Ion supply system and method to control an ion supply system

1. An ion supply system, comprising:

an ion source emitting ions into a fore vacuum chamber;

an ion transport device having stacked electrodes arranged in the fore vacuum chamber;

a control system supplying a oscillatory voltage to the electrodes of the ion transport device; and

a vacuum chamber, arranged downstream from the ion transport device, in which a vacuum gauge is arranged, the vacuum gauge generating a pressure signal representative of a measured pressure;

wherein the pressure signal is supplied to the control system supplying the oscillatory voltage, and the control system is configured to set an amplitude of the oscillatory voltage in accordance with a known correlation between a pressure in the vacuum chamber and an amplitude range for optimized ion transmission.

2. The ion supply system of claim 1 , wherein the amplitude of the oscillatory voltage supplied by the control system to the electrodes of the ion transport device is changed when a change of pressure is detected by the vacuum gauge.

3. The ion supply system of claim 2 , wherein the control system is configured to change the amplitude of the oscillatory voltage supplied by the control system to the electrodes of the ion transport device according to a calibration curve relating the pressure signal and the amplitude.

4. The ion supply system of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum gauge is arranged in the vacuum chamber close to a device exit of the ion transport device.

5. The ion supply system of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum gauge is arranged in the vacuum chamber close to a lens aperture of an extraction lens downstream from the ion transport device, which is arranged between the fore vacuum chamber and the vacuum chamber.

6. The ion supply system of claim 1 , wherein the spacing of adjacent electrodes of the ion transport device is increased in the direction of the ion travel.

7. The ion supply system of claim 1 , wherein the electrodes of the ion transport device are grouped into a first electrode set positioned adjacent to a device entrance, and a second set of electrodes positioned adjacent to a device exit, and the electrodes of the first electrode set have apertures that are greater in size relative to apertures of electrodes of the second electrode set.

8. The ion supply system of claim 1 , wherein the electrodes of the ion transport device have apertures that decrease in size from an entrance of the ion transport device to an exit of the ion transport device.

9. An ion supply system, comprising:

an ion source emitting ions into a fore vacuum chamber;

an ion transport device having stacked electrodes arranged in the fore vacuum chamber;

a control system supplying an oscillatory voltage to the electrodes of the ion transport device; and

a vacuum chamber, arranged downstream from the ion transport device;

wherein a vacuum gauge is arranged in the fore vacuum chamber and wherein the pressure signal of the vacuum gauge representative of a pressure measured by the vacuum gauge is supplied to the control system supplying the oscillatory voltage, and the control system adjusts an amplitude of the oscillatory voltage in accordance with a known correlation between a pressure in the vacuum chamber and an amplitude range for optimized ion transmission.

10. Method for supplying ions into a vacuum system, comprising the steps:

(i) creating ions in an ion source;

(ii) emitting the ions into an ion channel of an ion transport device having stacked electrodes, which is arranged in a fore vacuum chamber;

(iii) applying an oscillation voltage to the electrodes of the ion transport device, so that the ions travelling through the ion transport device are radial confined to an aperture arranged behind the ion transport device, through which they travel into a vacuum chamber;

(iv) measuring with a vacuum gauge the pressure in the vacuum chamber downstream of the ion transport device; and

(v) submitting a pressure signal of the vacuum gauge to a control unit, controlling at least the oscillation voltage applied to the electrodes of the ion transport device,

wherein the control unit is applying an oscillation voltage to the electrodes, which is correlated to the pressure measured in the vacuum chamber.