Systems and methods for effective gap filtering and atmospheric pressure RF heating of ions

1. A high-field symmetric-waveform apparatus for filtering high mobility ions, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode placed in parallel with the first electrode to provide constant gap distance, d, between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a first high-voltage waveform generator electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to produce a first symmetric waveform,

wherein the first symmetric waveform produces a symmetric electric field waveform in the gap between the first electrode and the second electrode with a maximum density normalized electric field energy, E/N (the electric field strength, E, divided by the gas number density, N), greater than 10 Td and the electric field waveform displaces an ion radially from the center of the gap during one half of the electric field waveform a distance y=K(E)×E×t, where K(E) is the mobility coefficient and t is the half period of the electric field waveform,

wherein the symmetric electric field waveform is produced with the maximum E/N greater than 10 Td to make K(E) of ions in the gap a function of E/N, and

wherein the constant gap distance and the amplitude and frequency of the first symmetric waveform are configured to filter high mobility ions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pumping device to increase or decrease a pressure in the gap, wherein the pressure, the constant gap distance, and the amplitude and frequency of the first symmetric waveform are configured to filter high mobility ions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising

a second high-voltage waveform generator electrically connected to the second electrode and configured to produce a second symmetric waveform,

wherein the first symmetric waveform and the second symmetric waveform produce the symmetric electric field waveform in the gap between the first electrode and the second electrode with a maximum density normalized electric field energy, E/N, greater than 10 Td and the electric field waveform displaces an ion radially from the center of the gap during one half of the electric field waveform a distance y=K(E)×E×t, where K(E) is the mobility coefficient and t is the half period of the electric field waveform,

wherein the symmetric electric field waveform is produced with the maximum E/N greater than 10 Td to make K(E) of ions in the gap a function of E/N, and

wherein the constant gap distance, the amplitude and frequency of the first symmetric waveform, and the amplitude and frequency of the second symmetric waveform are configured to filter high mobility ions.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a pumping device to increase or decrease a pressure in the gap, wherein the pressure, the constant gap distance, the amplitude and frequency of the first symmetric waveform, and the amplitude and frequency of the second symmetric waveform are configured to filter high mobility ions.

5. A method for filtering high mobility ions, comprising:

placing a second electrode in parallel with a first electrode to provide constant gap distance, d, between the first electrode and the second electrode;

applying a first symmetric waveform to the first electrode;

wherein the first symmetric waveform produces a symmetric electric field waveform in the gap between the first electrode and the second electrode with a maximum density normalized electric field energy, E/N (the electric field strength, E, divided by the gas number density, N), greater than 10 Td and the electric field waveform displaces an ion radially from the center of the gap during one half of the electric field waveform a distance y=K(E)×E×t, where K(E) is the mobility coefficient and t is the half period of the electric field waveform,

wherein the symmetric electric field waveform is produced with the maximum E/N greater than 10 Td to make K(E) of ions in the gap a function of E/N, and

wherein the constant gap distance and the amplitude and frequency of the first symmetric waveform are configured to filter high mobility ions.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising increasing or decreasing a pressure in the gap, wherein the pressure, the constant gap distance, and the amplitude and frequency of the first symmetric waveform are configured to filter high mobility ions.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising

applying a second symmetric waveform to the second electrode,

wherein the first symmetric waveform and the second symmetric waveform produce the symmetric electric field waveform in the gap between the first electrode and the second electrode with a maximum density normalized electric field energy, E/N, greater than 10 Td and the electric field waveform displaces an ion radially from the center of the gap during one half of the electric field waveform a distance y=K(E)×E×t, where K(E) is the mobility coefficient and t is the half period of the electric field waveform,

wherein the symmetric electric field waveform is produced with the maximum E/N greater than 10 Td to make K(E) of ions in the gap a function of E/N, and

wherein the constant gap distance, the amplitude and frequency of the first symmetric waveform, and the amplitude and frequency of the second symmetric waveform are configured to filter high mobility ions.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising increasing or decreasing a pressure in the gap, wherein the pressure, the constant gap distance, the amplitude and frequency of the first symmetric waveform, and the amplitude and frequency of the second symmetric waveform are configured to filter high mobility ions.

9. A high-field symmetric-waveform apparatus for filtering and fragmenting ions, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode placed in parallel with the first electrode to provide constant gap distance, d, between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a first high-voltage waveform generator electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to produce a first symmetric waveform,

wherein the first symmetric waveform produces a symmetric electric field waveform in the gap between the first electrode and the second electrode with a maximum density normalized electric field energy, E/N, greater than 10 Td and the electric field waveform displaces an ion radially from the center of the gap during one half of the electric field waveform a distance y=K(E)×E×t, where K(E) is the mobility coefficient and tis the half period of the electric field waveform,

wherein the symmetric electric field waveform is produced with the maximum E/N greater than 10 Td to make K(E) of ions in the gap a function of E/N, and

wherein the constant gap distance and the amplitude and frequency of the first symmetric waveform are configured to filter high mobility ions in the gap by producing the electric field waveform with the maximum E/N greater than 10 Td and to fragment ions in the gap by producing the electric field waveform with the maximum E/N greater than 100 Td.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a pumping device to increase or decrease a pressure in the gap, wherein the pressure, the constant gap distance and the amplitude and frequency of the first symmetric waveform are configured to fragment ions in the gap by producing the density normalized electric field waveform with the maximum E/N greater than 100 Td.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising

a second high-voltage waveform generator electrically connected to the second electrode and configured to produce a second symmetric waveform,

wherein the first symmetric waveform and the second symmetric waveform produce the symmetric electric field waveform in the gap between the first electrode and the second electrode with a maximum density normalized electric field energy, E/N, greater than 100 Td and the electric field waveform displaces an ion radially from the center of the gap during one half of the electric field waveform a distance y=K(E)×E×t, where K(E) is the mobility coefficient and t is the half period of the electric field waveform,

wherein the symmetric electric field waveform is produced with a maximum E/N greater than 100 Td to make K(E) of ions in the gap a function of E/N, and

wherein the constant gap distance, the amplitude and frequency of the first symmetric waveform, and the amplitude and frequency of the second symmetric waveform are configured to fragment ions in the gap by producing the electric field waveform with the maximum E/N greater than 100 Td.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a pumping device to increase or decrease a pressure in the gap, wherein the pressure, the constant gap distance, the amplitude and frequency of the first symmetric waveform, and the amplitude and frequency of the second symmetric waveform are configured to fragment ions in the gap by producing the electric field waveform with the maximum E/N greater than 100 Td.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are selected from the group consisting of parallel strip electrodes, parallel plate electrodes, concentric cylinders, spherical shaped elements and curved shape elements.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are selected from the group consisting of parallel strip electrodes, parallel plate electrodes, concentric cylinders, spherical shaped elements and curved shape elements.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are selected from the group consisting of parallel strip electrodes, parallel plate electrodes, concentric cylinders, spherical shaped elements and curved shape elements.