초록 ▼

A mass spectrometer with phonon sensitive cryogenic particle detector determines the masses of macromolecules, proteins, large peptides, long DNA-fragments and polymers. The kinetic energy of the electrostatically accelerated charged macromolecule is absorbed in the cryogenic particle detector there

A mass spectrometer with phonon sensitive cryogenic particle detector determines the masses of macromolecules, proteins, large peptides, long DNA-fragments and polymers. The kinetic energy of the electrostatically accelerated charged macromolecule is absorbed in the cryogenic particle detector thereby exciting phonons which are detected by phonon sensors. The macromolecules are detected in the single particle counting mode with a sensitivity independent of their respective masses. The mass spectrometer contains a single-channel cryogenic particle detector providing high sensitivity. The mass spectrometer contains a spatially resolving multi-channel cryogenic detector array providing both high sensitivity and high throughput. The mass spectrometer consists of a vacuum vessel in which is a magnet, a mass separator, a feed through and a phonon sensitive cryogenic detector array. The cryogenic detector array consists of an absorber and a specified number of phonon sensors. The mass separator is placed in the magnetic field of the magnet and the feed through, on electrical potential U1, but electrically insulated from the magnet. The cryogenic detector array is on electrical ground potential U2. The macromolecules are accelerated by the voltage difference U1-U2 and reach the cryogenic detector array with a kinetic energy proportional to U1-U2. The cryogenic detector array is cooled to its operating temperature T2 by being thermally mounted to a cold finger of the cryostat with bath temperature T2. The mass of the macromolecule is determined by the spatial and time information provided by the cryogenic detector array.

대표청구항 ▼

A mass spectrometer comprising: means for volatilizing and charging macromolecules out of a condensed solution; an evacuated receptacle in which said macromolecules are volatilized and charged by said means; electro-optical means placed in said receptacle for accelerating said charged macromolecules

A mass spectrometer comprising: means for volatilizing and charging macromolecules out of a condensed solution; an evacuated receptacle in which said macromolecules are volatilized and charged by said means; electro-optical means placed in said receptacle for accelerating said charged macromolecules; a high voltage power supply and electrical connected to said electro-optical means; an evacuated receptacle of sufficient length for separating said accelerated macromolecules by their different velocities; a phonon sensitive cryogenic particle detector consisting of an absorber and one or more phonon sensors for detecting the time of impact of said accelerated macromolecules; whereby said macromolecules excite phonons in said absorber and whereby said phonon sensors convert said phonons into an electronic signal; a mechanical shutter consisting of a rotating disk for preventing low mass molecules from hitting said cryogenic particle detector; a preamplifier system for converting the detector signal of said cryogenic particle detector into a low impedance signal for further data processing; a cryostat with a cold finger to which said cryogenic detector is thermally connected.