Systems and methods for relay ionization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019180995-A1
Application number	US-201916265514-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 1, 2019
Priority date	Mar 9, 2015
Publication date	Jun 13, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for relay ionization of a sample. In certain aspects, the invention provides systems that include an ion source that generates ions, a sample emitter configured to hold a sample, and a mass spectrometer. The system is configured such that the ions generated by the ion source are directed to interact with the sample emitter, thereby causing the sample to be discharged from the sample emitter and into the mass spectrometer.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A system for analyzing a sample, the system comprising:
a plurality of emitters, in which a first emitter relays ions onto a second emitter to produce an electrospray of a sample from the second emitter, wherein the first and second emitters are not in physical contact with each other; and a mass spectrometer positioned to receive the electrosprayed sample.

22 . The system according to claim 21 , wherein the second emitter is a hollow body and the sample is held within the hollow body.

23 . The system according to claim 22 , wherein a proximal portion of the hollow body is open ended and the ions from the ion source are directed to interact with and enter a proximal end of the hollow body, thereby causing the sample to be discharged from a distal end of the sample emitter and into the mass spectrometer.

24 . The system according to claim 22 , wherein a proximal portion of the hollow body is sealed and the ions from the ion source are directed to interact with the proximal end of the hollow body, thereby causing the sample to be discharged from a distal end of the sample emitter and into the mass spectrometer.

25 . The system according to claim 21 , wherein the second emitter is a solid body and the sample is held on an exterior portion of the solid body.

26 . The system according to claim 25 , wherein the system is configured such that the ions from the first emitter are directed to interact with a proximal end of the solid body, thereby causing the sample to be discharged from a distal end of the second emitter and into the mass spectrometer.

27 . The system according to claim 21 , wherein the second emitter is selected from the group consisting of: a hollow capillary in which a proximal and distal end are open; a hollow capillary in which a proximal end is sealed and a distal end is open; a steel needle comprising an inner bore; a solid steel needle; a porous material; and a combination thereof.

28 . The system according to claim 21 , wherein the first emitter is an electrospray source.

29 . The system according to claim 21 , wherein the first emitter is an plasma discharge source.

30 . The system according to claim 21 , wherein the mass spectrometer is a bench-top or miniature mass spectrometer.

31 . A method for analyzing a sample, the method comprising:
generating ions from a first emitter; directing the ions to interact with a second emitter comprising a sample in order to cause the sample to be discharged from the second emitter, wherein the first and second emitters are not in physical contact with each other; and analyzing the discharged sample in a mass spectrometer.

32 . The method according to claim 31 , wherein the second emitter is a hollow body and the sample is held within the hollow body.

33 . The method according to claim 32 , wherein a proximal portion of the hollow body is open ended and the ions from the ion source are directed to interact with and enter a proximal end of the hollow body, thereby causing the sample to be discharged from a distal end of the sample emitter and into the mass spectrometer.

34 . The method according to claim 32 , wherein a proximal portion of the hollow body is sealed and the ions from the ion source are directed to interact with the proximal end of the hollow body, thereby causing the sample to be discharged from a distal end of the sample emitter and into the mass spectrometer.

35 . The method according to claim 31 , wherein the second emitter is a solid body and the sample is held on an exterior portion of the solid body.

36 . The method according to claim 35 , wherein the ions from the first emitter are directed to interact with a proximal end of the solid body, thereby causing the sample to be discharged from a distal end of the second emitter and into the mass spectrometer.

37 . The method according to claim 31 , wherein the second emitter is selected from the group consisting of: a hollow capillary in which a proximal and distal end are open; a hollow capillary in which a proximal end is sealed and a distal end is open; a steel needle comprising an inner bore; a solid steel needle; a porous material; and a combination thereof.

38 . The method according to claim 31 , wherein the first emitter is an electrospray source.

39 . The method according to claim 31 , wherein the first emitter is an plasma discharge source.

40 . The method according to claim 31 , wherein the sample is a biological sample.

Assignees

• Purdue Research Foundation

Inventors

• Cooks Robert Graham
• Li Anyin
• Hollerbach Adam

Classifications

• H01J49/00

  Particle spectrometers or separator tubes · CPC title

• H01J49/04

  Arrangements for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed, e.g. vacuum locks; Arrangements for external adjustment of electron- or ion-optical components · CPC title

• H01J49/167

  Capillaries and nozzles specially adapted therefor; (electrostatic spraying per se B05B5/00) · CPC title

• H01J49/0409 Primary

  Sample holders or containers (containers for retaining a material to be analyzed, B01L3/50, for DNA, C12Q1/6834, for biological materials, G01N33/543) · CPC title

• H01J49/165 Primary

  Electrospray ionisation · CPC title