Phase Modulation to Increase Ion Throughput for Ion Mobility-Time-of-Flight Experiments.

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Spectrometry

Background:

• Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulation (SLIM) offer advanced ion separation.
• Traditional SLIM methods often have limited duty cycles, impacting analytical throughput.
• Integrating SLIM with time-of-flight mass analyzers is crucial for comprehensive analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a phase-based gating scheme for SLIM.
• To enhance the analytical efficiency and duty cycle of SLIM experiments.
• To assess the impact of phased gating on separative capabilities and resolving power.

Main Methods:

• Development of a phase-based gating scheme for ion manipulation.
• Integration of the phased gating system with a 6-m SLIM device and a time-of-flight mass analyzer.
• Comparison of phased ion mobility spectrometry with signal-averaged SLIM experiments.

Main Results:

• Phased ion mobility spectrometry achieved a 10x increase in duty cycle compared to signal-averaged SLIM.
• Separative capabilities and resolving power were maintained in the phased mode.
• The methodology allows for algebraic or direct determination of arrival time integers.

Conclusions:

• Phase-based gating significantly enhances the duty cycle and ion efficiency of SLIM.
• This approach reduces experimental analysis duration without compromising separation.
• The method is readily integrable into existing ion mobility-mass spectrometry instrumentation.