Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising comparing mass spectral data so as to identify a precursor ion in the mass spectral data that has a predetermined mass difference to a product ion in the mass spectral data; and determining whether said precursor ion is a precursor ion of interest by comparing the ion signal profile for the precursor ion with the ion signal profile for the product ion. If the profiles match then the precursor ion is determined to be an ion of interest. When a precursor ion is determined to be an ion of interest, the precursor ion is isolated from other precursor ions, fragmented or reacted so as to produce product ions, and the product ions are analysed so as to obtain product ion data that can be used to identify the precursor ion.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for coupling a first chamber of a mass spectrometer or ion mobility spectrometer containing a first gas and a second chamber containing a second gas. The method comprises providing an intermediate region between the first and second chambers that is operated at a lower pressure to substantially prevent or reduce ingress of the first gas into the second chamber and/or of the second gas into the first chamber.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising separating ions temporally in a first device and analysing the mass or mass to charge ratio of the ions or of product or fragment ions derived from the ions in a mass or mass to charge ratio analyser disposed downstream of the first device. The method further comprises obtaining a first set of drift times for the ions through the first device by measuring ion arrival times and determining the transit time of the ions and/or of the product or fragment ions through one or more intermediate regions or devices disposed between the first device and the mass to charge ratio analyser. The method further comprises obtaining a second set of drift times for the ions through the first device by correcting the first set of drift times to account for the determined transit times.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising passing ions to an oversampled Time of Flight mass analyser (4) and sequentially recording ion signals on a plurality of different channels (51, 52) to obtain a plurality of first oversampled mass spectral data sets of reduced complexity. An upstream separation device (3) may be provided to further reduce the complexity of each of the mass spectral data sets.

Abstract: A method of assessing mass spectral peaks obtained by a mass spectrometer is disclosed. The method comprises: providing mass spectral data; selecting a chemical compound thought to have been analysed to provide said experimentally observed data, and modelling the spectral data predicted to be detected if the compound was to be mass analysed. Modelling comprises: generating a first set of spectral data including at least one mass peak that is predicted to be detected for the selected compound; generating a second set of spectral data by duplicating at least part of the first set of spectral data and shifting at least one mass peak in mass to charge ratio relative to the corresponding at least one mass peak in the first set of spectral data; and summing the amplitudes of the first and second sets of spectral data to produce a model data set having at least one mass peak.

Abstract: A time-of-flight mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising: an ion deflector (305) configured to deflect ions to different positions in a first array of positions at different times; a position sensitive ion detector (187); and ion optics (180) arranged and configured to guide ions from the first array of positions to the position sensitive detector (187) so as to map ions from the first array of positions to a second array of positions on the position sensitive detector (187); wherein the ion optics includes at least one ion mirror for reflecting the ions.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising separating precursor ions using an ion mobility separator such that different precursor ions have different drift times through the on mobility separator; mass filtering said separated precursor ions with a mass filter, wherein the mass to charge ratios of the precursor ions transmitted by the mass filter vary as a function of the drift times of the precursor ions through the ion mobility separator; performing a first mode of operation comprising fragmenting the separated and mass filtered precursor ions in a fragmentation device to form fragment ions; urging the fragment ions through the fragmentation device such that fragment ions derived from different precursor ions that have been separated by the ion mobility separator are maintained spatially separated from each other as they are urged through the fragmentation device; and detecting the fragment ions. The method enables precursor ions to be associated with their related fragment ions more accurately.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer or ion mobility spectrometer is disclosed comprising: a first device for separating ions or molecules according to a physicochemical property; an ion mobility separation device for receiving and separating at least some of said ions or ions derived from said molecules according to their ion mobility; a gas supply connected to said ion mobility separation device for supplying gas into said ion mobility separation device; and a control system configured to adjust said gas supply so as to change the composition of gas within the ion mobility separation device as a function of time.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising isolating a group of different ions derived from chemical compounds in the same class, wherein the different ions have different mass to charge ratios and ion mobilities. The step of isolating comprises temporally separating the ions according to their ion mobility in an ion mobility separator; and mass filtering the ions according to mass to charge ratio with a mass filter. The mass to charge ratios transmitted by the mass filter are varied as a function of time such that said different ions derived from chemical compounds in the same class are transmitted by the mass filter and other ions are not transmitted by the mass filter.

