Detectors and methods of using them

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016379809-A1
Application number	US-201615170320-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 1, 2016
Priority date	Nov 26, 2013
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Certain embodiments described herein are directed to detectors and systems using them. In some examples, the detector can include a plurality of dynodes, in which one or more of the dynodes are coupled to an electrometer. In some instances, an analog signal from a non-saturated dynode is measured and cross-calibrated with a pulse count signal to extend the dynamic range of the detector.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . An electron multiplier comprising a plurality of dynodes, in which at least two dynodes of the plurality of dynodes are each electrically coupled to a respective electrometer, in which the electron multiplier is configured to measure a non-saturated analog signal from one of the at least two dynodes electrically coupled to its respective electrometer, in which the electron multiplier is configured to count pulses to provide a pulse count signal and in which the electron multiplier is configured to cross-calibrate the measured non-saturated analog signal with the pulse count signal.

22 . The electron multiplier of claim 21 , further comprising at least one additional electrometer electrically coupled to one of the plurality of dynodes.

23 . The electron multiplier of claim 21 , in which at least one dynode without a respective electrometer is positioned between dynodes that are electrically coupled to an electrometer.

24 . The electron multiplier of claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of electrometers, in which the electron multiplier is configured with every other dynode electrically coupled to an electrometer.

25 . The electron multiplier of claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of electrometers, in which the electron multiplier is configured with every third dynode electrically coupled to an electrometer.

26 . The electron multiplier of claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of electrometers, in which the electron multiplier is configured with every fourth dynode electrically coupled to an electrometer.

27 . The electron multiplier of claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of electrometers, in which the electron multiplier is configured with every fifth dynode electrically coupled to an electrometer.

28 . The electron multiplier of claim 21 , in which each electrometer is electrically coupled to a signal converter.

29 . The electron multiplier of claim 29 , in which each signal converter is an analog-to-digital converter to provide simultaneous digital signals.

30 . The electron multiplier of claim 21 , further comprising a first processor electrically coupled to each electrometer.

31 . The electron multiplier of claim 30 , in which the first processor is configured to cross-calibrate the non-saturated analog signal with the pulse count signal.

32 . The electron multiplier of claim 31 , in which the first processor is configured to terminate signal amplification at a saturated dynode of the plurality of dynodes.

33 . The electron multiplier of claim 32 , in which the first processor is configured to alter the voltage at a saturated dynode or a dynode downstream from the saturated dynode.

34 . The electron multiplier of claim 31 , in which voltage of the electron multiplier is not adjusted between measuring species having different mass-to-charge ratios and/or different concentrations.

35 . The electron multiplier of claim 21 , in which the electron multiplier is configured to terminate signal amplification at a saturated dynode of the plurality of dynodes.

36 . The electron multiplier of claim 21 , in which the electron multiplier is configured to provide independent voltage control at each dynode of the plurality of dynodes.

37 . The electron multiplier of claim 21 , in which dynode to dynode voltage is constant with a change of electron current at each dynode.

38 . The electron multiplier of claim 21 , in which dynamic range of the electron multiplier is greater than 108 for a 100 KHz reading.

39 . The electron multiplier of claim 30 , in which the first processor is configured to use the non-saturated analog signal and the pulse count signal to determine the level of ions in a sample.

40 . The electron multiplier of claim 39 , in which the first processor is configured to scale the non-saturated analog signal using a respective electron multiplier gain.

41 - 74 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Perkinelmer Health Sci Inc

Inventors

• Badiei Hamid
• Beres Steven A

Classifications

• H01J43/18 Primary

  Electrode arrangements using essentially more than one dynode · CPC title

• H01J49/0009

  Calibration of the apparatus · CPC title

• H01J49/025

  Detectors specially adapted to particle spectrometers (data acquisition H01J49/0036; detectors per se G01T, e.g. G01T1/28, G01T1/29) · CPC title