Abstract: An integrating transient recorder for time array detection of ions within an ion source extraction. The arrival times of all ions having various mass-to-charge ratios are calculated and integrating or peak detecting circuitry is activated just prior to the calculated time of arrival of each ion, and then only for a time duration in accordance with a predetermined data collection time window sufficient to enable each ion mass value to be completely measured. An analog-to-digital converter converts the area or peak analog signal for each ion into a corresponding digital signal and outputs the digital signals to a plurality of FIFO buffers. The FIFO buffers are read out for each successive transient by a digital signal processor and summed over a predetermined number of sequential transients in a mass locked registry creating a file of ion intensities versus mass-to-charge ratio of all ions detected.

Abstract: A process and apparatus employing the time compression of chromatography in mass spectrometry with array detection in which the time compressed informatioin is deconvoluted by mathematical analysis for recovery of analytical information made inaccessible in the time compression and thereby resulting in a decrease in analysis time and improved component identification without loss of sensitivity.