Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein a relatively energetic pulse of ions having a relatively narrow spread of mass to charge ratios are ejected from a quadrupole ion trap and received in an ion trap upstream of a Time of Flight mass analyser. The ions are collisionally cooled within the ion trap and are pulsed out of the ion trap and into an extraction region of the Time of Flight mass analyser without substantially exciting the ions. This enables improved operation with the Time of Flight mass analyser. According to another embodiment, parent ions are fragmented and the resulting fragment ions are stored in two ion traps having different low mass cut-offs. The trapping system enables MS/MS experiments to be performed with a very high duty cycle.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein a relatively energetic pulse of ions having a relatively narrow spread of mass to charge ratios are ejected from a quadrupole ion trap and received in an ion trap upstream of a Time of Flight mass analyser. The ions are collisionally cooled within the ion trap and are pulsed out of the ion trap and into an extraction region of the Time of Flight mass analyser without substantially exciting the ions. This enables improved operation with the Time of Flight mass analyser. According to another embodiment, parent ions are fragmented and the resulting fragment ions are stored in two ion traps having different low mass cut-offs. The trapping system enables MS/MS experiments to be performed with a very high duty cycle.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising at least first and second ion traps which are arranged in series. A relatively high AC or RF voltage is applied to the electrodes forming the first ion trap in order to improve the trapping of energetic or high mass to charge ratio ions. The relatively high AC or RF voltage applied to the first ion trap also has the effect of raising the low mass cut-off of the first ion trap. The second ion trap, arranged downstream of the first ion trap, is arranged to have a lower low mass cut-off than the first ion trap, and hence ions which are not trapped in the first ion trap are trapped in the second ion trap.

Abstract: An on-chip apparatus and method for measuring signal skew between two on-chip signals are provided. The apparatus and method generate a pulse train which is at a first state during a time period between a clocking of a circuit component and a time at which the circuit component generates an output signal, and a second state between clockings of the circuit component. The pulse width of the pulses in the pulse train is representative of the skew, i.e. change of phases or timing, in the signal due to the presence of the component. The pulse train may further be pseudo-clock divided to generate more measurable pulses. The output from is produced using a single output pad. The apparatus and method produce a long measurable pulse width on a single output pad. A pulse width of 10 s of ns is achievable instead of 1-2 ns as in the known art. The pulse width measurement is done with a single tester channel instead of two as in the known art.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a mass selective ion trap such as a 3D quadrupole field ion trap upstream of a pusher electrode of an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser. According to a first embodiment bunches of ions are released from the ion trap and the pusher electrode is energised after a delay time which is progressively varied. According to a second embodiment ions are released from the ion trap in reverse order of mass to charge ratio with the ions having the largest mass to charge ratio being released first. By appropriate release of the ions from the ion trap it is possible to ensure that substantially all of the ions arrive at the pusher electrode at substantially the same time. According to both embodiments it is possible to achieve a duty cycle approaching 100% across a large range of mass to charge ratios.

Abstract: A MALDI sample plate 1 is disclosed which comprises a metallic substrate 2 having a circular groove or moat 3. A hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene layer 4 is applied to the substrate 2 and a central portion 5 of the substrate 2 is laser etched which roughens the surface of the substrate 2. A thin polystyrene layer is then applied to the polytetrafluoroethylene layer 4 and the central portion 5.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a mass selective ion trap such as a 3D quadrupole field ion trap upstream of a pusher electrode of an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser. According to a first embodiment bunches of ions are released from the ion trap and the pusher electrode is energised after a delay time which is progressively varied. According to a second embodiment ions are released from the ion trap in reverse order of mass to charge ratio with the ions having the largest mass to charge ratio being released first. By appropriate release of the ions from the ion trap it is possible to ensure that substantially all of the ions arrive at the pusher electrode at substantially the same time. According to both embodiments it is possible to achieve a duty cycle approaching 100% across a large range of mass to charge ratios.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for self timing a memory circuit to compensate for sense amplifier imbalance. The self timing mechanism comprises two self timed sense amplifiers. A first self timed sense amplifier reads a first state and a second self timed sense amplifier reads a second state. The control logic deactivates the real sense amplifiers in response to the slower of the two self timed sense amplifiers. Thus, even if there is a layout or processing variance, which causes the sense amplifiers to have a non-zero offset voltage and favor a certain output state when the inputs are equal, the real sense amplifiers are able to read the states of the memory cell.

Abstract: A system for disseminating information over a wide area network includes a central caching unit for storing data to be made available over the wide area network. Local access give users access to the wide area network. Distributed caching units associated with the local access nodes for store cacheable material. A satellite communications system establishes satellite communications between the central caching unit and the local caching units for the transfer of cacheable material from the central caching unit to the local units. A router at the local access nodes routes packets from users to a destination address. The router includes local routing tables containing the addresses of material cached at the associated local node and responds to routing requests for locally cached material by directing the requests to the local cache.

Abstract: A system for analyzing the ion level of a fluid sample including an analyzer instrument, containing electrical circuitry for analyzing the ion level of the fluid sample, in electrical communication with a sensor unit having an ion selective electrode in communication with the fluid sample and electrical contacts for communication with the analyzer instrument. A recharger unit for the analyzer instrument is also disclosed.