Means for removing unwanted ions from an ion transport system and mass spectrometer

Abstract

The present invention relates to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) in which a collision cell is employed to selectively remove unwanted artefact ions from an ion beam by causing them to interact with a reagent gas. The present invention provides a first evacuated chamber ( 6 ) at high vacuum located between an expansion chamber ( 3 ) and a second evacuated chamber ( 20 ) containing the collision cell ( 24 ). The first evacuated chamber ( 6 ) includes a first ion optical device ( 17 ). The collision cell ( 24 ) contains a second ion optical device ( 25 ). The provision of the first evacuated chamber ( 5 ) reduces the gas load on the collision cell ( 24 ), by minimising the residual pressure within the collision cell ( 24 ) that is attributable to the gas load from the plasma source ( 1 ). This serves to minimise the formation, or re-formation, of unwanted artefact ions in the collision cell ( 24 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A mass spectrometer comprising:
 means ( 1 ) for generating ions from a sample introduced into a plasma; 
 a sampling aperture ( 2 ) for transmitting some of the ions into an evacuated expansion chamber ( 3 ) along a first axis ( 9 ) to form an ion beam; 
 a second aperture ( 5 ) for transmitting some of the ion beam into a first evacuated chamber ( 6 ); 
 a first pump ( 7 ) for maintaining the first evacuated chamber ( 6 ) at high vacuum; 
 a first ion optical device ( 17 ) located in the first evacuated chamber ( 6 ) for containing the ion beam wherein the first ion optical device ( 17 ) is a mass selective device; 
 a third aperture ( 19 ) for transmitting the ion beam into a second evacuated chamber ( 20 ); 
 a second pump ( 21 ) for maintaining the second evacuated chamber ( 20 ) at a lower pressure than the first evacuated chamber ( 6 ); 
 a collision cell ( 24 ) having an entrance aperture ( 27 ) and an exit aperture ( 28 ) and pressurized with a target gas ( 26 ), the collision cell ( 24 ) being disposed in the second evacuated chamber ( 20 ); 
 a second ion optical device ( 25 ) located in the collision cell ( 24 ) for containing the ion beam; 
 a fourth aperture ( 32 ) for transmitting the ion beam into a third evacuated chamber ( 33 ) containing mass-to-charge ratio analyzing means ( 37 ) disposed along a second axis ( 36 ), wherein the mass-to-charge analyzing means is configured to mass analyze the ion beam to produce a mass spectrum of the ion beam such that both the first ion optical device ( 17 ) and the mass-to-charge ratio analyzing means ( 37 ) operate at the same mass to charge ratio, so as substantially to minimize the formation in the collision cell of interfering ions having the said mass to charge ratio; and 
 a third pump ( 39 ) for maintaining the third evacuated chamber ( 33 ) at lower pressure than the second evacuated chamber ( 20 ). 
 
     
     
       2. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the first evacuated chamber ( 6 ) is maintained at a pressure of approximately 10 −2  to 10 −4  mbar. 
     
     
       3. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the first evacuated chamber ( 6 ) is maintained at a pressure of approximately 1-2×10 −3  mbar. 
     
     
       4. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 1 , including a gap of at least 2 cm between the third aperture ( 19 ) and the entrance aperture ( 27 ) of the collision cell ( 24 ). 
     
     
       5. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the ion source ( 1 ) and the entrance aperture ( 27 ) of the collision cell ( 24 ) is 90 to 200 mm. 
     
     
       6. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the mass-to-charge ratio analyzing means ( 37 ) includes a main mass filter which preferably is an RF quadrupole. 
     
     
       7. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the first ion optical device ( 17 ) is an RF quadrupole. 
     
     
       8. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the second ion optical device ( 25 ) is an RF quadrupole. 
     
     
       9. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the second ion optical device ( 25 ) is mass selective. 
     
     
       10. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the second axis ( 36 ) of the mass to charge ratio analyzing means ( 37 ) is offset from the first axis ( 9 ). 
     
