Acoustic Ion Manipulation: Electric-field-free Approach to Gate, Focus, and Separate Ions at Atmospheric Pressure
- Approaches to control the motion and direction of ionized particles and mole-cules are an essential aspect of ion-based spectrometries, such as mass spec-trometry (MS) and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). A wide variety of ion optics exist to reflect, focus, separate, gate, and filter ions based on physical proper-ties. Notably all rely on electric and magnetic fields to alter the trajectory of ionized atoms and molecules. While these optics are quite efficient at low pressures due to the large mean free path, diffusion and electrostatic repulsion between ions dominate at higher pressures. Conventional ion optics, that use electric or magnetic fields, can guide ions at atmospheric pressure (AP), but require high field strengths to overcome the dominating aerodynamic effects.
Here, we describe a remarkable phenomenon whereby low-power acoustic fields are used to move, shape, gate, and separate beams of gaseous ions at atmospheric pressure. We refer to this approach as Acoustic IonApproaches to control the motion and direction of ionized particles and mole-cules are an essential aspect of ion-based spectrometries, such as mass spec-trometry (MS) and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). A wide variety of ion optics exist to reflect, focus, separate, gate, and filter ions based on physical proper-ties. Notably all rely on electric and magnetic fields to alter the trajectory of ionized atoms and molecules. While these optics are quite efficient at low pressures due to the large mean free path, diffusion and electrostatic repulsion between ions dominate at higher pressures. Conventional ion optics, that use electric or magnetic fields, can guide ions at atmospheric pressure (AP), but require high field strengths to overcome the dominating aerodynamic effects.
Here, we describe a remarkable phenomenon whereby low-power acoustic fields are used to move, shape, gate, and separate beams of gaseous ions at atmospheric pressure. We refer to this approach as Acoustic Ion Manipulation (AIM). Gaseous ions at AP are directed towards and separated by the presence of the acoustic field. To better understand the phenomenon, an ion-detector array provided a measure of bulk ion movement, while mass spectrometry (MS) offered chemical-specific information. As one example of an AIM setup, a standing acoustic wave was formed with two ultrasonic speakers and placed between an ionization source and ion detector. Ion beams preferentially travel through regions of stable pressure gradients (i.e. nodes) and deflect from un-stable regions (i.e. antinodes). Shadowgraphy revealed that the ions are sepa-rated from a neutral gas stream. Specific examples of ion focusing, gating, and separation (based on ion size) will be shown. In addition, experimental findings will be used to postulate a theory to develop a better understand of the behav-ior of gas-phase ions in acoustic fields. This discovery could have profound im-pacts in IMS/MS instrumentation as well as materials processing and charac-terization.…

