Mass spectrometer and method of mass spectrometry

1. A method of mass spectrometry comprising:

providing a pulse of ions and performing the following steps before providing another pulse of ions:

(a) temporally separating at least some of said ions according to their ion mobility in a first device;

(b) mass filtering at least some of said ions according to their mass to charge ratio in a second device; and

(c) continuously varying a mass filtering characteristic of said second device so that multiply charged ions having a first charge state are onwardly transmitted in preference to singly charged ions.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first charge state is selected from the group consisting of: (i) doubly charged ions; (ii) triply charged ions; (iii) quadruply charged ions; and (iv) ions having five or more charges.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first device comprises an ion mobility spectrometer.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said ion mobility spectrometer comprises a plurality of electrodes having apertures wherein a DC voltage gradient is maintained across at least a portion of said ion mobility spectrometer and at least some of said electrodes are connected to an AC or RF voltage supply.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said ion mobility spectrometer comprises a drift tube together with one or more electrodes for maintaining an axial DC voltage gradient along at least a portion of said drift tube.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said second device comprises a quadrupole rod set mass filter.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said quadrupole mass filter is operated as a high pass mass to charge ratio filter so as to substantially only transmit ions having a mass to charge ratio greater than a minimum value.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said quadrupole mass filter is operated as a band pass mass to charge ratio filter so as to substantially only transmit ions having a mass to charge ratio greater than a minimum value and smaller than a maximum value.

9. A method as claimed in claims 7 , wherein said step of progressively varying a mass filtering characteristic of said second device comprises scanning said quadrupole mass filter so as to progressively increase said minimum value.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said quadrupole mass filter is scanned in a substantially continuous manner.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said quadruple mass filter is scanned in a substantially stepped manner.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said second device comprises a drift region having an axis and an injection electrode for injecting at least some ions in a direction substantially orthogonal to said axis.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said injection electrode comprises a pusher and/or puller electrode of an orthogonal acceleration time of flight mass analyser.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising an ion trap upstream of said drift region for storing and periodically releasing ions.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said injection electrode is arranged to inject ions a predetermined period of time after ions have first been released from said ion trap upstream of said drift region, said period of time being set so that only ions having a mass to charge ratio within a desired range are substantially injected by said injection electrode.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein packets of ions are repeatedly released from said ion trap and said predetermined time delay is progressively increased.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said step of providing a pulse of ions comprises providing a pulsed ion source.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein said pulsed ion source is selected from the group consisting of: (i) a Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation (“MALDI”) ion source; and (ii) a Laser Desorption Ionisation ion source.

19. A method as claim in claim 1 , wherein said step of providing a pulse of ions comprises providing a continuous ion source and an ion trap for storing ions and periodically releasing ions.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 , wherein said continuous ion source is selected from the group consisting of: (i) an Electrospray ion source; (ii) an Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionisation (“APCI”) ion source; (iii) an Electron Impact (“EI”) ion source; (iv) an Atmospheric Pressure Photon Ionisation (“APPI”) ion source; and (v) a Chemical Ionisation (“CI”) ion source.

21. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising providing a collision cell wherein in one mode of operation at least some ions entering said collision cell are caused to fragment.

22. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising providing an orthogonal acceleration time of flight mass analyser.

23. A method of mass spectrometry comprising:

providing a pulse of ions;

separating at least some of said ions according to their ion mobility in an ion mobility spectrometer;

using a mass filter having a variable mass to charge ratio cut-off to mass filter at least some of said ions; and

continuously increasing said mass to charge ratio cut-off in synchronisation with said ion mobility spectrometer.

24. A method of mass spectrometry comprising:

separating at least some ions according to their ion mobility;

mass filtering at least some ions; and

arranging for multiply charged ions to be transmitted and for singly charged ions to be attenuated.

25. A method of reducing unwanted singly charged ions from a mass spectrum, comprising:

separating ions in an ion mobility spectrometer;

passing said ions to a mass filter; and

arranging said mass filter to have a mass to charge ratio cut-off which continuously increases in time, said cut-off being predetermined based upon the known drift times of singly and doubly charged ions through said ion mobility spectrometer.

26. A method of mass spectrometry, comprising:

providing a pulse of ions;

temporally separating at least some of said ions according to their ion mobility in an ion mobility spectrometer;

providing a quadrupole rod set mass filter; and

continuously increasing a mass to charge ratio cut-off of said mass filter so that multiply charged ions are onwardly transmitted in preference to singly charged ions.

