Abstract: A reflector is provided as well as a time-of-flight mass spectrometer with a reflector. The mass spectrometers is used for determining the chemical structure of molecules as well as for the quantitative analysis of unknown mixtures of substances. Design effort is minimized, especially for the reflector. The reflector is present in the time-of-flight mass spectrometer to generate an electrostatic field permitting the best possible focusing for the deflection of the ions. The reflector body is made in one piece as a radially symmetrical trough. The reflector is preferably made of a stainless steel or a carrier material with conductive coating and is polished on the inner side of the trough.

Abstract: A reflector is provided as well as a time-of-flight mass spectrometer with a reflector. The mass spectrometers is used for determining the chemical structure of molecules as well as for the quantitative analysis of unknown mixtures of substances. Design effort is minimized, especially for the reflector. The reflector is present in the time-of-flight mass spectrometer to generate an electrostatic field permitting the best possible focusing for the deflection of the ions. The reflector body is made in one piece as a radially symmetrical trough. The reflector is preferably made of a stainless steel or a carrier material with conductive coating and is polished on the inner side of the trough.

Abstract: In a time-of-flight mass spectrometer with an ion reflector located after the ion source and before the ion detector, to compensate for different starting energies of ions of equal masses, in the ion flight path inside or after the ion reflector at least one electrode is provided for, to which a pulsed high voltage is applied in such a way that within a predetermined narrow range of ion masses, time-of-flight errors for ions of equal masses due to different formation locations or times in the ion source are compensated for at the ion detector. In this way, apart from an energy compensation, also time-of-flight errors of the ions under investigation can simultaneously be compensated for.

Abstract: When vaporizing a sample substance consisting of big molecules, in particular for the purpose of mass-spectroscopic examinations, the energy introduced for the vaporization process may lead to thermolytic decomposition of the sample substance. In order to prevent such decomposition, the invention proposes that the sample substance be mixed, prior to its irradiation, with a matrix material which is easily decomposed under the influence of the laser beam pulses. The matrix may consist of a material which absorbs the radiation and which is easily decomposed thermolytically, or else of a material which is permeable to laser radiation, but mixed with a metal powder. When the mixture is exposed to laser beam pulses, the instable matrix material will decompose first whereby the embedded molecules of the sample substance are set free. It is possible in this manner to prevent, practically completely, the molecules of the sample substance from being destructed.