupled, via a calibration switch, to the inverting input terminal and electrically coupled to the feed-back capacitor. The calibration unit is operable to switch the calibration switch to a calibration state permitting a discharge of a quantity of charge from the calibration capacitor to the feed-back capacitor. The capacitive trans-impedance amplifier is arranged to determine a voltage generated across the feed-back capacitor while the calibration switch is in the calibration state and to determine a capacitance value (C=Q/V) for the feed-back capacitor according to the value of the generated voltage (V) and the quantity of charge (Q).

IPC Classes  ?

• H03F 1/08 - Modifications of amplifiers to reduce detrimental influences of internal impedances of amplifying elements
• H01J 49/02 - Particle spectrometers or separator tubes - Details
• H03F 1/34 - Negative-feedback-circuit arrangements with or without positive feedback
• H03F 3/45 - Differential amplifiers
• H03F 1/30 - Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage
• H03F 3/70 - Charge amplifiers

Goods & Services

Scientific apparatus and instruments, namely, electrical controlling devices, spectrometry apparatus, mass spectrometry apparatus and electric current measuring instruments; weighing apparatus and instruments; measuring apparatus and instruments for measuring, testing and checking the temperature, pressure, quantity, concentration and mass of gas and liquids; teaching apparatus and instruments in the field of spectrometry; apparatus and instruments for conducting, switching, transforming, accumulating, regulating or controlling electricity, namely, amplifiers, resistor-based amplifiers, spectrometers and mass spectrometers; apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images; data processing equipment; computers; Downloadable computer software for use in the field of spectrometry; mass spectrometers; source emission electronic regulators, namely, regulators for spectrometers; power supply apparatus, namely, amplifiers, resistor-based amplifiers and power supply apparatus for spectrometers; electronic control apparatus for magnets, namely, electrical controllers for spectrometers; Faraday Acquisition units, namely, units for spectrometers; Ion counting units, namely, units for spectrometers; controls, displays and software for spectrometers

Abstract

An electron source in a gas-source mass spectrometer the electron source comprising: an electron emitter cathode presenting a thermionic electron emitter surface in communication with a gas-source chamber of the gas-source mass spectrometer for providing electrons there to; a heater element electrically isolated from the electron emitter cathode and arranged to be heated by an electrical current therein and to radiate heat to the electron emitter cathode sufficient to liberate electrons thermionically from said electron emitter surface, therewith to provide a source of electrons for use in ionising a gas the gas-source chamber.

IPC Classes  ?

• H01J 27/20 - Ion sources; Ion guns using particle bombardment, e.g. ionisers
• H01J 1/22 - Heaters
• H01J 1/28 - Dispenser-type cathodes, e.g. L-cathode

Abstract

A capacitive trans-impedance amplifier comprising a voltage amplifier having an inverting input terminal for connection to an input current source. A feed-back capacitor is coupled between the inverting input terminal and the output terminal to accumulate charges received from the input current source and to generate a feed-back voltage accordingly. A calibration unit includes a calibration capacitor electrically coupled, via a calibration switch, to the inverting input terminal and electrically coupled to the feed-back capacitor. The calibration unit is operable to switch the calibration switch to a calibration state permitting a discharge of a quantity of charge from the calibration capacitor to the feed-back capacitor. The capacitive trans-impedance amplifier is arranged to determine a voltage generated across the feed-back capacitor while the calibration switch is in the calibration state and to determine a capacitance value (C=Q/V) for the feed-back capacitor according to the value of the generated voltage (V) and the quantity of charge (Q).

IPC Classes  ?

• H03F 3/08 - Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements with semiconductor devices only controlled by light
• H01J 49/02 - Particle spectrometers or separator tubes - Details
• H03F 1/08 - Modifications of amplifiers to reduce detrimental influences of internal impedances of amplifying elements
• H03F 1/34 - Negative-feedback-circuit arrangements with or without positive feedback
• H03F 3/45 - Differential amplifiers
• H03F 1/30 - Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage
• H03F 3/70 - Charge amplifiers

Abstract

The use of a capacitor (22) to serve as the principal impedance in a negative feed-back loop in a voltage amplifier component (21) of a trans-impedance amplifier and actively controlling the amount of charge accumulated within the capacitor appropriately to improve the responsiveness and/or dynamic range of the amplifier. A switch (25) is electrically coupled to the inverting input terminal of the voltage amplifier and electrically isolated from the output terminal (23) of the voltage amplifier. The output voltage of the amplifier is proportional to the accumulation of charge, and the switch is operable to ‘reset’ the charge/voltage on the feedback capacitor, as desired. This arrangement decouples the structure of the switch from the output port of the voltage amplifier, and so avoids leakage currents and/or interfering voltage signals emanating from the switch structure and being felt at the output port of the voltage amplifier.