Abstract: An ion manipulation device is disclosed comprising: an ion receiving region (30) for receiving ions; a pair of electrodes (14,16) adjacent the ion receiving region (30); and an AC or RF voltage supply (18) arranged to apply an AC or RF voltage to said electrodes (14,16), or arranged and configured to generate an electromagnetic field that couples to said electrodes (14,16) in use, such that an electromagnetic standing wave (24) is generated between said electrodes (14,16). A first of the electrodes (14) comprises one or more apertures through which an electric field from the standing wave (24) penetrates and enters the ion receiving region (30), in use, for urging said ions away from the one or more apertures.

Abstract: A hardware module which operatively carries out a method of compressing mass spectral data, the method comprising: receiving a first signal output from an ion detector of a mass spectrometer; processing the first signal to a digital signal at an output being data frame types representative of the first signal output; temporarily storing the data frame types in a memory block and reading a data frame from the memory block and determining its data frame type and according to its data frame type compressing the data frame according to one or more compression algorithms to generate a compressed data output stream.

Abstract: A Time of Flight mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein a fifth order spatial focusing device is provided. The device which may comprise an additional stage in the source region of the Time of Flight mass analyser is arranged to introduce a non-zero fifth order spatial focusing term so that the combined effect of first, third and fifth order spatial focusing terms results in a reduction in the spread of ion arrival times ?T of ions arriving at the ion detector.

Abstract: A method of ionising a sample is provided, comprising providing a fluid sample, wherein the fluid sample contains an analyte, applying one or more pulses of acoustic energy to the fluid sample to cause a spray of the fluid sample to eject from the surface of the fluid sample, and applying an AC, RF or alternating voltage to the fluid sample using an electrode.

Abstract: A secondary ultrasonic nebulisation device is disclosed comprising: a liquid sample delivery capillary; a sample receiving surface arranged for receiving a liquid sample from the capillary; and an ultrasonic transducer configured for oscillating the surface so as to nebulise the liquid sample received thereon, wherein the device is configured such that the oscillations of the surface by the ultrasonic transducer cause charged droplets and/or gas phase ions to be generated from the sample.

Abstract: A miniature mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an atmospheric pressure ionisation source 701, a first vacuum chamber having an atmospheric pressure sampling orifice or capillary, a second vacuum chamber located downstream of the first vacuum chamber and a third vacuum chamber located downstream of the second vacuum chamber. A first vacuum pump 707 is arranged and adapted to pump the first vacuum chamber, wherein the first vacuum pump is arranged and adapted to maintain the first vacuum chamber at a pressure <10 mbar. A first RF ion guide 702 is located within the first vacuum chamber and an ion detector 705 is located in the third vacuum chamber. The ion path length from the atmospheric pressure sampling orifice or capillary to an ion detecting surface of the ion detector 705 is ?400 mm.

Abstract: An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ultrasonic transducer which focuses ultrasonic energy onto a surface of a sample fluid without directly contacting the sample fluid.

Abstract: An ion inlet assembly for connecting to a mass spectrometer housing is disclosed comprising a sampling limiting body (325) having a sampling orifice (329). The sampling limiting body (325) comprises a nickel disk wherein the disk and sampling orifice (329) are made or formed by an electroforming process.

Abstract: An apparatus for mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising a first device arranged and adapted to generate aerosol, smoke or vapor from a target and one or more second devices arranged and adapted to aspirate aerosol, smoke, vapor and/or liquid to or towards an analyzer. A liquid trap or separator is provided to capture and/or discard liquid aspirated by the one or more second devices.

Abstract: An ion storage device is provided which is arranged and adapted: (i) to receive first ions which have been temporally separated according to a first physico-chemical property during a first cycle of operation; (ii) to store the first ions in a first plurality of separate sections of the ion storage device so that first ions having different first physico-chemical properties are stored in different sections of the ion storage device; (iii) to receive second ions which have been temporally separated according to the first physico-chemical property during a second subsequent cycle of operation; and (iv) to store the second ions in the ion storage device so that the first and second ions are simultaneously stored within the ion storage device and so that at least some of the first and second ions having substantially the same first physico-chemical property are stored in the same section of the ion storage device.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein highly charged fragment ions resulting from Electron Transfer Dissociation fragmentation of parent ions are reduced in charge state within a Proton Transfer Reaction cell by reacting the fragment ions with a neutral superbase reagent gas such as Octahydropyrimidolazepine.