Abstract: A multi-reflection time of flight mass spectrometer comprises a mass analyser with opposing mirror electrodes and a focal plane correction electrode. Each mirror electrode is elongated generally along a drift direction. The focal plane correction electrode extends along at least a portion of the drift direction in or adjacent the space between the mirror electrodes. Ions are injected into the mirror electrodes and an electrical potential provided to the mirror electrodes reflects the ions in the resulting ion beam and causes the ions to follow a zig zag path as they drift along the mirror electrodes. An electrical potential is also provided to the focal plane correction electrode to set the focal plane position of the ion beam to coincide with a detector surface of an ion detector placed at the end of the ions' path.

Abstract: A dual analyser mass spectrometer obtains MS1/MS2 scans of positive and negative ions by: operating an ion source and processing region at a first polarity; performing, by a first mass analyser (FMA) at the first polarity, MS1 or MS2 scan(s); switching polarity of the FMA to a second polarity; performing, by a second mass analyser (SMA) at the first polarity, MS1 or MS2 scan(s), wherein at least part of the MS1 or MS2 scan(s) performed by the SMA is performed while the FMA is switching polarity. Alternatively, the FMA may be operated at a first polarity and the SMA at a second polarity opposite to the first, and after initiating at least one MS1 scan and/or MS2 scan by the FMA, switching the polarity of the source and ion processing region to a second polarity and performing at least one MS1 scan and/or MS2 scan with the SMA.

Abstract: A first analytical instrument is configured to be controlled according to one or more first operating parameters; and controlling the configured first analytical instrument based on an estimated ion current obtained by: selecting at least one signal from stored data comprising a plurality of signals and a respective one or more second operating parameters associated with each of the plurality of signals, wherein each signal of the plurality of signals is representative of an ion current obtained using the first analytical instrument configured according to the respective associated one or more second operating parameters or using a second analytical instrument configured according to the respective associated one or more second operating parameters, and wherein the at least one signal is selected based on the one or more first operating parameters; and using the at least one selected signal to estimate the ion current.

Abstract: A multi-reflection time of flight mass spectrometer comprises two ion-optical mirrors elongated along a drift (Y) direction and separated in the Z direction and tilted so that their separation in the Z direction decreases with distance along the Y direction. Correction electrodes extend along the Y direction in or adjacent the space between the mirrors. Each correction electrode has a surface parallel to the Y-Z plane shaped such that its separation from one of the mirrors varies along the Y direction. The correction electrodes are biased to produce a combined voltage offset which varies as a function of distance along the Y direction. A first component corrects for an intended aberration arising from the mirror tilt and a second component to correct for unintended aberrations arising from perturbations to the ideal time of flight extending from maximum to minimum perturbations.

Abstract: There is described a multi-reflection time-of-flight (MR-ToF) mass analyser for a mass spectrometer, comprising a first and second mirror electrodes respectively configured to operate at a first polarity and at a second polarity. The mass analyser is configured for polarity switching and further comprises: a first regulator coupled to one or more first HV switches and configured to provide an electric potential to the first mirror electrode; and one or more second regulators each coupled to one or more second HV switches, each of the one or more second regulators configured to provide an electric potential to a respective second mirror electrode. The first and second HV switches are configured to swap the polarity supplied to the first regulator and the one or more second regulators.

Abstract: Methods of calibrating a Time of Flight (TOF) mass analyser comprise performing a plurality of calibration analyses of calibrant ions using the TOF mass analyser, each calibration analysis measuring flight times of the calibrant ions. The TOF mass analyser has an associated instrument parameter which effects the flight times of the calibrant ions. Each calibration analysis also comprises determining a reference calibration curve based on known mass to charge ratios of the calibrant ions and the respective flight times, wherein the reference calibration curve is associated with the instrument parameter for the respective calibration analysis. For each calibration analysis, a value of the instrument parameter of the TOF mass analyser is different. A calibration curve for use in a TOF mass analysis performed by the TOF mass analyser can be determined based on the plurality of reference calibration curves and the instrument parameter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid-crystalline medium (LC medium), to the use thereof for electro-optical purposes, and to LC displays containing this medium.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula I in which R1 is alkyl or alkoxy in which CH2 groups are optionally replaced, and X1 is alkyl OCF3, CF3, CHF2, OCF2CF3, CCF2CHFCF3, OCF?CF2, OCH?CF2 or F, a liquid-crystalline medium containing a compound of formula I, and use thereof in electro-optical liquid-crystal displays, in particular in TN, STN, TN-TFT, OCB, IPS, PS-IPS, FFS, HB-FFS or PS-FFS-, positive VA displays and in shutter spectacles for 3D effects and LC lenses.

