Mass spectrometric device and mass spectrometric device control method
View Patent ↗This mass spectrometric device is provided with a sample container ( 8 ) for placing a measurement sample ( 12 ) therein, a detector ( 9 ) analyzing the mass of a sample and detecting a drug, or the like, in the sample, a dielectric container ( 3 ) linked to the sample container for running a discharge current into air to provoke ionization, a valve ( 2 ) for sending air intermittently to the sample container, the dielectric container and the detector, a barrier discharge high-voltage power source ( 6 ) to be discharged by the dielectric container, a current detection unit ( 5 ) connected to the barrier discharge high-voltage power source for detecting a discharge current ( 28 ), a discharge-start timing detection unit ( 7 ) connected to the current detection unit for detecting the discharge-start timing based on the current detection result from the current detection unit to send a discharge-start timing signal ( 17 ), and a control unit ( 11 ) for controlling each constituent.
1. A mass spectrometric device comprising:
a sample container to hold a measurement sample;
a detector to detect a target included in the sample by analyzing mass of the sample;
a dielectric container connected with the sample container;
a valve for intermittently sending an atmosphere to the sample container, the dielectric container, and the detector;
a barrier discharge high-voltage power source to ionize the atmosphere in the dielectric container by causing a discharge current to flow through the atmosphere in the dielectric container;
a current detection unit connected with the barrier discharge high-voltage power source and to detect a discharge detection current;
a discharge-start timing detection unit connected with the current detection unit and to detect a discharge-start timing based on a current detection result of the current detection unit to transmit a discharge-start timing signal; and
a control unit for controlling each of the detector, the valve, the barrier discharge high-voltage power source, the current detection unit and the discharge-start timing detection unit,
wherein the current detection unit converts the detected discharge detection current to a voltage, the discharge-start timing detection unit compares the converted voltage with a predetermined threshold and transmits a discharge-start signal to the control unit when the converted voltage exceeds the threshold, and the control unit performs control to cause the discharge current to flow through the atmosphere for a certain period after receiving the discharge-start signal.
2. The mass spectrometric device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control unit performs control to increase an output voltage of the barrier discharge high-voltage power source when the discharge detection current is not detected by the current detection unit.
3. A mass spectrometric device control method, the mass spectrometric device control method comprising:
detecting a discharge current of a barrier discharge caused by an output voltage of a high-voltage power source;
converting a detected discharge current value to a voltage value;
comparing the converted voltage value with a threshold; and
causing the barrier discharge for a certain period after the voltage value exceeds the threshold.
4. The mass spectrometric device control method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
increasing the output voltage of the high-voltage power source when the discharge current is not detected.