Abstract: Quadrupole ion optical devices configured to arrange paths of each of a plurality of ion beams exiting from a mass analyser towards detector elements of a mass spectrometer. Example quadrupole ion optical device comprise a plurality of electrodes arranged around a central axis and configured to generate a quadrupole potential through which the path of each of the plurality of ion beams can be passed, and electrical circuitry configured to supply at least a first set of voltages or a second set of voltages to the plurality of electrodes. The application of the second set of voltages generates a quadrupole potential having a saddle point at a position in a plane normal to the central axis that is displaced compared to a position in a plane normal to the central axis for a saddle point of a quadrupole potential generated upon application of the first set of voltages.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of simulating a mass filter, which has a bandpass characteristic, of a mass spectrometer includes: receiving a first candidate magnetic field strength and a first candidate electric field strength of the mass filter; based on the received first candidate magnetic and electric field strengths, determining a corresponding centre mass of the mass filter; based on the received first candidate magnetic and electric field strengths, determining the width of a passband of the bandpass characteristic; and determining at least one of a lower or an upper bound of the passband of the bandpass characteristic of the mass filter, the determining of the upper bound including adding a first predetermined fraction of the determined width of the passband to the determined centre mass and the determining of the lower bound comprising subtracting a second predetermined fraction of the determined width of the passband from the determined centre mass.

Abstract: An isotope ratio mass spectrometer has an ion source, a static field mass filter, a reaction cell to induce a mass shift reaction, and a sector field mass analyser for spatially separating ions from the reaction cell according to their m/z. A detector platform detects a plurality of different ion species separated by the sector field mass analyser. The static field mass filter has a first Wien filter that deflects ions away from a longitudinal symmetry axis of the spectrometer in accordance with the ions' m/z, and a second Wien filter that deflects ions back towards the longitudinal symmetry axis in accordance with the ions' m/z. An inverting lens is positioned along the longitudinal axis between the Wien filters to invert the direction of deflection of the ions from the first Wien filter. The static field mass filter provides high transmission and improved spectrometer sensitivity. The first and second Wien filters permit simple tuning.

Abstract: A gas transfer system for transferring gas into an analytical instrument for isotope ratio analysis comprises a capillary for delivering sample and/or reference gas from a gas source, a first connector for connecting the capillary to the gas source, a second connector for connecting the capillary to the analytical instrument, a crimping device, wherein the internal surface of the capillary comprises a coating material to prevent or minimize adsorption of water to the surface. Also provided is a device for regulating gas flow in a gas inlet system of an analytical instrument, comprising a body member having an internal gas flow channel, and a clamping member for attachment to the body member such that when the clamping member is tightened onto the body member, the internal gas flow channel is adjustably and reversibly crimped, to adjust gas flow therethrough.

Abstract: An ion optical arrangement (1) for use in a mass spectrometer comprises a collision cell defining an ion optical axis along which ions may pass, electrodes comprising a set of parallel poles (11A, 11B, 11C) arranged in the collision cell, and a voltage source for providing voltages to the electrodes to produce electric fields. The ion optical arrangement is arranged for switching between a first operation mode in which the collision cell is pressurized and a second operation mode in which the collision cell is substantially evacuated. The ion optical arrangement is further arranged for producing a radio frequency electric focusing field in the first operation mode and a static electric focusing field in the second operation mode.

Abstract: An ion optical arrangement (1) for use in a mass spectrometer comprises electrodes (11, 12, 14) comprising a multipole arrangement defining an ion optical axis, and a voltage source for providing voltages to the electrodes to produce electric fields. The ion optical arrangement is configured for producing a radio frequency electric focusing field for focusing ions on the ion optical axis. The radio frequency electric focusing field has a varying frequency so as to reduce any mass dependence of ion trajectories through the ion optical arrangement. The ion optical arrangement may further he configured for producing a static electric field in response to a DC bias voltage applied to the multipole arrangement. A superimposed varying electric field may be produced by superimposing an AC voltage upon the DC bias voltage.

Abstract: An isotope ratio mass spectrometer has an ion source, a static field mass filter, a reaction cell to induce a mass shift reaction, and a sector field mass analyser for spatially separating ions from the reaction cell according to their m/z. A detector platform detects a plurality of different ion species separated by the sector field mass analyser. The static field mass filter has a first Wien filter that deflects ions away from a longitudinal symmetry axis of the spectrometer in accordance with the ions' m/z, and a second Wien filter that deflects ions back towards the longitudinal symmetry axis in accordance with the ions' m/z. An inverting lens is positioned along the longitudinal axis between the Wien filters to invert the direction of deflection of the ions from the first Wien filter. The static field mass filter provides high transmission and improved spectrometer sensitivity. The first and second Wien filters permit simple tuning.

