AER/I Seminar: Final Exam

About the event

Speaker: Zackary Kinlein

Group: Clowers

Title: Considerations for the Development and Implementation of Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) Platforms

Abstract: Owing to its unique geometry, traveling wave structures for lossless ion manipulations (TW-SLIM) is able to maneuver ions at elevated pressures (2-4 Torr) without incurring significant ion loss. Building upon this unique capability, TW-SLIM has shown promise as a technique which can redefine the limits of ion mobility separations and potentially serve as a platform for gas-phase ion experiments. While the ultimate fate of the technique remains unknown at the time of this work, the greatest obstacle at present is clear: limited access to the technique. Motivated by a desire to expand both access to TW-SLIM and the scope of its capabilities, the work outlined herein outlines numerous approaches that simplify TW-SLIM implementation, optimize TW-SLIM analyses, and showcase the technique’s ability to aid in experiments outside of traditional separations. Regarding implementation, technologies that reduce the cost of TW-SLIM experiments were evaluated, and tools that enable individuals with limited skill sets to develop TW-SLIM platforms were disseminated. Concerning experimentation, observations that pertain to the concurrent analysis of disparate species as well as the transmission of dynamic biomolecules are explored and used to inform strategies to optimize TW-SLIM methodologies. Lastly, utilization of TW-SLIM as a platform for gas-phase ion chemistry showcases the ability of TW-SLIM to address complex chemical phenomena.