Abstract: An assembly for a mass spectrometer, comprising a housing (106) and a Time of Flight analyser (110), wherein the housing (106) is configured to enclose at least the Time of Flight analyser (110), and the Time of Flight analyser comprises a pusher assembly (120) and a flight tube (160), wherein the Time of Flight mass analyser (110) is cantilevered from the housing.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising performing a plurality of experimental runs, wherein each experimental run comprises: periodically mass analysing fragment or product ions at a plurality of time intervals, wherein a delay time is provided between the start of the experimental run and the first time interval at which the fragment or product ions are mass analysed. Different delay times are provided in different ones of the experimental runs and fragment or product ions that have been analysed in the same time interval in at least one of said experimental runs and that have been analysed in different time intervals in at least one other of said experimental runs are identified as fragment or product ions of interest. These fragment or product ions are thus determined to relate to different precursor ions and are used to identify their respective precursor ions.

Abstract: A method of filtering ions according to their ion mobility using a device is disclosed, the method comprising a plurality of electrodes and one or more voltage source(s) arranged and adapted to apply voltages to the plurality of electrodes, the method comprising, generating using the one or more voltage source(s) one or more local separation region(s), wherein ions can be separated within each local separation region according to their ion mobility, and moving each local separation region axially along the device with a certain velocity such that, for each local separation region, ions having a value of their ion mobility falling within a selected range are transmitted axially along the device with that local separation region whereas ions having higher and/or lower ion mobility falling outside that range escape the local separation region, wherein any ions that escape the local separation region(s) are removed from within the device and/or otherwise kept apart from those ions falling within the selected rang

Abstract: A drive unit for driving an acceleration electrode of a mass spectrometer is disclosed. The drive unit includes a power converter comprising a switching element and pulsing circuitry that can form output pulses suitable for driving an acceleration electrode of a mass spectrometer. The drive unit also includes a controller that is configured to synchronise operation of the switching element with the pulsing circuitry.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry determines if a mutated variant of a target protein is present in a sample. The method includes subjecting the sample to fragmentation so as to cause the target protein to fragment to form second generation fragment ions, and then mass analysing these fragment ions to obtain spectral data. The method determines if a mutated variant is present in the sample by determining that an ion in the spectral data has a mass to charge ratio that differs from the mass to charge ratio of an ion that would be observed if the target protein was a normal unmutated version of the target protein, and by an amount that corresponds to a mass difference that would be caused by the target protein being a mutated variant of the target protein.

Abstract: There is provided a method comprising separating a first population of ions according to a first physico-chemical property in a first separation device, and separating one or more groups of ions emerging from the first separation device in a drift tube and sampling each group of ions using the drift tube to determine the collision cross section of ions in each group of ions, wherein each group of ions corresponds to a range of the first physico-chemical property. The drift tube is configured such that multiple groups of ions in the first population of ions can be sampled by the drift tube in a single cycle of separation of the first separation device. The step of sampling each group of ions comprises determining the mobility of ions in each group of ions by measuring their drift time through the drift tube, and determining the collision cross section of the ions in each group of ions using the determined mobility.

Abstract: A Time of Flight mass analyser is disclosed comprising: at least one ion mirror 34 for reflecting ions; an ion detector 36 arranged for detecting the reflected ions; a first pulsed ion accelerator 30 for accelerating an ion packet in a first dimension (Y-dimension) towards the ion detector 36 so that the ion packet spatially converges in the first dimension as it travels to the detector 36; and a pulsed orthogonal accelerator 32 for orthogonally accelerating the ion packet in a second, orthogonal dimension (X-dimension) into one of said at least one ion mirrors 34.

Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of an ion mobility separation device is disclosed. The method comprises displaying to a user via a user interface a pool of modes of operation of the ion mobility separation device, wherein each one of the modes is selectable by the user for inclusion in an experiment, and the modes are displayed in a first area 202 of the user interface. The method comprises receiving, via the user interface, an indication from the user of a selection of one or more instance of each one of a plurality of the modes from the pool to be included in an experiment, and an indication from the user of a set of one or more parameters for controlling the ion mobility separation device in respect of one or more selected instances of a mode. The selected instances of modes are displayed in a sequence in a second area 204 of the user interface. The operation of the ion mobility separation device is controlled in accordance with the received indications.