Abstract: An ion mirror for a time of flight mass spectrometer (ToF) is provided. The ion mirror is elongated from a first end to a second end along a drift direction (z) and is configured to reflect ions in a reflection direction (y) orthogonal to the drift direction. The ion mirror comprises a plurality of elongate mirror electrodes and at least one Fringe Field Correcting (FFC) assembly. Each of the elongate mirror electrodes extends in the drift direction. Each of the plurality of elongate mirror electrodes is configured to receive a respective mirror electrode voltage in order to provide an electrostatic field of the ion mirror. The at least one FFC assembly is provided at the first and/or second end of the ion mirror. The FFC assembly comprises a plurality of electrodes, the plurality of electrodes extending in a plane orthogonal to the drift direction, each electrode configured to receive a respective FFC voltage.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer comprises: a first ion optical device in a relatively low gas pressure region; a second ion optical device in a relatively high gas pressure region, the first and second ion optical devices receiving respective RF voltages from respective RF power supplies for generating respective RF fields that confine ions in respective trapping regions of the ion optical devices; and a gas conductance restriction, restricting gas flow from the relatively high gas pressure region to the relatively low gas pressure region, the gas conductance restriction having an aperture to allow ions to pass from the second to the first ion optical device. The first and second RF power supplies are independent to allow the RF voltages for generating the first RF field to have a different amplitude from the RF voltages for generating the second RF field.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly comprising a vacuum chamber and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer wherein the time-of-flight mass spectrometer is contained within the vacuum chamber. The time-of-flight mass spectrometer comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, the second electrode being spaced apart from the first electrode at a distance defining a portion of an ion-flight path therebetween. The assembly further comprising a first support for supporting the first electrode, the first support arranged between an inner surface of the vacuum chamber and the first electrode. The first support is configured to permit relative movement between at least a portion of the inner surface of the vacuum chamber and the first electrode. The inner surface of the vacuum chamber and the first electrode are thermally coupled. The present invention also relates to a multi-reflection time-of-flight mass analyser.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid-crystalline medium (LC medium), to the use thereof for electro-optical purposes, and to LC displays containing this medium.

Abstract: Correction of an angle of tilt of an ion beam front in a Time of Flight (TOF) mass spectrometer is described. In one aspect, an ion beam front tilt corrector can include an electrode that, when applied with a voltage, defines an equipotential channel of particular dimensions to allow for ions in different transverse positions along a transverse axis of the equipotential channel to have different traversal times.

Abstract: The invention relates to dielectrically positive liquid crystalline media comprising a compound of formula I wherein the parameters have the meaning given in claim 1 and to liquid crystal displays comprising these media, especially to active matrix displays and in particular to TN and IPS mode displays.

Abstract: In automation-engineering installations, there is a need to exchange process information between different devices. For this, OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) from OPC Foundation has become established as a standard protocol. However, rather than transmit requested OPC-UA subscriptions via the conventional OPC-UA session channel, the invention sets up a separate TSN data communication by means of which that subscription information is transmitted.

Abstract: Correction of an angle of tilt of an ion beam front in a Time of Flight (TOF) mass spectrometer is described. In one aspect, an ion beam front tilt corrector can include an electrode that, when applied with a voltage, defines an equipotential channel of particular dimensions to allow for ions in different transverse positions along a transverse axis of the equipotential channel to have different traversal times.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for energy-optimized data transmission by OPC UA protocol in radio networks is disclosed. When OPC UA communication is operated in a mobile device, e.g. as mobile access to part of a plant for maintenance, monitoring, parameterization, transmission is frequently implemented by the OPC UA's own request-response based communication behavior. Since the device is rarely able to switch off the transmitter, the battery of the device is very quickly discharged. This poses a problem, particularly in the case of devices that are intended to respond promptly to infrequent warnings or events. However, when a client device is intended to provide notification in relation to one event only, the previous polling, i.e. the periodic interrogation is dispensed with and an alternative notification through means inherent in the mobile network is used. This method uses, for example, a mobile push service supplied by the network provider.

Abstract: The invention relates to dielectrically positive liquid crystalline media comprising a compound of formula I wherein the parameters have the meaning given in claim 1 and to liquid crystal displays comprising these media, especially to active matrix displays and in particular to TN and IPS mode displays.

Abstract: The present invention relates to liquid-crystalline media (LC media), characterised in that they comprise one or more compounds of the formula I, and one or more compounds of the formula II, where the parameters have the meaning indicated in claim 1, to the use thereof in electro-optical displays, and to LC displays which contain these LC media.

Abstract: A method for providing clients with access to a service of a server in a network using an OPC-UA, the server service making available varying values of at least one variable to the clients, wherein a client registers for the server service by sending a subscription request for the server service to the server which sets up a subscription structure including a unique subscription ID as well as a TCP/IP multicast group associated with the subscription structure and including a unique multicast address, and there server communicates the multicast address and the subscription ID to every client submitting a subscription request to register for the server service, the server additionally sends each change in value of each variable of the server service to the multicast address over a network via a multicast message so that all clients registered for the server service receive the same multicast message.