     
       11. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the first evacuated chamber ( 6 ) is divided into a first region ( 14 ) adjacent to the expansion chamber containing an extractor lens ( 8 ) driven at a negative potential, and a second region ( 15 ) adjacent to the collision cell ( 24 ) in which the ion optical device ( 17 ) is located, by a large diameter aperture ( 11 ) and the aperture is sealable by means of a flat plate ( 12 ) on an O-ring seal ( 13 ). 
     
     
       12. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 1 , wherein the first ion optical device and the mass-to-charge analyzing means are configured to scan synchronously. 
     
     
       13. A method of operating a mass spectrometer that incorporates a collision cell pressurized with a target gas, the method comprising:
 generating an ion beam by introducing a sample into a plasma, the ione ion beam including analyte ions having an analyte mass to charge ratio and unwanted ions; 
 mass selecting at least a portion of the ion beam at the analyte mass to charge ratio; 
 transmitting at least a portion of the mass selected ion beam into the collision cell, the mass selecting step being effective substantially to minimize the formation in the collision cell of interfering ions having the analyte mass to charge ratio; 
 receiving at least a portion of the ion beam from the collision cell at a mass analyzer; and 
 mass analyzing the received ion beam at the same analyte mass to charge ratio as in the mass selecting step. 
 
     
     
       14. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein a distance of 90 to 200 mm is maintained between the ion source and an entrance aperture of the collision cell. 
     
     
       15. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein mass selecting and mass analyzing comprise scanning synchronously. 
     
     
       16. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the mass selecting is achieved by passing the ion beam through a first mass selective ion optical device. 
     
     
       17. A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the first mass selective ion optical device is an RF quadrupole. 
     
     
       18. A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the first mass selective ion optical device is located in a first evacuated chamber maintained at high vacuum. 
     
     
       19. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the first evacuated chamber is maintained at a pressure of approximately 10 −2  to 10 −4  mbar. 
     
     
       20. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the first evacuated chamber is maintained at a pressure of approximately 1-2×10 −3  mbar. 
     
     
       21. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the first evacuated chamber is divided into a first region adjacent to the expansion chamber containing an extractor lens driven at a negative potential, and a second region adjacent to the collision cell, by a large diameter aperture and the aperture is sealable by means of a fiat plate on an O-ring seal. 
     
     
       22. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the collision cell is located in a second evacuated chamber operated at lower pressure than the first evacuated chamber, the ion beam being contained in the second evacuated chamber by a second ion optical device. 
     
     
       23. A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the second ion optical device is an RF quadrupole. 
     
     
       24. A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the second ion optical device is mass selective. 
     
     
       25. A method according to  claim 22 , further comprising transmitting at least a portion of the ion beam from the ion source through a sampling aperture into an evacuated expansion chamber along a first axis, into the first evacuated chamber through a second aperture;
 wherein transmitting at least a portion of the mass selected ion beam into the collision cell includes transmitting at least a portion of the ion beam into the second evacuated chamber through a third aperture, wherein a gap of at least 2 cm is maintained between the third aperture and an entrance aperture of the collision cell. 
 
     
     
       26. A method according to  claim 25 , wherein the mass analyzer is located in a third evacuated chamber operated at lower pressure than the second evacuated chamber, the mass analyzer being disposed along a second axis. 
     
     
       27. A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the second axis is offset from the first axis. 
     
     
       28. A mass spectrometer comprising:
 an inductively coupled plasma ion source for generating ions from a sample, the generated ions including first atomic ions having a first mass-to-charge ratio and artefact ions having a mass-to-charge ratio that interferes with the first mass-to-charge ratio; 
 an ion optical device disposed to receive at least a portion of an ion beam generated by the ion source, the ion optical device being configured to mass select at least a portion of the ion beam generated by the ion source at a the first mass-to-charge ratio, thereby removing, from the ion beam, ions not having the first mass-to-charge ratio; 
 a collision cell disposed to receive at least a portion of a mass selected ion beam from the ion optical device and configured to remove, from the mass selected ion beam, artefact ions having a mass-to-charge ratio that interferes with the first mass-to-charge ratio, the ion optical device being configured substantially to minimize the formation in the collision cell of interfering artefact ions having the said first mass-to-charge ratio; and 
 a mass analyzer disposed to receive at least a portion of the mass selected ion beam from the collision cell, the mass analyzer being configured to mass analyze the received ion beam at the same mass-to-charge ratio as the ion optical device, wherein the mass analyzer is configured to detect the first atomic ions when the same mass-to-charge ratio is the first mass-to-charge ratio. 
 