Abstract: An ion optical arrangement (1) for use in a mass spectrometer comprises electrodes (11, 12, 14) comprising a multipole arrangement defining an ion optical axis, and a voltage source for providing voltages to the electrodes to produce electric fields. The ion optical arrangement is configured for producing a radio frequency electric focusing field for focusing ions on the ion optical axis. The radio frequency electric focusing field has a varying frequency so as to reduce any mass dependence of ion trajectories through the ion optical arrangement. The ion optical arrangement may further be configured for producing a static electric field in response to a DC bias voltage applied to the multipole arrangement. A superimposed varying electric field may be produced by superimposing an AC voltage upon the DC bias voltage.

Abstract: The present invention addresses ways to facilitate the detection and analysis of ion abundance, in particular for analysis of elemental ions, and in particular embodiments for isotope ratio analysis, by use of collision cells that employ an axial drag field, i.e. an axial electric field that exerts a drag force on ions within the cell. By means of the invention, the drag field allows an increase in the transmission in the case of Li from a few % up to almost 100%. The drag field is generated by electric fields and can be switched on and off within microsecond (?s) timescales and thus improves the sensitivity for the lighter elements dramatically. The invention allows use of collision cells for analysis of elemental ions in a simple and fast workflow with high throughput and without compromising transmission.

Abstract: An isotope ratio spectrometer is operated for measurement of a sample. First isotope ratios and first signal intensities are measured for a reference in the spectrometer, over a first measurement time period. A first relationship comprising a relationship between the first isotope ratios and the first signal intensities is determined. Sample isotope ratios and sample signal intensities are measured in the spectrometer, over a second measurement time period subsequent to the first measurement time period. Second isotope ratios and second signal intensities for a reference are measured in the spectrometer, over a third measurement time period subsequent to the second measurement time period. A second relationship comprising a relationship between the second isotope ratios and the second signal intensities is determined. A reference isotope ratio is estimated for a time X within the second measurement time period, based on the first relationship and the second relationship.

Abstract: An isotope ratio spectrometer is operated for measurement of a sample. First isotope ratios and first signal intensities are measured for a reference in the spectrometer, over a first measurement time period. A first relationship comprising a relationship between the first isotope ratios and the first signal intensities is determined. Sample isotope ratios and sample signal intensities are measured in the spectrometer, over a second measurement time period subsequent to the first measurement time period. Second isotope ratios and second signal intensities for a reference are measured in the spectrometer, over a third measurement time period subsequent to the second measurement time period. A second relationship comprising a relationship between the second isotope ratios and the second signal intensities is determined. A reference isotope ratio is estimated for a time X within the second measurement time period, based on the first relationship and the second relationship.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer comprises an interface for receiving an ion beam from an ion source, a mass analyzer unit for selecting from the received ion beam, in two or more time periods, ions having different ranges of mass-to-charge ratios, a first detection unit for detecting, in each of said time period, ions within a selected range and producing first detection signals representative of quantities of detected ions having respective mass-to-charge ratios, and a second detection unit arranged between the interface and the mass analyzer unit for producing a second detection signal representative of a total intensity of the ion beam received from the ion source as a function of time. The mass spectrometer further comprises a processing unit for normalizing the first detection signals by using the second detection signal, which processing unit may output a ratio of normalized first detection signals.

Abstract: An isotope ratio mass spectrometer has an ion source, a static field mass filter, a reaction cell to induce a mass shift reaction, and a sector field mass analyser for spatially separating ions from the reaction cell according to their m/z. A detector platform detects a plurality of different ion species separated by the sector field mass analyser. The static field mass filter has a first Wien filter that deflects ions away from a longitudinal symmetry axis of the spectrometer in accordance with the ions' m/z, and a second Wien filter that deflects ions back towards the longitudinal symmetry axis in accordance with the ions' m/z. An inverting lens is positioned along the longitudinal axis between the Wien filters to invert the direction of deflection of the ions from the first Wien filter. The static field mass filter provides high transmission and improved spectrometer sensitivity. The first and second Wien filters permit simple tuning.

