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Title: Ultra-high-mass mass spectrometry with charge discrimination using cryogenic detectors

Abstract

An ultra-high-mass time-of-flight mass spectrometer using a cryogenic particle detector as an ion detector with charge discriminating capabilities. Cryogenic detectors have the potential for significantly improving the performance and sensitivity of time-of-flight mass spectrometers, and compared to ion multipliers they exhibit superior sensitivity for high-mass, slow-moving macromolecular ions and can be used as "stop" detectors in time-of-flight applications. In addition, their energy resolving capability can be used to measure the charge state of the ions. Charge discrimination is very valuable in all time-of-flight mass spectrometers. Using a cryogenically-cooled Nb-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 -Nb superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunnel junction (STJ) detector operating at 1.3 K as an ion detector in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer for large biomolecules it was found that the STJ detector has charge discrimination capabilities. Since the cryogenic STJ detector responds to ion energy and does not rely on secondary electron production, as in the conventionally used microchannel plate (MCP) detectors, the cryogenic detector therefore detects large molecular ions with a velocity-independent efficiency approaching 100%.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [3]
  1. Berkeley, CA
  2. Oakland, CA
  3. Danville, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
872715
Patent Number(s):
5994694
Assignee:
Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01J - ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
ultra-high-mass; mass; spectrometry; charge; discrimination; cryogenic; detectors; time-of-flight; spectrometer; particle; detector; discriminating; capabilities; potential; significantly; improving; performance; sensitivity; spectrometers; compared; multipliers; exhibit; superior; high-mass; slow-moving; macromolecular; stop; applications; addition; energy; resolving; capability; measure; valuable; cryogenically-cooled; nb-al; -nb; superconductor-insulator-superconductor; sis; tunnel; junction; stj; operating; biomolecules; found; responds; rely; secondary; electron; production; conventionally; microchannel; plate; mcp; detects; molecular; velocity-independent; efficiency; approaching; 100; channel plate; time-of-flight mass; tunnel junction; mass spectrometers; mass spectrometer; mass spectrometry; microchannel plate; particle detector; secondary electron; significantly improving; flight mass; cryogenic particle; detector responds; cryogenic detectors; /250/

Citation Formats

Frank, Matthias, Mears, Carl A, Labov, Simon E, and Benner, W Henry. Ultra-high-mass mass spectrometry with charge discrimination using cryogenic detectors. United States: N. p., 1999. Web.
Frank, Matthias, Mears, Carl A, Labov, Simon E, & Benner, W Henry. Ultra-high-mass mass spectrometry with charge discrimination using cryogenic detectors. United States.
Frank, Matthias, Mears, Carl A, Labov, Simon E, and Benner, W Henry. Fri . "Ultra-high-mass mass spectrometry with charge discrimination using cryogenic detectors". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872715.
@article{osti_872715,
title = {Ultra-high-mass mass spectrometry with charge discrimination using cryogenic detectors},
author = {Frank, Matthias and Mears, Carl A and Labov, Simon E and Benner, W Henry},
abstractNote = {An ultra-high-mass time-of-flight mass spectrometer using a cryogenic particle detector as an ion detector with charge discriminating capabilities. Cryogenic detectors have the potential for significantly improving the performance and sensitivity of time-of-flight mass spectrometers, and compared to ion multipliers they exhibit superior sensitivity for high-mass, slow-moving macromolecular ions and can be used as "stop" detectors in time-of-flight applications. In addition, their energy resolving capability can be used to measure the charge state of the ions. Charge discrimination is very valuable in all time-of-flight mass spectrometers. Using a cryogenically-cooled Nb-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 -Nb superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunnel junction (STJ) detector operating at 1.3 K as an ion detector in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer for large biomolecules it was found that the STJ detector has charge discrimination capabilities. Since the cryogenic STJ detector responds to ion energy and does not rely on secondary electron production, as in the conventionally used microchannel plate (MCP) detectors, the cryogenic detector therefore detects large molecular ions with a velocity-independent efficiency approaching 100%.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1999},
month = {1}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Cryogenic particle detectors
journal, March 1996


Simultaneous measurement of flight time and energy of large matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization ions with a superconducting tunnel junction detector
journal, October 1997


Biopolymer mass spectrometer with cryogenic particle detectors
journal, February 1996


Detection of single macromolecules using a cryogenic particle detector coupled to a biopolymer mass spectrometer
journal, June 1996