Abstract: Slit means in spectrometers for the analysis of organic and inorganic substances, in particular in mass spectrometers, have hitherto been controlled for varying the slit widths by connecting them in a suitable manner to a metallic wire, through which an electric current flowed, under the influence of which the wire heats up and changes its length. The slit or diaphragm means connected to the wire were then displaced relative to the beam path. It is a great disadvantage that the diaphragms follow a change of the current for controlling the slit widths with a relatively long time delay, which is unacceptable for various types of measuring operation, in particular types of measuring operation under data system control. To eliminate this disadvantage, a device (11) is proposed which has at least one movable slit jaw (12) which is movable to and fro, substantially perpendicular to the beam path (16) and without delay, by a piezo-electric element (14).

Abstract: In a hybrid mass spectrometer, a high-energy collision chamber (8) is arranged in a field-free region (12) which, in the direction of travel of the ions, is located after the first stage (1 to 6). A lens arrangement (9) serves for decelerating daughter ions of different energies to a fixed energy, and preferably at the same time also for shaping the ion beam. Preferably, the hybrid mass spectrometer is of BEQQ configuration.