     
     
       29. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 28 , wherein the ion optical device and the mass analyzer are configured to scan synchronously. 
     
     
       30. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 28 , wherein the mass analyzer is configured to mass select the ion beam received from the collision cell at the mass-to-charge ratio. 
     
     
       31. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 28 , wherein the ion optical device comprises a first RF quadrupole. 
     
     
       32. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 31 , wherein the mass analyzer comprises a second RF quadrupole. 
     
     
       33. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 28 , wherein the ion optical device is disposed in a first evacuated chamber, the collision cell is disposed in a second evacuated chamber, and the mass analyzer is disposed in a third evacuated chamber. 
     
     
       34. A mass spectrometer according to  claim 28 , further comprising a second ion optical device located in the collision cell for containing the ion beam. 
     
     
       35. A mass spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein the means (1) for generating ions from a sample introduced into a plasma uses argon, and wherein the collision cell does not contain a significant partial pressure of argon. 
     
     
       36. A mass spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the first ion optical device (17) and the mass-to-charge ratio analyzing means (37) at the same mass to charge ratio to produce the mass spectrum of mass-to-charge ratios includes synchronously scanning the first ion optical device (17) and the mass-to-charge ratio analyzing means (37) over a spectrum of mass-to-charge ratios. 
     
     
       37. The method according to claim 13, wherein mass analyzing the received ion beam at the same analyte mass to charge ratio as in the mass selecting step is performed at a plurality of analyte mass to charge ratios. 
     
     
       38. The method according to claim 37, further comprising:
 obtaining a mass spectrum of the ion beam by a synchronous scan that mass analyzes the received ion beam at the same analyte mass to charge ratio as in the mass selecting step at the plurality of analyte mass to charge ratios.   
     
     
       39. The method according to claim 13, wherein the collision cell does not contain a significant partial pressure of argon. 
     
     
       40. The method according to claim 13, wherein the collision cell is pressurized with a target gas that is not argon. 
     
     
       41. The method according to claim 13, wherein the plasma is an inductively coupled plasma. 
     
     
       42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the inductively coupled plasma includes argon, and wherein the collision cell does not contain a significant partial pressure of argon. 
     
     
       43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the collision cell is pressurized with helium or hydrogen. 
     
     
       44. A mass spectrometer according to claim 28, wherein the generated ions further include second atomic ions having a second mass-to-charge ratio and artefact ions having a mass-to-charge ratio that interferes with the second mass-to-charge ratio,
 wherein the ion optical device is further configured to mass select at least a portion of the ion beam generated by the ion source at the second mass-to-charge ratio, and   wherein the mass analyzer is configured to detect the second atomic ions when the same mass-to-charge ratio is the second mass-to-charge ratio.   
     
     
       45. A mass spectrometer according to claim 28, wherein the inductively coupled plasma includes argon, and wherein the collision cell does not contain a significant partial pressure of argon. 
     
     
       46. A mass spectrometer according to claim 45, wherein the collision cell is pressurized with helium or hydrogen. 
     
     
       47. A mass spectrometer according to claim 28, wherein the artefact ion include molecular ions. 
     
     
       48. A mass spectrometer according to claim 28, wherein the artefact ions are reacted or collided with a collision gas in the collision cell to form ions having mass-to-charge ratios that do not interfere with the first mass-to-charge ratio, thereby removing artefact ions. 
     
     
       49. A mass spectrometer according to claim 48, wherein at least some of the artefact ions are collided with the collision gas to form ions that have lower mass-to-charge ratios than the first mass-to-charge ratio. 
     
     
       50. A mass spectrometer according to claim 48, wherein at least some of the artefact ions are reacted with the collision gas to form ions that have higher mass-to-charge ratios than the first mass-to-charge ratio.