Abstract: A method of operating a quadrupole device is disclosed. The method comprises operating the quadrupole device in a first mode of operation, wherein ions within a first mass to charge ratio range are selected and/or transmitted by the quadrupole device, and operating the quadrupole device in a second mode of operation, wherein ions within a second different mass to charge ratio range are selected and/or transmitted by the quadrupole device. In the first mode of operation, the quadrupole device is operated in a normal mode of operation wherein a main drive voltage is applied to the quadrupole device, or in a first X-band or Y-band mode of operation wherein a main drive voltage and two or more auxiliary drive voltages are applied to the quadrupole device. In the second mode of operation, the quadrupole device is operated in a second X-band or Y-band mode of operation wherein a main drive voltage and two or more auxiliary drive voltages are applied to the quadrupole device.

Abstract: A method of selecting ions comprises selecting ions corresponding to a target ion of interest by separating analyte ions according to their ion mobility, isolating first ions of the analyte ions, separating the first ions according to their ion mobility, and isolating second ions of the first ions. Preferably, the separation is accomplished by using a cyclic or closed-loop separator.

Abstract: A method of operating a quadrupole device (10) is disclosed. A voltage source (12) applies a main quadrupolar voltage, an auxiliary quadrupolar voltage and a dipolar voltage to the quadrupole device (10). This may be done such that only ions corresponding to a single X-band, X-band-like, Y-band or Y-band-like stability region are transmitted by the quadrupole device (10).

Abstract: A method of operating a quadrupole device (10) is disclosed. The quadrupole device (10) is operated in a mode of operation by applying a repeating voltage waveform comprising a main drive voltage and at least one auxiliary drive voltage is applied to the quadrupole device to the quadrupole device (10). The intensity of ions passing into the quadrupole device is varied with time in synchronisation with the repeating voltage waveform. This may be done such that the number of ions per unit phase which initially experience a phase within a first range of phases of the repeating voltage waveform is greater than the number of ions per unit phase which initially experience a phase within a second range of phases of the repeating voltage waveform.

Abstract: An ion-optical device comprising: a plurality of electrodes (2); a first AC voltage supply (6); and a transformer (4) having: a toroidal core (8); a primary winding (10) connected to the AC voltage supply (6) and passing through the aperture within the toroidal core (8); and at least one secondary winding (13,15) wound around the toroidal core 8 and electrically connected to multiple ones of said plurality of electrodes.

Abstract: A method of filtering ions according to their ion mobility using a device is disclosed, the method comprising a plurality of electrodes and one or more voltage source(s) arranged and adapted to apply voltages to the plurality of electrodes, the method comprising, generating using the one or more voltage source(s) one or more local separation region(s), wherein ions can be separated within each local separation region according to their ion mobility, and moving each local separation region axially along the device with a certain velocity such that, for each local separation region, ions having a value of their ion mobility falling within a selected range are transmitted axially along the device with that local separation region whereas ions having higher and/or lower ion mobility falling outside that range escape the local separation region, wherein any ions that escape the local separation region(s) are removed from within the device and/or otherwise kept apart from those ions falling within the selected rang

Abstract: A method of operating a quadrupole device is disclosed. The method comprises applying a main drive voltage to the quadrupole device and applying three or more auxiliary drive voltages to the quadrupole device. The three or more auxiliary drive voltages correspond to two or more pairs of X-band or Y-band auxiliary drive voltages.

Abstract: There is provided a method of guiding ions, comprising providing an ion guide comprising a plurality of electrodes, confining ions radially within said ion guide by applying one or more voltages to said plurality of electrodes, applying an orthogonal DC field along at least a portion of said ion guide in order to control the temperature of ions as they travel through said ion guide, and applying an electrostatic driving potential to said plurality of electrodes to urge ions along the axial length of the ion guide, wherein said electrostatic driving potential is applied in the form of a DC travelling wave potential or other transient DC potential.

Abstract: An ion guide (40) is disclosed that comprises an ion confinement region having a first cross-sectional profile with a first cross-sectional area A1 in a plane orthogonal to a direction of ion transmission. An attenuation device ejects or deflects ions having spatial positions which fall outside of a second cross-sectional profile having a second cross-sectional area A2, wherein A2<A1.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising: a) providing temporally separated precursor ions; b) mass analyzing separated precursor ions, and/or product ions derived therefrom, during a plurality of sequential acquisition periods, wherein the value of an operational parameter of the spectrometer is varied during the different acquisition periods; c) storing the spectral data obtained in each acquisition period along with its respective value of the operational parameter; d) interrogating the stored spectral data and determining which of the spectral data for a precursor ion or product ions meets a predetermined criterion, and determining the value of the operational parameter that provides this mass spectral data as a target operational parameter value; and e) mass analyzing again the precursor or product ions whilst the operational parameter is set to the target operational parameter value.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer or ion mobility spectrometer is disclosed comprising: a first device for separating ions or molecules according to a physicochemical property (3); an ion mobility separation device (4) for receiving and separating at least some of said ions or ions derived from said molecules according to their ion mobility; a gas supply (6-10) connected to said ion mobility separation device (4) for supplying gas into said ion mobility separation device (4); and a control system (11) configured to adjust said gas supply (6-10) so as to change the composition of gas within the ion mobility separation device (4) as a function of time.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising: a) providing temporally separated precursor ions; b) mass analyzing separated precursor ions, and/or product ions derived therefrom, during a plurality of sequential acquisition periods, wherein the value of an operational parameter of the spectrometer is varied during the different acquisition periods; c) storing the spectral data obtained in each acquisition period along with its respective value of the operational parameter; d) interrogating the stored spectral data and determining which of the spectral data for a precursor ion or product ions meets a predetermined criterion, and determining the value of the operational parameter that provides this mass spectral data as a target operational parameter value; and e) mass analyzing again the precursor or product ions whilst the operational parameter is set to the target operational parameter value.

