FAIMS separates ions based on the unique nonlinear relationship between ion mobility and electric field strength, but current methods for characterizing this relationship are flawed and can lead to significant errors.
A new, rigorous approach to calculating the second and fourth Taylor series coefficients, using the dispersion voltage and compensation voltage, has been developed, which could help refine FAIMS characterization.
Testing this method on ethanol, metaxylene, and n-butanol showed a significant reduction in error when comparing computed and measured values, suggesting it enhances spectral resolution and assists in creating a reliable FAIMS spectrum database.