Abstract: An ion optical arrangement (1) for use in a mass spectrometer comprises a collision cell defining an ion optical axis along which ions may pass, electrodes comprising a set of parallel poles (11A, 11B, 11C) arranged in the collision cell, and a voltage source for providing voltages to the electrodes to produce electric fields. The ion optical arrangement is arranged for switching between a first operation mode in which the collision cell is pressurized and a second operation mode in which the collision cell is substantially evacuated. The ion optical arrangement is further arranged for producing a radio frequency electric focusing field in the first operation mode and a static electric focusing field in the second operation mode.

Abstract: An ion optical arrangement (1) for use in a mass spectrometer comprises electrodes (11, 12, 14) comprising a multipole arrangement defining an ion optical axis, and a voltage source for providing voltages to the electrodes to produce electric fields. The ion optical arrangement is configured for producing a radio frequency electric focusing field for focusing ions on the ion optical axis. The radio frequency electric focusing field has a varying frequency so as to reduce any mass dependence of ion trajectories through the ion optical arrangement. The ion optical arrangement may further be configured for producing a static electric field in response to a DC bias voltage applied to the multipole arrangement. A superimposed varying electric field may be produced by superimposing an AC voltage upon the DC bias voltage.

Abstract: A mass spectrometry method comprising steps of generating an ion beam from an ion source; directing the ion beam into a collision cell; introducing into the collision cell through a gas inlet on the collision cell a charge-neutral analyte gas or reaction gas; ionizing the analyte gas or reaction gas in the collision cell by means of collisions between the analyte gas or reaction gas and the ion beam; transmitting ions from the ionized analyte gas or reaction gas from the collision cell into a mass analyzer; and mass analyzing the transmitted ions of the ionized analyte or reaction gas. The methods can be applied in isotope ratio mass spectrometry to determine the isotope abundance or isotope ratio of a reaction gas used in mass shift reactions between the gas and sample ions, to determine a corrected isotope abundance or ratio of the sample ions.

Abstract: A gas transfer system for transferring gas into an analytical instrument for isotope ratio analysis comprises a capillary for delivering sample and/or reference gas from a gas source, a first connector for connecting the capillary to the gas source, a second connector for connecting the capillary to the analytical instrument, a crimping device, wherein the internal surface of the capillary comprises a coating material to prevent or minimize adsorption of water to the surface. Also provided is a device for regulating gas flow in a gas inlet system of an analytical instrument, comprising a body member having an internal gas flow channel, and a clamping member for attachment to the body member such that when the clamping member is tightened onto the body member, the internal gas flow channel is adjustably and reversibly crimped, to adjust gas flow therethrough.

Abstract: A gas transfer system for transferring gas into an analytical instrument for isotope ratio analysis comprises a capillary for delivering sample and/or reference gas from a gas source, a first connector for connecting the capillary to the gas source, a second connector for connecting the capillary to the analytical instrument, a crimping device, wherein the internal surface of the capillary comprises a coating material to prevent or minimize adsorption of water to the surface. Also provided is a device for regulating gas flow in a gas inlet system of an analytical instrument, comprising a body member having an internal gas flow channel, and a clamping member for attachment to the body member such that when the clamping member is tightened onto the body member, the internal gas flow channel is adjustably and reversibly crimped, to adjust gas flow therethrough.

Abstract: An isotope ratio mass spectrometer has an ion source, a static field mass filter, a reaction cell to induce a mass shift reaction, and a sector field mass analyser for spatially separating ions from the reaction cell according to their m/z. A detector platform detects a plurality of different ion species separated by the sector field mass analyser. The static field mass filter has a first Wien filter that deflects ions away from a longitudinal symmetry axis of the spectrometer in accordance with the ions' m/z, and a second Wien filter that deflects ions back towards the longitudinal symmetry axis in accordance with the ions' m/z. An inverting lens is positioned along the longitudinal axis between the Wien filters to invert the direction of deflection of the ions from the first Wien filter. The static field mass filter provides high transmission and improved spectrometer sensitivity. The first and second Wien filters permit simple tuning.

Abstract: The present invention can be directed to a mass spectrometer, relevant parts thereof like replacement kits or upgrading kits and/or mass spectrometry methods. A mass spectrometer according to the present invention can comprise at least one ion source for generating a beam of ions from a sample. Moreover at least one mass filter downstream of the ion source can be provided and adapted to select ions from the beam by their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). Furthermore at least one collision cell arranged downstream of the mass filter can be arranged. At least one sector field mass analyser arranged downstream of the collision cell can be further provided and at least one ion multicollector comprising a plurality of ion detectors arranged downstream of the mass analyser, for detecting a plurality of different ion species in parallel and/or simultaneously.