27. A method of mass spectrometry, comprising:

providing a pulse of ions;

temporally separating at least some of said ions according to their ion mobility in an ion mobility spectrometer;

providing a drift region and an injection electrode;

repeatedly pulsing ions into said drift region and causing said injection electrode to inject at least some of said ions in a substantially orthogonal direction after a delay time; and

repeatedly varying said delay time so that multiply charged ions are onwardly transmitted in preference to singly charged ions.

28. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said second device comprises a 2D ion trap.

29. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said second device comprises a 3D ion trap.

30. A mass spectrometer comprising:

a first device for temporally separating ions according to their ion mobility;

a second device for mass filtering at least some of said ions according to their mass to charge ratio; and

a controller which is arranged to continuously vary a mass filtering characteristic of said second device so that multiply charged ions having a first charge state are onwardly transmitted in preference to singly charged ions.

31. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 30 , wherein said first charge state is selected from the group consisting of: (i) doubly charged ions; (ii) triply charged ions; (iii) quadruply charged ions; and (iv) ions having five or more charges.

32. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 30 , wherein said first device comprises an ion mobility spectrometer.

33. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 32 , wherein said ion mobility spectrometer comprises a plurality of electrodes having apertures wherein a DC voltage gradient is maintained across at least a portion of said ion mobility spectrometer and at least some of said electrodes are connected to an AC or RF voltage supply.

34. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 32 , wherein said ion mobility spectrometer comprises a drift tube together with one or more electrodes for maintaining an axial DC voltage gradient along at least a portion of said drift tube.

35. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 30 , wherein said second device comprises a quadrupole rod set mass filter.

36. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 35 , wherein said quadrupole mass filter is operated as a high pass mass to charge ratio filter so as to substantially only transmit ions having a mass to charge ratio greater than a minimum value.

37. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 35 , wherein said quadrupole mass filter is operated as a band pass mass to charge ratio filter so as to substantially only transmit ions having a mass to charge ratio greater than a minimum value and smaller than a maximum value.

38. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 36 , wherein said quadrupole mass filter is scanned so that said minimum value is progressively increased.

39. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 30 , wherein said second device comprises a drift region having an axis and an injection electrode for injecting at least some ions in a direction substantially orthogonal to said axis.

40. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 39 , wherein said injection electrode comprises a pusher and/or puller electrode of an orthogonal acceleration time of flight mass analyser.

41. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 39 , further comprising an ion trap upstream of said drift region for storing and periodically releasing ions.

42. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 41 , wherein said injection electrode is arranged to inject ions a predetermined period of time after ions have been released from said ion trap upstream of said drift region, said period of time being set so that only ions having a mass to charge ratio within a desired range are substantially injected by said injection electrode.

43. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 42 , wherein packets of ions are repeatedly released from said ion trap and said predetermined time delay is progressively increased.

44. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising a pulsed ion source.

45. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 44 , wherein said pulsed ion source is selected from the group consisting of: (i) a Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation (“MALDI”) ion source; and (ii) a Laser Desorption Ionisation ion source.

46. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising a continuous ion source and an ion trap for storing and periodically releasing ions.

47. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 46 , wherein said continuous ion source is selected from the group consisting of: (i) an Electrospray ion source; (ii) an Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionisation (“APCI”) ion source; (iii) an Electron Impact (“EI”) ion source; (iv) an Atmospheric Pressure Photon Ionisation (“APPI”) ion source; and (v) a Chemical Ionisation (“CI”) ion source.

48. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising a collision cell wherein in one mode of operation at least some ions entering said collision cell are caused to fragment.

49. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising an orthogonal acceleration time of flight mass analyser.

50. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 30 , wherein said second device comprises a 2D ion trap.

51. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 30 , wherein said second device comprises a 3D ion trap.

52. A mass spectrometer comprising:

an ion mobility spectrometer;

a quadrupole mass filter; and

control means for continuously increasing the mass to charge ratio cut-off of said quadrupole mass filter in synchronisation with said ion mobility spectrometer.

53. A mass spectrometer comprising:

an ion source;

an ion mobility spectrometer for separating ions according to both their mass and charge state;

a mass filter;

control means for controlling said ion mobility spectrometer and said mass filter; and

a mass analyser;

wherein said control means is arranged to control said ion mobility spectrometer and said mass filter to attenuate multiply charged ions so that there is a higher proportion of singly charged ions to multiply charged ions downstream of said ion mobility spectrometer and said mass filter compared with upstream of said ion mobility spectrometer and said mass filter.

54. A mass spectrometer comprising:

an ion source;

a mass filter;

an ion mobility spectrometer arranged downstream of said mass filter; and

a mass analyser;

wherein said mass filter and said ion mobility spectrometer are operated, in use, so that doubly and/or other multiply charged ions are transmitted to said mass analyser and singly charged ions are attenuated.