Improving FAIMS Sensitivity using a Planar Geometry with Slit Interfaces

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 20(9):1768-1774

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasms.2009.05.019· OSTI ID:965561

Mabrouki, Ridha B; Kelly, Ryan T; Prior, David C; Shvartsburg, Alexandre A; Tang, Keqi; Smith, Richard D

Differential mobility spectrometry or field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) is gaining broad acceptance for analyses of gas-phase ions, especially in conjunction with largely orthogonal separation methods such as mass spectrometry (MS) and/or conventional (drift tube) ion mobility spectrometry. In FAIMS, ions are filtered while passing through a gap between two electrodes that may have planar or curved (in particular, cylindrical) geometry. Despite substantial inherent advantages of the planar configuration and its universal acceptance in stand-alone FAIMS devices, commercial FAIMS/MS systems have employed curved FAIMS geometries that could be interfaced to MS more effectively. Here we report a new planar (p-) FAIMS design with slit-shaped entrance and exit apertures that substantially increase ion transmission in and out of the analyzer. The front slit interface effectively couples p-FAIMS to multi-emitter electrospray ionization (ESI) sources, improving greatly the ion current introduced to the device. The back slit interface increases the transmission of ribbon-shaped ion beams output by the p-FAIMS to downstream stages such as a MS. Overall, the ion signal in ESI/FAIMS/MS analyses is raised by over an order of magnitude without affecting the FAIMS resolution.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US), Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 965561
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-65387; 20496; 400412000
• Journal Information: Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 20(9):1768-1774, Journal Name: Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 20(9):1768-1774 Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 20; ISSN JAMSEF; ISSN 1044-0305
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
APERTURES
DESIGN
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
GAS ANALYSIS
ION MOBILITY
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
PERFORMANCE
SENSITIVITY