Abstract: A sample plate 1 for an ion source is disclosed comprising a plurality of ionisation regions, each ionisation region comprising a first electrode 4 and a second separate electrode 4 separated by an insulator 4a.

Abstract: A Time of Flight mass analyser is disclosed comprising one or more acceleration electrodes and a first device arranged and adapted to apply a DC voltage pulse to the one or more acceleration electrodes. The DC voltage pulse causes ions to be accelerated into a time of flight or drift region and the DC voltage pulse is applied, in use, to the one or more acceleration electrodes between a time T1 and a time T2. A second device is arranged and adapted to apply a single phase oscillating voltage to the one or more acceleration electrodes, wherein the single phase oscillating voltage undergoes multiple oscillations between the time T1 and the time T2. The application of the DC voltage pulse and the single phase oscillating voltage to the one or more acceleration electrodes establishes an homogeneous electric field having a net force towards the time of flight or drift region.

Abstract: A collision or reaction device for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a first device arranged and adapted to cause first ions to collide or react with charged particles and/or neutral particles or otherwise dissociate so as to form second ions. A second device is arranged and adapted to apply a broadband excitation with one or more frequency notches to the first device so as to cause the second ions and/or ions derived from the second ions to be substantially ejected from the collision or reaction region. The collision or reaction device further comprises a device arranged and adapted to determine the time when the second ions and/or ions derived from the second ions are substantially ejected from the first device.

Abstract: A collision or reaction device for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a first device arranged and adapted to cause first ions to collide or react with charged particles and/or neutral particles or otherwise dissociate so as to form second ions. The collision or reaction device further comprises a second device arranged and adapted to apply a broadband excitation with one or more frequency notches to the first device so as to cause the second ions and/or ions derived from the second ions to be substantially ejected from the first device without causing the first ions to be substantially ejected from the first device.

Abstract: A MEMS device chip manufacturing method including a grinding step of grinding a device forming area of a wafer to thereby form a recess and an annular reinforcing portion surrounding the recess, a MEMS device forming step of performing any processing including etching to the wafer after performing the grinding step to thereby form a plurality of MEMS devices partitioned by a plurality of crossing division lines in the device forming area, and a dividing step of dividing the wafer along the division lines after performing the MEMS device forming step to thereby manufacture a plurality of MEMS device chips.

Abstract: A seal assembly for sealing between a rotating component and a stationary component in a turbomachine. The seal assembly includes a plurality of radially inwardly projecting, axially spaced teeth extending from the stationary component, wherein at least one of the plurality of teeth has at least one axially extending hole therethrough. Axial flow of an operating fluid through the holes acts as an air-curtain to interrupt swirl flow in a seal cavity, therefore reducing steam force that could act to destabilize rotordynamics.

Abstract: An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a lens and mirror arrangement which focuses a laser beam onto the upper surface of a target substrate. The lens has an effective focal length ?300 mm. The laser beam is directed onto the target substrate at an angle ? with respect to the perpendicular to the target substrate, wherein ??3°. One or more ion guides receive ions released from the target substrate and onwardly transmit the ions along an ion path which substantially bypasses the lens and mirror.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein highly charged fragment ions resulting from Electron Transfer Dissociation fragmentation of parent ions are reduced in charge state within a Proton Transfer Reaction cell by reacting the fragment ions with a neutral superbase reagent gas such as Octahydropyrimidolazepine.

Abstract: A toilet, wherein: the toilet has an aperture (110), which, in use, would be located in an upper part of the toilet; the toilet comprising or adapted to receive a dispensing means arranged beneath the aperture for dispensing a tube (12) of collection bag material in a downward direction; wherein the toilet is adapted such that, in operation, while the tube is moved downward, the toilet creates a divide in the tube by pressing the sides of the tube together.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a RF confinement device, a beam expander and a Time of Flight mass analyser. The beam expander is arranged to expand an ion beam emerging from the RF confinement device so that the ion beam is expanded to a diameter of at least 3 mm in the orthogonal acceleration extraction region of the Time of Flight mass analyser.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for messaging-based System-on-a-chip (SoC) power gating. The embodiments enable fine granularity SoC power gating without introducing significant latency and substantially maximizes SoC power reduction. In an embodiment, a method in a first SoC resource for messaging-based power gating includes receiving at the first SoC resource a wakeup notification message (WNM) from a second SoC resource, wherein the WNM comprises a time at which a result message from the second SoC resource is expected to arrive at the first SoC resource; determining with the first SoC resource a wake-up time according to the time at which the result message from the second SoC resource is expected to arrive at the first SoC resource; setting a wake-up time timer to expire at the wake-up time; and waking up the first SoC resource when the wake-up time timer expires when the first SoC resource is asleep.

