Abstract: An apparatus for providing a magnetic field includes a magnet having a surface, and a structure disposed above the magnet surface. The structure includes a material of high magnetic permeability. The apparatus provides an interface between the material of high magnetic permeability and a material of low magnetic permeability. The apparatus may have two poles in magnetic communication with the magnet, the poles extending above the surface of the magnet, and the structure is disposed between the poles. The structure may have alternating regions of high magnetic permeability and low magnetic permeability. The apparatus alters the magnetic field of the magnet to reduce or remove a disorder in the magnetic field, and/or decrease the magnitude of the magnetic field, and/or induce a distortion in the magnetic field, and/or align or re-align the magnetic field, and/or orientate or re-orientate the magnetic field, and/or alter distribution or shape of the magnetic field.

Abstract: Components of scientific analytical equipment and to complete items of analytic equipment. An apparatus and methods useful for detecting an ion in mass spectrometry applications are provided. The apparatus may include an electron multiplier having a high sensitivity and low sensitivity sections, or the combination of an electron multiplier with a separately powered conversion dynode (and particularly a high energy conversion dynode), or the combination of a conversion dynode that is physically incorporated within or about an electron multiplier.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating and focusing electrons is provided. The apparatus has an emissive material configured to emit an electron, an electron target, and an electrical potential gradient generator configured to generate an electrical potential gradient within the emissive material. The electrical potential gradient is oriented so as to vary from positive to negative in the general direction toward the electron target. In operation, an electron emitted from the emissive materials is deflected away from the emissive material and generally toward the electron target. The apparatus may be incorporated in scientific analytical equipment such as an electron multiplier.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a magnetic field includes a magnet having a surface, and a structure disposed above the magnet surface. The structure includes a material of high magnetic permeability. The apparatus provides an interface between the material of high magnetic permeability and a material of low magnetic permeability. The apparatus may have two poles in magnetic communication with the magnet, the poles extending above the surface of the magnet, and the structure is disposed between the poles. The structure may have alternating regions of high magnetic permeability and low magnetic permeability. The apparatus alters the magnetic field of the magnet to reduce or remove a disorder in the magnetic field, and/or decrease the magnitude of the magnetic field, and/or induce a distortion in the magnetic field, and/or align or re-align the magnetic field, and/or orientate or re-orientate the magnetic field, and/or alter distribution or shape of the magnetic field.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating and focusing electrons is provided. The apparatus has an emissive material configured to emit an electron, an electron target, and an electrical potential gradient generator configured to generate an electrical potential gradient within the emissive material. The electrical potential gradient is oriented so as to vary from positive to negative in the general direction toward the electron target. In operation, an electron emitted from the emissive materials is deflected away from the emissive material and generally toward the electron target. The apparatus may be incorporated in scientific analytical equipment such as an electron multiplier.

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating the trajectories of moving charged particles. The apparatus includes a grid of laterally spaced side by side elongate elements and means defining a path for charged particles to traverse the grid. The grid is supported and configured for application of a voltage gradient between and/or along the elongate elements, whereby to manipulate the trajectories of charged particles that traverse the grid. A method of manipulating the trajectories of moving charged particles is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus 10 for manipulating the trajectories of moving charged particles. The apparatus includes a grid 14 of laterally spaced side by side elongate elements 16 and means 18 defining a path for charged particles to traverse the grid. The grid is supported and configured for application of a voltage gradient between and/or along the elongate elements, whereby to manipulate the trajectories of charged particles that traverse the grid. A method of manipulating the trajectories of moving charged particles is also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus for amplifying a stream of primary charged particles comprises a body defining a chamber and an entrance aperture for receiving the stream of primary charged particles into the chamber, and an incident dynode, adapted to be charged to a pre-determined electrical potential, having a surface positioned in the chamber to be impacted by said primary charged particles at an angle of incidence greater than 30° from the surface normal and in response to the impact to generate a stream of secondary charged particles.

Abstract: An electron multiplier detector includes cathode structure defining a plurality of spaced co-planar impact surface segments on which particles impact. These surface segments each have a finite probability of generating at least one electron for each impacting particle having predetermined characteristics. The detector further includes respective sets of electron multiplication dynode segments associated with the impact surface segments, the sets being arranged as substantially parallel arrays extending behind the impact surface segments, and respective means for generating electrostatic and magnetic fields in a space extending from the impact surface segments past the dynode segments, whereby respective streams of electrons cascade and multiply successively along the arrays of dynode segments. Collector structure is provided to receive and detect the streams of electrons downstream of the last dynode segments in the arrays.

Abstract: Electron focussing apparatus includes a cathode plate defining an impact surface on which particles impact, which surface has a finite probability of generating at least one electron for each impacting particle having predetermined characteristics. The apparatus also has an electron receiving element, and respective means for generating electrostatic and magnetic fields in a space extending from the impact surface to the electron receiving element. The means for generating the electrostatic and magnetic fields are configured whereby the E/B2 ratio adjacent the electron receiving element is smaller than adjacent the impact surface, whereby to decrease the radius of curvature of the electron trajectories adjacent the electron receiving element relative to adjacent the impact surface and to thereby focus the electron trajectories in at least one dimension.

Abstract: Electron focussing apparatus includes a cathode plate defining an impact surface on which particles impact, which surface has a finite probability of generating at least one electron for each impacting particle having predetermined characteristics. The apparatus also has an electron receiving element, and respective means for generating electrostatic and magnetic fields in a space extending from the impact surface to the electron receiving element. The means for generating the electrostatic and magnetic fields are configured whereby the E/B2 ratio adjacent the electron receiving element is smaller than adjacent the impact surface, whereby to decrease the radius of curvature of the electron trajectories adjacent the electron receiving element relative to adjacent the impact surface and to thereby focus the electron trajectories in at least one dimension.