Performance of a low voltage ion trap

Reduced power operation of a mass analyzer with minimum loss of spectral resolution and mass range is desirable in portable instruments. Miniaturizing quadrupole-based ion traps can be especially worthwhile since the RF amplitude necessary for mass analysis scales with the square of the analyzer dimensions. The performance of a miniature, stainless steel, rectilinear ion trap (RIT) with dimensions of 1.66 mm × 1.43 mm (x0 and y0 respectively) is characterized by sampling externally generated ions and performing mass analysis without benefit of differential pumping to simulate conditions in a miniature system. This system is capable of detecting analyte ions of up to m/z 1250 at operating voltages of 610 V0-p (drive frequency of 1.105 MHz), and with spectral resolution on the order of 2 Th (FWHM) across the entire mass range. The ability to acquire structural information through tandem MS is also demonstrated.

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► Design and fabrication of a miniaturized rectilinear ion trap mass analyzer.
► Mass analyzer performance characterization for mass resolution, mass range, operating pressure, and operating voltage.
► Demonstration of tandem MS capabilities.