Abstract: A time-of-flight mass spectrometer (1) comprises an ion source a segmented linear ion device (10) for receiving sample ions supplied by the ion source and a time-of-flight mass analyzer for analyzing ions ejected from the segmented device. A trapping voltage is applied to the segmented device to trap ions initially into a group of two or more adjacent segments and subsequently to trap them in a region of the segmented device shorter than the group of segments. The trapping voltage may also be effective to provide a uniform trapping field along the length of the device (10).

Abstract: A co-axial time-of-flight mass spectrometer having a longitudinal axis and first and second ion mirrors at opposite ends of the longitudinal axis. Ions enter the spectrometer along an input trajectory offset from the longitudinal axis and after one or more passes between the mirrors ions leave along an output trajectory offset from the longitudinal axis for detection by an ion detector. The input and output trajectories are offset from the longitudinal axis by an angle no greater than formula (I): where Dmin is the or the minimum transverse dimension of the ion mirror and L is the distance between the entrances of the ion mirrors.

Abstract: A multi-reflecting TOF mass analyser has two parallel, gridless ion mirrors each having an elongated structure in a drift direction (Z). These ion mirrors provide a folded ion path formed by multiple reflections of ions in a flight direction (X), orthogonal to the drift direction (Z). The analyser also has a further gridless ion mirror for reflecting ions in the drift direction (Z). In operation ions are spatially separated according to mass-to-charge ratio due to their different flight times along the folded ion path and ions having substantially the same mass-to-charge ratio are subjected to energy focusing with respect to the flight and drift directions.

Abstract: A tandem linear ion trap and time-of-flight mass spectrometer, where the ion trap has a straight central axis orthogonal to the flight path of the mass spectrometer. The ion trap comprises a set of electrodes, (401, 403, 402, 404) at least one of the electrodes has a slit for ejecting ions towards the mass spectrometer; a set of DC voltage supplies (+V, ?V, V1, V2) to provide discrete DC levels and a number of fast electronic switches (409) for connecting/disconnecting the DC supplies to at least two of the electrodes; a neutral gas filling the ion trap and a digital controller to provide a switching procedure of ion trapping, manipulation with ions, cooling and including a state at which all ions are ejected from the ion trap towards the mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A time-of-flight mass spectrometer (1) comprises an ion source a segmented linear ion device (10) for receiving sample ions supplied by the ion source and a time-of-flight mass analyser for analysing ions ejected from the segmented device. A trapping voltage is applied to the segmented device to trap ions initially into a group of two or more adjacent segments and subsequently to trap them in a region of the segmented device shorter than the group of segments. The trapping voltage may also be effective to provide a uniform trapping field along the length of the device (10).

Abstract: A co-axial time-of-flight mass spectrometer having a longitudinal axis and first and second ion mirrors at opposite ends of the longitudinal axis. Ions enter the spectrometer along an input trajectory offset from the longitudinal axis and after one or more passes between the mirrors ions leave along an output trajectory offset from the longitudinal axis for detection by an ion detector. The input and output trajectories are offset from the longitudinal axis by an angle no greater than formula (I): where Dmin is the or the minimum transverse dimension of the ion mirror and L is the distance between the entrances of the ion mirrors.

Abstract: A multi-reflecting TOF mass analyser has two parallel, gridless ion mirrors each having an elongated structure in a drift direction (Z). These ion mirrors provide a folded ion path formed by multiple reflections of ions in a flight direction (X), orthogonal to the drift direction (Z). The analyser also has a further gridless ion mirror for reflecting ions in the drift direction (Z). In operation ions are spatially separated according to mass-to-charge ratio due to their different flight times along the folded ion path and ions having substantially the same mass-to-charge ratio are subjected to energy focusing with respect to the flight and drift directions.

Abstract: A tandem linear ion trap and time-of-flight mass spectrometer, where the ion trap has a straight central axis orthogonal to the flight path of the mass spectrometer. The ion trap comprises a set of electrodes, (401, 403, 402, 404) at least one of the electrodes has a slit for ejecting ions towards the mass spectrometer; a set of DC voltage supplies (+V, ?V, V1, V2) to provide discrete DC levels and a number of fast electronic switches (409) for connecting/disconnecting the DC supplies to at least two of the electrodes; a neutral gas filling the ion trap and a digital controller to provide a switching procedure of ion trapping, manipulation with ions, cooling and including a state at which all ions are ejected from the ion trap towards the mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A quadrupole ion trap device has a field adjusting electrode located outside the trapping region adjacent the aperture in the entrance end cap electrode, and optionally adjacent the aperture in the exit end cap electrode. The field adjusting electrode(s) controls field distortion in the vicinity of the apertures. By appropriately setting the voltages on the field adjusting electrodes the efficiency and resolution of operational processes such as ion introduction, precursor ion isolation and mass scanning can be improved.

Abstract: A method of trapping ions using a quadrupole ion trap device includes applying quadrupole excitation to trapped precursor ions causing them to be driven into the ring electrode where they undergo surface induced dissociation. The resultant product ions are then trapped within the ion trap device.

Abstract: A quadrupole ion trap device has a field adjusting electrode located outside the trapping region adjacent the aperture in the entrance end cap electrode, and optionally adjacent the aperture in the exit end cap electrode. The field adjusting electrode(s) controls field distortion in the vicinity of the apertures. By appropriately setting the voltages on the field adjusting electrodes the efficiency and resolution of operational processes such as ion introduction, precursor ion isolation and mass scanning can be improved.

Abstract: A method of trapping a ions using a quadrupole ion trap device includes applying quadrupole excitation to trapped precursor ions causing them to be driven into the ring electrode where they undergo surface induced dissociation. The resultant product ions are then trapped within the ion trap device.