Accelerating prototyping experiments for traveling wave structures for lossless ion manipulations

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Mass Spectrometry

Background:

• Traveling Wave Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulation (TW-SLIM) is effective for gas-phase ion separation and study.
• Traditional TW-SLIM setups face practical and financial barriers, limiting widespread adoption.
• Need for simplified, cost-effective TW-SLIM methodologies for broader implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present technological innovations for simplified TW-SLIM experimentation and rapid prototyping.
• To introduce a low-cost traveling wave generator and on-board injection methods.
• To demonstrate enhanced ion accumulation and long-term ion storage capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of a low-cost, multifunctional traveling wave generator producing square waves.
• Exploration of on-board injection (OBI) techniques as alternatives to traditional ion funnel traps.
• Utilized multiple independent board sets for the simplified TW-SLIM system.

Main Results:

• The square-wave generator effectively achieved TW-SLIM separations, comparable to traditional methods.
• On-board injection (OBI) methods proved feasible and enhanced ion accumulation within the simplified platform.
• Demonstrated the ability to store ions for extended periods (1 second) with minimal loss (<10%).

Conclusions:

• The presented simplified TW-SLIM platform effectively reduces implementation barriers.
• Innovations in traveling wave generation and ion injection enhance experimental efficiency and accessibility.
• The technology shows promise for expanding the adoption and application of TW-SLIM techniques.