A High Voltage Asymmetric Waveform Generator for FAIMS

High field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) has been used increasingly in recent years as an additional method of ion separation and selection before mass spectrometry. The FAIMS electrodes are relatively simple to design and fabricate for laboratories wishing to implement their own FAIMS designs. However, construction of the electronics apparatus needed to produce the required high magnitude asymmetric electric field oscillating at a frequency of several hundred kilohertz is not trivial. Here we present an entirely custom-built electronics setup capable of supplying the required waveforms and voltages. The apparatus is relatively simple and inexpensive to implement. We also present data acquired on this system demonstrating the use of FAIMS as a gas-phase ion filter interface to an ion trap mass spectrometer.

Graphical AbstractWe present an approach for constructing an asymmetric waveform generator capable of sustained operation at 6 kVp-p and at a fundamental frequency of 715 kHz.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (210 K)Download as PowerPoint slide