Analysis system using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer

Abstract

An analysis system and/or method including a mass spectrometer. The mass spectrometer may be configured to conduct a measurement on a sample using at least one laser-shot and generate a distribution of measured data for the at least one laser-shot on the sample. The measurement on the sample is a manufacturing technique. The manufacturing technique relates to component costs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a mass spectrometer, wherein the mass spectrometer is configured to conduct a measurement on a sample using at least one laser-shot and generate a distribution of measured data for the at least one laser-shot on the sample,   wherein the measurement on the sample is a manufacturing technique.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing technique relates to component costs. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mass spectrometer is configured to calibrate the measured data to calculate a representative mass of the sample among neighboring masses using center of mass information. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mass spectrometer is a Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a control system comprising a processing unit and a storage unit,   wherein the storage unit comprises a protocol executed by the processing unit, and   wherein the mass spectrometer generates the distribution of measured data under direction of the control system.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus calibrates the measured data by standard mass analysis using weighted intensity compensation. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus calibrates the measured data using bracket comparison with normalization through minimum relative standard deviation thresholds. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to generate a standard mass-to-charge library to correct the measurement on the sample. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises at least one of:
 a filter that filters out erroneous data outside a credibility range to generate filtered data;   an analysis unit that produces a representative reproducible value from the filtered data; and/or   an averaging unit that produces a representative value from the filtered data.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to calibrate the measured data received from the mass spectrometer to minimize measurement deviation. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to receive calibrated data and use the calibrated data to identify a performance advantage. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 conducting a measurement on a sample using at least one laser-shot in a mass spectrometer;   generating a distribution of measured data for the at least one laser-shot on the sample; and   calibrating the measured data to calculate a representative mass of the sample in a manufacturing technique.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the manufacturing technique relates to component costs. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the calibrating the measured data to calculate the representative mass of the sample is among neighboring masses using center of mass information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the mass spectrometer is a Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the method calibrates the measured data by standard mass analysis using weighted intensity compensation. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the method calibrates the measured data using bracket comparison with normalization through minimum relative standard deviation thresholds. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the method is configured to generate a standard mass-to-charge library to correct the measurement on the sample. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the method is configured to calibrate the measured data received from the mass spectrometer to minimize measurement deviation. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising receiving calibrated data and using the calibrated data to identify a performance advantage.