Method and apparatus for automatic estimation of detector gain in a mass spectrometer

1. A method comprising:

performing a plurality of analytical scans during normal operation of a mass spectrometer having a detection section, wherein data is generated during the analytical scans in a manner that includes use of the detection section; and

automatically evaluating the data from the analytical scans to monitor whether an actual gain of the detection section changes over time.

2. A method according to claim 1 ,

wherein before the performing the plurality of analytical scans, the actual gain is approximately equal to a target gain; and

wherein the automatically evaluating includes determining an estimated gain from the data, the estimated gain being an estimate representative of the actual gain, and

evaluating whether the estimated gain falls outside a predetermined gain tolerance from the target gain.

3. A method according to claim 2 ,

wherein the detection section has an operating parameter that influences the actual gain; and

including automatically adjusting the operating parameter of the detection section if the estimated gain falls outside the predetermined gain tolerance.

4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the automatically adjusting includes determining an adjustment amount for the operating parameter, the adjustment amount being a function of a difference between the estimated gain and the target gain.

5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the determining the adjustment amount includes factoring a dilution factor into the adjustment amount.

6. A method according to claim 3 ,

wherein the detection section has a control input that receives a control signal having a characteristic that is the operating parameter; and

wherein the automatically adjusting includes determining an adjustment amount for the characteristic of the control signal.

7. A method according to claim 2 , including generating an operator perceptible alert in response to the evaluating the estimated gain if the estimated gain falls outside the predetermined gain tolerance.

8. A method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the data includes ion intensities of a plurality of mass-to-charge ratios; and

the automatically evaluating includes analyzing the ion intensities of the plurality of mass-to-charge ratios.

9. A method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the mass spectrometer includes a mass analyzer section, and an ion source section that directs an ion beam having an ion beam intensity into the mass analyzer section;

wherein the performing the analytical scans includes separating ions of the ion beam in the mass analyzer section according to a plurality of mass-to-charge ratios, and determining an ion intensity of each of the plurality of mass-to-charge ratios using the detection section; and

including, before the performing the analytical scans, adjusting the ion beam intensity, such that the ion beam intensity is ion statistics limited, and calibrating the detection section, such that the actual gain is approximately equal to a target gain.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the evaluating includes:

determining from the data an estimated gain of the detection section, the estimated gain being an estimate representative of the actual gain; and

comparing the estimated gain to the target gain.

11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the determining the estimated gain includes for each mass-to-charge ratio:

determining a relative standard deviation as a function of the ion intensity of the mass-to-charge ratio; and

determining a statistical number of ions for the mass-to-charge ratio as a function of the relative standard deviation.

12. A method according to claim 11 ,

wherein the performing the analytical scans includes determining a total ion intensity of the plurality of mass-to-charge ratios; and

wherein the determining the estimated gain includes for each mass to-charge ratio:

determining a predicted number of ions of the mass-to-charge ratio as a function of the total ion intensity, and

comparing the statistical number of ions to the predicted number of ions, thereby determining a gain ratio for the mass-to-charge ratio.

13. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the determining the estimated gain includes deriving the estimated gain from the gain ratios for the plurality of mass-to-charge ratios.

14. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the determining the estimated gain includes for each mass-to-charge ratio:

determining a statistical gain based on the statistical number of ions; and

comparing the statistical gain to the target gain, thereby determining a gain ratio for the mass-to-charge ratio.

15. A method according to claim 14 , wherein the determining the estimated gain includes deriving the estimated gain from the gain ratios for the plurality of mass-to-charge ratios.

16. An apparatus comprising a mass spectrometer that includes:

a detection section having an actual gain; and

a control section that, during normal operation of the mass spectrometer:

causes the mass spectrometer to perform a plurality of analytical scans that generate data in a manner that includes use of the detection section, and

automatically evaluates the data from the analytical scans to monitor whether the actual gain of the detection section changes over time.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 ,

wherein the detection section has an operating parameter that influences the actual gain;

wherein before performing the plurality of analytical scans, the control section adjusts the operating parameter such that the actual gain is approximately equal to a target gain; and

wherein the control section that automatically evaluates:

determines an estimated gain from the data, the estimated gain being an estimate representative of the actual gain, and

evaluates whether the estimated gain falls outside a predetermined gain tolerance from the target gain.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the control section automatically adjusts the operating parameter of the detection section if the estimated gain falls outside the predetermined gain tolerance.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the detection section includes an electron multiplier having a multiplier voltage, the operating parameter being the multiplier voltage.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17 , including a user interface section, wherein the control section generates an operator perceptible alert to the user interface if the estimated gain falls outside the predetermined gain tolerance.