Abstract: A method of mass filtering ions is disclosed comprising: providing a first, AC-only, mass filter (2); providing a second mass filter (4) downstream of the first mass filter; applying a first AC voltage (8) to electrodes of the first mass filter so as to radially confine ions between the electrodes, and applying a second AC voltage (10) between electrodes of the first mass filter (2) so as to radially excite some of said ions such that these ions are not transmitted; and using the second mass filter (4) to mass filter ions; wherein at any given time the second mass filter (4) only transmits ions having a first range of mass to charge ratios and filters out all other ions; and wherein the step of applying the at least one second AC voltage (10) to electrodes of the first mass filter (2) radially excites ions such that at least some ions having mass to charge ratios above said first range are not transmitted into the second mass filter.

Abstract: A method of ionisation is disclosed in which a sample is heated such that analyte is released from the sample. Analyte released from the sample is accumulated, and then the accumulated analyte is passed to an ionisation region where the analyte is ionised.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ion mobility spectrometer or separator and an ion guide arranged downstream of the ion mobility spectrometer or separator. A plurality of axial potential wells are created in the ion guide so that ions received from the ion mobility spectrometer or separator become confined in separate axial potential wells. The potential wells maintain the fidelity and/or composition of ions received from the ion mobility spectrometer or separator. The potential wells are translated along the length of the ion guide.

Abstract: An ion guide or ion trap that comprises a plurality of electrodes (102) is disclosed. The ion guide or ion trap includes a detector (205) that can detect light or particles (114) emitted from the ion guide or ion trap due to electrical breakdown, and a control circuit (111) that can control the ion guide or ion trap in response to the detector (205) detecting light or particles (114) emitted from the ion guide or ion trap.

Abstract: An aperture plate assembly for an analytical instrument comprises a first sub-assembly comprising an aperture plate and a second sub-assembly comprising a guide. The first sub-assembly is configured to be attached to the second sub-assembly such that the aperture plate is positioned in a first position relative to the second sub-assembly. The first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly are configured such that when the first sub-assembly is engaged by the guide, the aperture plate can be moved into the first position and the first sub-assembly can be attached to the second sub-assembly.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising: a first vacuum chamber having an inlet aperture; a second vacuum chamber; a differential pumping aperture separating the vacuum chambers; and an ion guide arranged in the first vacuum chamber for guiding ions from the inlet aperture to and through the differential pumping aperture. The ion guide has a construction for handling high gas loads such that the spectrometer is able to maintain the gas pressure in the first vacuum chamber such that when ions are accelerated therethrough the ions collide with gas and fragment.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods and apparatus for performing charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS). In particular, techniques are disclosed for monitoring a detector signal from a CDMS device to determine how many ions are present in the ion trap (10) of the CDMS device. For example, if no ions are present the measurement can then be terminated early. Similarly, if more than one ion is present, the measurement can be terminated early, or ions can be removed from the trap (10) until only a single ion remains. Techniques are also provided for increasing the probability of there being a single ion in the trap (10). A technique for attenuating an ion beam is also provided.

Abstract: A drive unit for driving an acceleration electrode of a mass spectrometer is disclosed. The drive unit includes a power converter comprising a switching element and pulsing circuitry that can form output pulses suitable for driving an acceleration electrode of a mass spectrometer. The drive unit also includes a controller that is configured to synchronise operation of the switching element with the pulsing circuitry.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising providing a biological sample on a swab, directing a spray of charged droplets onto a surface of the swab in order to generate a plurality of analyte ions, and analysing the analyte ions.

Abstract: A method of ion imaging is disclosed that includes automatically sampling a plurality of different locations on a sample using a front device which is arranged and adapted to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from the sample. Mass spectral data and/or ion mobility data corresponding to each location is obtained and the obtained mass spectral data and/or ion mobility data is used to construct, train or improved a sample classification model.

Abstract: An ion mirror 41 constructed of thin electrodes that are interconnected by resistive dividers 45 with potentials U1-U5 applied to knot electrodes to form segments 41-43 of linear potential distribution between the “knot” electrodes, yet without separating those field regions by meshes. Weak and controlled penetration of electric fields provide for a fine control over the field non linearity and over the equipotential line curvature, thus allowing to reach unprecedented level of ion optical quality: more than twice larger energy acceptance compared to thick electrode mirrors, up to sixth order time per energy focusing, ion spatial focusing and wide spatial acceptance. Novel mirrors can be formed very slim to arrange them into stacks for ion transverse displacement between ion reflections or for multiplexed mirror stacks. Printed circuit boards (PCB) are best suited for making novel ion mirrors, while novel ion mirrors are designed to suit PCB requirements.