A magnetic photomultiplier tube (PMT) system, including a PMT. The PMT including a photocathode for converting an impinging photon to a photoelectron, an anode, and at least two or a series of oppositely facing pairs of dynodes, wherein each pair is spaced apart from an adjacent pair, a first electric field being generated intermediate at least one pair of oppositely facing dynodes and a second electric field generated intermediate at least one adjacent pairs of dynodes. The PMT system includes a magnetic field generated by a magnetic system, the PMT being positioned within the magnetic field.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises: using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target comprising or consisting of a microbial population; mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and analysing said spectrometric data in order to analyse said microbial population.

A mass spectrometer comprises an interface for receiving an ion beam from an ion source, a mass analyzer unit for selecting from the received ion beam, in two or more time periods, ions having different ranges of mass-to-charge ratios, a first detection unit for detecting, in each of said time period, ions within a selected range and producing first detection signals representative of quantities of detected ions having respective mass-to-charge ratios, and a second detection unit arranged between the interface and the mass analyzer unit for producing a second detection signal representative of a total intensity of the ion beam received from the ion source as a function of time. The mass spectrometer further comprises a processing unit for normalizing the first detection signals by using the second detection signal, which processing unit may output a ratio of normalized first detection signals.

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.

A method of separating a sample of ions according to their ion mobilities is provided. The method comprises receiving the sample of ions into a drift tube; applying a first electric field component within the drift tube so as to cause the sample of ions to move along a path within the drift tube, whereby the sample of ions separates along the path; and applying a second electric field component within the drift tube. The first and second electric field components have a combined electric field strength to modify the ion mobility of at least a portion of the sample of ions and to increase the separation of at least a portion of the sample of ions along the path The second electric field component substantially does not cause a net change in the velocity of the sample of ions perpendicular to the path. An apparatus for separating a sample of ions according to their ion mobilities is also provided.

Methods for an instrument including a light source of are provided. A method for an instrument including a light source includes providing light from the light source to a target location in a process chamber. The method includes receiving the light at a sensor. The method includes determining, using data from the sensor, a first position of the light at the target location. Moreover, the method includes determining whether to adjust the light to a second position at the target location. Related instruments are also provided.

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.

Provided are ion detectors and systems that may employ such ion detectors such as mass spectrometers and other instruments. The ion detectors include a deflector that serves to generate an electric field with designed shape and strength that causes the ions passing into the detector to move along a deflection path. By selectively deflecting the charged ions from an initial propagation axis, the deflector effectively removes unwanted neutral particles from the ion path and reduces background in the resulting spectra.

The invention relates to a particle detector, comprising: a measuring electrode for measuring charged particles, a detection device for detecting the charged particles measured by the measuring electrode, and an evaluation device for determining the number of charged particles detected by the detection device. The detection device has a charge amplifier for converting a charge signal generated by the charged particles into a voltage signal and an amplifier device for amplifying the voltage signal.

The invention relates to a method for, in an ion guide (10), modulating a stream of ions according to a modulation function, wherein the stream of ions includes at least N different ion species, wherein N is at least 1. This ion guide (10) forms an ion guide path, wherein the ions of the stream of ions are conveyed along the ion guide path in a conveying direction to form the stream of ions. The ion guide (10) includes an ion gate (12) arranged at an ion gate position on the ion guide path, wherein the ion gate (12) is adapted to provide an open state for allowing the ions passing the ion gate position when being conveyed along the ion guide path and a closed state for preventing the ions from passing the ion gate position. The ion guide (10) further includes a first arrangement (13) of conveying electrodes (230) arranged along the ion guide path, the first arrangement (13) of conveying electrodes (230) extending over a first section of the ion guide path, wherein the first section of the ion guide path reaches from at least the ion gate position downstream to at least a transition position on the ion guide path, wherein the first arrangement (13) of conveying electrodes (230) is adapted for generating first travelling waves having a first travelling wave amplitude and travelling along the first section of the ion guide path at a first travelling wave velocity for conveying the ions along the first section of the ion guide path. Furthermore, the ion guide (10) includes a second arrangement (14) of conveying electrodes (240) arranged along the ion guide path, the second arrangement (14) of conveying electrodes (240) extending over a second section of the ion guide path, wherein the second section of the ion guide path reaches from the transition position downstream, wherein the second arrangement (14) of conveying electrodes (240) is adapted for generating second travelling waves having a second travelling wave amplitude and travelling along the second section of the ion guide path at a second travelling wave velocity for conveying the ions along the second section of the ion guide path. According to the method, the stream of ions is modulated with the ion gate (12) according to the modulation function and AC voltages are applied to the first arrangement (13) of conveying electrodes (230) for generating the first travelling waves and to the second arrangement (14) of conveying electrodes (240) for generating the second travelling waves for conveying the ions downstream of the ion gate (12<