Abstract: A pulsed ion source is disclosed wherein the ion source is energized one or more times to generate a first group of ions and a second group of ions. The first and second groups of ions are simultaneously transmitted through an ion guide whilst keeping the first and second groups of ions isolated from each other.

Abstract: A MEMS device chip manufacturing method including a grinding step of grinding a device forming area of a wafer to thereby form a recess and an annular reinforcing portion surrounding the recess, a MEMS device forming step of performing any processing including etching to the wafer after performing the grinding step to thereby form a plurality of MEMS devices partitioned by a plurality of crossing division lines in the device forming area, and a dividing step of dividing the wafer along the division lines after performing the MEMS device forming step to thereby manufacture a plurality of MEMS device chips.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising providing a mixture of different analyte ions and supplying electrons or reagent ions to said mixture so as to transfer charge to the analyte ions. The transfer of charge causes at least some of the analyte ions to dissociate and others of the analyte ions not to dissociate, but to form intermediate ions of altered charge state. These intermediate ions are then isolated from other ions and excited so as to dissociate into daughter ions. The intermediate ions and their daughter ions are analyzed and associated with each other so that the intermediate can be identified from their daughter ions. The analyte ions can then be identified from the intermediate ions, since they differ only in charge state. The disclosed method enables analyte ions to be associated with their fragment ions, and therefore identified, without having to isolate individual analyte ions prior to their interactions with the electrons or reagent ions.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an RF ion guide or ion trap and a device arranged and adapted to supply a reagent gas within the RF ion guide or ion trap. The mass spectrometer further comprises a photo-ionization device and a control system arranged and adapted: (i) to cause first ions to fragment or dissociate within the RF ion guide or ion trap to form second ions and neutral molecules; and (ii) to cause the photo-ionization device to photo-ionize and/or photo-excite the reagent gas to form reagent ions, excited species or radical species. The reagent ions, excited species or radical species interact with at least some of the neutral molecules located within the RF ion guide or ion trap to form analyte ions.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an Electron Transfer Dissociation cell. Positive analyte ions are fragmented into fragment ions upon colliding with singly charged negative reagent ions with the cell. The cell comprises a plurality of ring electrodes which form a spherical trapping volume. Ions experience negligible RF heating over the majority of the trapping volume which enables the kinetic energy of the analyte and reagent ions to be reduced to just above thermal temperatures. An Electron Transfer Dissociation cell having an enhanced sensitivity is thereby provided. Fragment ions created within the cell may be cooled and may be transmitted onwardly to an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser enabling a significant improvement in the resolution of the mass analyser to be obtained.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an Electron Transfer Dissociation device comprising an ion guide. A control system determines the degree of fragmentation and charge reduction of precursor ions within the ion guide and varies the speed at which ions are transmitted through the ion guide in order to optimize the fragmentation and charge reduction process.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a dual channel Solvent Assisted Inlet Ionisation (“SAII”) interface.

Abstract: We disclose a monovinylarene-conjugated diene block copolymer containing a plurality of monovinylarene-conjugated diene mixed blocks, wherein each mixed block contains conjugated diene units and monovinylarene units in a weight ratio of about 0.05 to about 0.33. We also disclose a composition containing (a) from about 50 parts by weight to about 95 parts by weight of the monovinylarene-conjugated diene block copolymer and (b) from about 5 parts by weight to about 50 parts by weight of polystyrene; wherein the monovinylarene-conjugated diene block copolymer and the polystyrene total 100 parts by weight.

Abstract: Concrete shuttering formwork according to the present disclosure comprises a body, a height-adjustable cap, and an optional, detachable void cap. Generally, concrete shuttering formwork assembled utilizing the height-adjustable cap according to the present disclosure stays in place and allows adjoining bays to be poured one after the other. Once the poured concrete has cured, the detachable void cap can either be left in place or removed. If removed, the resulting gap can subsequently be filled with a joint sealant.