title: Transversal Modulation Ion Mobility Spectrometry (TM-IMS), a new mobility filter overcoming turbulence related limitations.
abstract: The analysis of ions according to their mobility is a technique that is attracting increasing interest. The new technology presented here, which we have termed Transversal Modulation Ion Mobility Spectrometry (TM-IMS), utilizes only electric fields, operates at atmospheric pressure, produces a continuous output of mobility selected ions (according to their true mobility and not to nonlinear effects), and has a very accessible inlet and outlet. These features would make it an ideal choice for tandem IMS-MS analysis in combination with most commercial Atmospheric Pressure Interface MS (API-MS) systems. We modeled and evaluated two different TM-IMS configurations (TM-IMS, and multistage TM-IMS), and we concluded that the most promising configuration would be a two-stage TM-IMS. We developed and tested a TM-IMS, and the measured resolving power is R = 55. The TM-IMS behaves similarly to the planar Differential Mobility Analyzer, but the TM-IMS utilizes only electric fields, and no fragile flow with high Reynolds numbers is required. We tested the robustness of the TM-IMS, which proves to be a very robust and reliable analyzer: the required voltage accuracy is 5 V in 10 kV, and the mechanical precision is 1 mm in 5 cm.
authors.affiliation: SEADM S.L., Valladolid, Spain. guillermo.vidal@seadm.com
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vidal-de-Miguel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Macía
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cuevas
mesh_terms: D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D007477:Ions