Bruker introduces new solariX XR Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometer with ParaCell

At the 19^th International Mass Spectrometry Conference (www.imsc2012.jp), Bruker today introduced the breakthrough new solariX XR Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometer (FTMS) with the revolutionary ParaCell™ for extreme mass resolution greater than 10 million. This level of eXtreme Resolution (XR™) represents an order of magnitude quantum jump in mass resolving power, and opens up entirely new scientific frontiers in chemistry and molecular biology. The solariX XR will initially be available to selected mass spectrometry research collaborators in a limited early access program.

The successful solariX™ FTMS product line that was released in 2009 and quickly gained global acceptance as the premier solution for robust, ultra high-end mass spectrometry.

Frank Laukien, Ph.D, President and CEO of Bruker Corporation, stated: "The next-generation solariX XR offers a quantum leap in performance enabled by innovation in several cutting-edge technologies. As a result of these advances, the solariX XR will allow chemistry and molecular biology researchers for the first time to address some of the most complex and challenging samples with the ability to acquire mass spectra with an astounding 10 million resolving power, setting a revolutionary new benchmark never before achieved in the history of mass spectrometry, and far exceeding that of all other mass spectrometry technologies."

The core technology in the solariX XR is the academically acclaimed dynamically harmonized ParaCell™, developed by Professor Eugene Nikolaev and coworkers at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow. This remarkably innovative design stabilizes the ion cyclotron resonance signal over a broad mass range for eXtreme Resolution scans of several minutes, thus enabling novel broadband, eXtreme Resolution scientific research, when high-throughput is not required. The effort necessary to achieve such extreme performance is now dramatically reduced by the operational simplicity of the new commercial ParaCell, continuing the ease-of-use tradition set by the solariX platform.

In addition to the eXtreme Resolution performance enabled by the ParaCell technology, the new solariX XR also provides record breaking performance at faster acquisition rates. The solariX XR is capable of providing resolving powers greater than 250,000 at m/z 400 in one second at 7T through optimization of processing algorithms used in the control software, including the use of broadband ICR absorption mode analysis. This enables high resolution workflows that provide greater information content with only half the time originally required, thus providing greater flexibility in experimental design.

Interdependent technologies: The combination of these innovative features enables the solariX XR to reveal the fine structure in isotopic patterns that are uniquely specific to the exact molecular formulae of the detected compounds. For the first time ever, this will enable researchers in a variety of fields including metabolomics, environmental, petroleum and energy research, and proteomics to gain unique insights into highly complex samples in a way never before possible. The corresponding new SmartFormula XR™ analysis software has been developed to interpret these distinctive fine structure isotope patterns in order to provide exact molecular formulae for Zero-Defect™ mass spectrometry.

Dr. Eugene Nikolaev, inventor of the ParaCell geometry, stated: "The advantages of dynamic harmonization enable researchers to attain performance that was never before achievable, and as a result pursue advanced scientific research that will prove more efficient than current mass spectrometry strategies. The invention is based on the newly discovered principle of effective electric field formation by averaging of the static field via cyclotron motion, and a deep understanding of mass resolution limitations through supercomputer simulations of ion cloud motions in different types of FT-ICR cells."

The initial release of the exciting new solariX XR system will be strategically focused on advanced mass spectrometry research laboratories developing new principles and novel workflows for chemical and biomolecular analysis based on innovative eXtreme Resolution technology. These key collaborators will create novel analytical approaches based on atomic level data never before available in mass spectrometry, which are expected to have a profound effect on a wide variety of molecular scientific disciplines.

The solariX XR is a fully integrated novel system with multiple new component technologies. It is available with a dedicated 7 tesla magnet, and previous generation solariX systems are not upgradeable to XR technology.