Abstract: A method of operating a quadrupole device is disclosed that comprises operating the quadrupole device in a first mode of operation, and operating the quadrupole device in a second mode of operation. Operating the quadrupole device in the first mode of operation comprises applying one or more first voltages to the quadrupole device such that the quadrupole device is operated in an initial stability region and such that at least some ions are stable within the quadrupole device. Operating the quadrupole device in the second mode of operation comprises applying one or more second voltages to the quadrupole device such that the quadrupole device is operated in a different stability region and such that at least some of the ions that were stable within the quadrupole device in the first mode of operation are stable within the quadrupole device in the second mode of operation.

Abstract: An ion detection system is disclosed that comprises one or more first devices 11 configured to produce secondary electrons in response to incident ions. The one or more first devices 11 comprise a first ion collection region and a second ion collection region and are configured to produce first secondary electrons in response to one or more ions incident at the first ion collection region and to produce second secondary electrons in response to one or more ions incident at the second ion collection region. The ion detection system also comprises a first output device 14 configured to output a first signal in response to first secondary electrons produced by the one or more first devices 11 and a second output device 15 configured to output a second signal in response to second secondary electrons produced by the one or more first devices 11.

Abstract: There is provided a method of guiding ions, comprising providing an ion guide comprising a plurality of electrodes, confining ions radially within said ion guide by applying one or more voltages to said plurality of electrodes, applying an orthogonal DC field along at least a portion of said ion guide in order to control the temperature of ions as they travel through said ion guide, and applying an electrostatic driving potential to said plurality of electrodes to urge ions along the axial length of the ion guide, wherein said electrostatic driving potential is applied in the form of a DC travelling wave potential or other transient DC potential.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of mass spectrometry comprising the steps of: providing a library of matrix data, said matrix data comprising one or more physico-chemical properties of one or more matrix components as a function of retention time; chromatographically separating a sample, said sample containing at least some of said matrix components and one or more analyte components; analysing said sample at a plurality of retention times to obtain sample data, said sample data comprising one or more physico-chemical properties of one or more sample components as a function of retention time; and calculating one or more error values as a function of retention time based on a comparison between said sample data and said matrix data.

Abstract: A method of mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed that comprises accumulating ions for a first period of time (T1) one or more times so as to form one or more first groups of ions, accumulating ions for a second period of time (T2) one or more times so as to form one or more second groups of ions, wherein the second period of time (T2) is less that the first period of time (T1), analysing the one or more first groups of ions to generate one or more first data sets, analysing the one or more second groups of ions to generate one or more second data sets, and determining whether the one or more first data sets comprise saturated and/or distorted data. If it is determined that the one or more first data sets comprise saturated and/or distorted data, then the method further comprises replacing the saturated and/or distorted data from the one or more first data sets with corresponding data from the one or more second data sets.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising: providing ions towards an ion storage region; selecting a target maximum charge desired to be stored within the ion storage region at any given time; and reducing the ion current passing to the ion storage region such that the ions entering the ion storage region do not cause the total charge within the storage region to rise above said target maximum charge. The step of reducing the ion current passing to the ion storage region comprises: temporally separating the ions according to their ion mobility in an ion mobility separator; and mass filtering the ions according to mass to charge ratio with a mass filter. Said steps of separating and mass filtering the ions result in substantially only target ions having selected combinations of ion mobility and mass to charge ratio being transmitted towards the ion storage region.

Abstract: An ion guide is disclosed comprising a first array of electrodes and a second array of electrodes and one or more apertures or ion exit regions. The first array of electrodes comprises a first plurality of arcuate electrodes arranged in parallel with one another and such that said first plurality of arcuate electrodes at least partially surround said one or more apertures or ion exit regions and/or wherein said second array of electrodes comprises a second plurality of arcuate electrodes arranged in parallel with one another and such that said second plurality of arcuate electrodes at least partially surround said one or more apertures or ion exit regions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of mass spectrometry comprising the steps of: providing a library of matrix data, said matrix data comprising one or more physico-chemical properties of one or more matrix components as a function of retention time; chromatographically separating a sample, said sample containing at least some of said matrix components and one or more analyte components; analysing said sample at a plurality of retention times to obtain sample data, said sample data comprising one or more physico-chemical properties of one or more sample components as a function of retention time; and calculating one or more error values as a function of retention time based on a comparison between said sample data and said matrix data.