Simulation study of a planar quadrupole mass filter for MEMS mass spectrometer

Micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) based mass spectrometry, MEMS mass spectrometry, emerges a new technique branch of miniature mass spectrometry. One of the main challenges hindering the development of MEMS mass spectrometry is the poor compatibility between the complex electrode structure of traditional ion optics and MEMS processes. This paper proposed a planar quadrupole mass filter utilizing a highly simplified stacked-layer structure and film electrodes, which is easy to fabricate with high precision by MEMS surface micromachining. The ion trajectory simulation model of the MEMS mass spectrometry chip involving all necessary ion optics was elaborated for investigating the preliminary performance of the planar quadrupole mass filter. By optimizing the crucial parameters such as the frequency of radio frequency voltage, the ratio of direct current voltage and radio frequency voltage, pre-pole length, main-pole length, and injection kinetic energy, the preliminary simulation result of planar quadrupole mass filter achieved a 1–2 Da peak width (at 50% of peak height) and 20–80% ion transmission efficiency. Importantly, the planar quadrupole mass filter demonstrated a maximum working pressure of 0.1 Pa (using air as the buffer gas), 100 times higher than that of conventional quadrupole mass filters, while maintaining a 0.7–1.8 Da peak width and ∼5% ion transmission efficiency. Additionally, to modify the theoretical formulas for the non-ideal quadrupolar field of planar quadrupole mass filter, a novel approach based on stability diagrams obtained by simulation was also introduced. The pretty good linearity (R²=1) between ion masses in the range of 10 to 100 Da and the corresponding radio frequency voltages was verified through the simulated mass spectra. Notably, the proportional coefficient of ion mass and radio frequency voltage exhibited a minimal 4% deviation between the simulated value (4.7132 V_0P/Da) and the calculated value (4.9036 V_0P/Da) through the modified formula. In conclusion, the preliminary simulation results demonstrated that the planar quadrupole mass filter possessed moderate performance, high-pressure tolerance, and excellent theoretical consistency, which proved it a promising technology of MEMS mass spectrometry. It can find applications in the fields of gas detection, including the rapid response to hazardous gas emissions and in situ detection of dissolved gases in the deep sea.