Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

Methods and analysers useful for time of flight mass spectrometry are provided. A method of separating charged particles comprises the steps of:

providing an analyser comprising two opposing mirrors each mirror comprising inner and outer field-defining electrode systems elongated along an axis z, the outer system surrounding the inner and defining therebetween an analyser volume, the mirrors creating an electrical field within the analyser volume comprising opposing electrical fields along z, the strength along z of the electrical field being a minimum at a plane z=0;causing a beam of charged particles to fly through the analyser, orbiting around the z axis within the analyser volume, reflecting from one mirror to the other at least once thereby defining a maximum turning point within a mirror; the strength along z of the electrical field at the maximum turning point being X and the absolute strength along z of the electrical field being less than |X|/2 for not more than ⅔ of the distance along z between the plane z=0 and the maximum turning point in each mirror;separating the charged particles according to their flight times; andejecting at least some of the charged particles having a plurality of m/z from the analyser or detecting the at least some of charged particles having a plurality of m/z, the ejecting or detecting being performed after the particles have undergone the same number of orbits around the axis z.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim