Abstract: A mass spectrometer for analysis of a sample 5. A laser 1 is provided to illuminate at least part of the surface of the sample 5. Laser light is conducted via an optical fiber 2 and a zoom optical system 3 to the sample. A variable ion optical system 9,10,11 is provided to extract and focus ions released from the sample 5 onto a detector 12. The optical and ion optical systems operate continuously and synchronously to vary the fields of laser illumination and view of the sample such that they are substantially confocal and equal in diameter on the surface of the sample. The sample may be a MALDI sample.

Abstract: Apparatus for analysing molecules, including an ablation device 1,10 for releasing molecules from a sample, and a laser device 1,2,3 for illuminating released molecules with a shaped laser pulse thereby to ionize and/or dissociate the molecules. The ablation device or laser device has at least one component which is not shared by the other device. This enables the steps of ablation and ionization/dissociation to be separated. The ablation device may be means for generating an ion or neutral beam, or an unshaped laser pulse. The laser device may be a femtosecond shaped pulse laser. The ablation device may illuminate the sample with a beam and the laser device preferably produces a pulse shaped laser beam which is spaced part from the sample.

Abstract: A charged particle buncher with a series of spaced apart electrodes 1 arranged to generate a shaped electric field, the series comprising a first electrode 1a, a last electrode 1b and one or more intermediate electrodes, wherein the shaped electric field is generated substantially without free charges being transferred onto or away from the intermediate electrode or electrodes. The first and last electrodes may be connected to means for transferring charged on to or off the electrode. The first, intermediate and last electrodes may be connected in serried with capacitors.

Abstract: A charged particle buncher with a series of spaced apart electrodes 1 arranged to generate a shaped electric field, the series comprising a first electrode 1a, a last electrode 1b and one or more intermediate electrodes, wherein the shaped electric field is generated substantially without free charges being transferred onto or away from the intermediate electrode or electrodes. The first and last electrodes may be connected to means for transferring charged on to or off the electrode. The first, intermediate and last electrodes may be connected in serried with capacitors.