IPC Classes  ?

• H03F 3/08 - Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements with semiconductor devices only controlled by light
• H01J 49/02 - Particle spectrometers or separator tubes - Details
• H03F 1/08 - Modifications of amplifiers to reduce detrimental influences of internal impedances of amplifying elements
• H03F 1/34 - Negative-feedback-circuit arrangements with or without positive feedback
• H03F 3/45 - Differential amplifiers
• H03F 1/30 - Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage
• H03F 3/70 - Charge amplifiers

Goods & Services

Scientific, weighing, measuring, and teaching apparatus and instruments; apparatus and instruments for conducting, switching, transforming, accumulating, regulating or controlling electricity; apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images; data processing equipment, computers; computer software; mass spectrometers; electronic apparatus for regulating ion and/or electron emission; power supply apparatus; electronic control apparatus for magnets; faraday acquisition units; ion counting units; electric control apparatus, display screens and computer software for the foregoing; software incorporated in a display device.

Goods & Services

Scientific, weighing, measuring, and teaching apparatus and instruments, namely, electrical controlling devices, mass spectrometry apparatus and electric current measuring instruments; apparatus and instruments for conducting, switching, transforming, accumulating, regulating or controlling electricity, namely, amplifiers, resistor-based amplifiers and mass spectrometers; apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images; data processing equipment, namely, data processors; computers; recorded computer operating software incorporated into a display device that enables the user to control the interface; mass spectrometers; electronic apparatus for regulating ion and/or electron emission; power supply apparatus, namely, amplifiers, resistor-based amplifiers; electronic control devices for magnets; computer hardware, namely, faraday acquisition units; ion counting units for mass spectrometers; electric control devices, electronic display screens and recorded computer operating software for the foregoing; recorded operating software incorporated in a liquid crystal display monitor, sold as a unit

Abstract

An electron source in a gas-source mass spectrometer the electron source comprising: an electron emitter cathode presenting a thermionic electron emitter surface in communication with a gas-source chamber of the gas-source mass spectrometer for providing electrons there to; a heater element electrically isolated from the electron emitter cathode and arranged to be heated by an electrical current therein and to radiate heat to the electron emitter cathode sufficient to liberate electrons thermionically from said electron emitter surface, therewith to provide a source of electrons for use in ionising a gas the gas-source chamber.

IPC Classes  ?

• H01J 49/08 - Electron sources, e.g. for generating photo-electrons, secondary electrons or Auger electrons
• H01J 49/14 - Ion sources; Ion guns using particle bombardment, e.g. ionisation chambers
• H01J 1/28 - Dispenser-type cathodes, e.g. L-cathode
• H01J 27/20 - Ion sources; Ion guns using particle bombardment, e.g. ionisers

Abstract

A capacitive trans-impedance amplifier comprising a voltage amplifier having an inverting input terminal for connection to an input current source. A feed-back capacitor is coupled between the inverting input terminal and the output terminal to accumulate charges received from the input current source and to generate a feed-back voltage accordingly. A calibration unit includes a calibration capacitor electrically coupled, via a calibration switch, to the inverting input terminal and electrically coupled to the feed-back capacitor. The calibration unit is operable to switch the calibration switch to a calibration state permitting a discharge of a quantity of charge from the calibration capacitor to the feed-back capacitor. The capacitive trans-impedance amplifier is arranged to determine a voltage generated across the feed-back capacitor while the calibration switch is in the calibration state and to determine a capacitance value (C=Q/V) for the feed-back capacitor according to the value of the generated voltage (V) and the quantity of charge (Q).

IPC Classes  ?

• H03F 3/45 - Differential amplifiers
• H03F 3/70 - Charge amplifiers
• H03F 1/30 - Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage
• H03F 1/34 - Negative-feedback-circuit arrangements with or without positive feedback

Abstract

The use of a capacitor (22) to serve as the principal impedance in a negative feed-back loop in a voltage amplifier component (21) of a trans-impedance amplifier and actively controlling the amount of charge accumulated within the capacitor appropriately to improve the responsiveness and/or dynamic range of the amplifier. A switch (25) is electrically coupled to the inverting input terminal of the voltage amplifier and electrically isolated from the output terminal (23) of the voltage amplifier. The output voltage of the amplifier is proportional to the accumulation of charge, and the switch is operable to 'reset' the charge/voltage on the feedback capacitor, as desired. This arrangement decouples the structure of the switch from the output port of the voltage amplifier, and so avoids leakage currents and/or interfering voltage signals emanating from the switch structure and being felt at the output port of the voltage amplifier.

IPC Classes  ?

• H03F 3/45 - Differential amplifiers
• H03F 3/70 - Charge amplifiers
• H03F 1/30 - Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage
• H03F 1/34 - Negative-feedback-circuit arrangements with or without positive feedback