The present disclosure provides a method comprising providing a sample to be analysed, separating successive populations of ions from said sample in a separator, wherein said populations of ions are introduced into said separator at regular intervals, and the intervals are timed such that at least some ions in a subsequent population of ions overlap ions in a preceding population of ions, varying one or more parameters of said separator such that different populations of ions experience different separation conditions, detecting ions from said populations of ions and obtaining a convolved data set, and deconvolving said convolved data set using the known variance of the parameters and outputting data corresponding to the successive populations of ions.

A microchannel plate (MCP) 41 in an ion detection section 4 multiplies electrons. An anode 42 detects those electrons and produces a current signal. An amplifier 44 converts this signal into a voltage signal. A low-pass filter 5A acting as a smoothing section 5 is located at the output end of the amplifier 44. A waveform-shaping time adjuster 6 adjusts the time constant of the low-pass filter 5A beforehand according to the response time of the MCP 41, mass-to-charge ratio of an ion species to be subjected to the measurement, and duration of the spread of the ion species which depends on device-specific parameters. A plurality of peaks which sequentially appear in the detection signal corresponding to one ion species are thereby smoothed into a single broad peak. Thus, the distinguishability between signal waves and noise components is improved.

An ion source can include a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field in a direction parallel to a direction of the electron beam and coincident with the electron beam. However, this magnetic field can also influence the path of ionized sample constituents as they pass through and exit the ion source. An ion source can include an electric field generator to compensate for this effect. As an example, the electric field generator can be configured to generate an electric field within the ion source chamber, such that an additional force is imparted on the ionized sample constituents, opposite in direction and substantially equal in magnitude to the force imparted on the ionized sample constituents by the magnetic field.

Quadrupole ion optical devices configured to arrange paths of each of a plurality of ion beams exiting from a mass analyser towards detector elements of a mass spectrometer. Example quadrupole ion optical device comprise a plurality of electrodes arranged around a central axis and configured to generate a quadrupole potential through which the path of each of the plurality of ion beams can be passed, and electrical circuitry configured to supply at least a first set of voltages or a second set of voltages to the plurality of electrodes. The application of the second set of voltages generates a quadrupole potential having a saddle point at a position in a plane normal to the central axis that is displaced compared to a position in a plane normal to the central axis for a saddle point of a quadrupole potential generated upon application of the first set of voltages.

Provided is an electrostatic deflection convergence-type energy analyzer having a wide acceptance angle and high two-dimensional convergence performance, is capable of imaging two-dimensional real-space images and emission angle distributions, and enables two-dimensional convergence and imaging at 90 deflection with respect to an incident direction. Outer electrodes and inner electrodes are disposed along the shapes of two rotation bodies formed on the inside and the outside for a common rotation axis. The inner-surface shape of the outer electrode has a tapered shape becoming smaller in diameter toward both ends. The outer-surface shape of the inner electrodes has a tapered shape becoming smaller in diameter toward both ends. An electron incident hole and exit hole are formed in each of the outer electrodes at both ends on the rotation axis. The outer and the inner electrodes have applied thereto voltages for accelerating and decelerating electrons in proportion to the energy of incident electrons.

Provided is an electrostatic deflection convergence-type energy analyzer having a wide acceptance angle and high two-dimensional convergence performance, is capable of imaging two-dimensional real-space images and emission angle distributions, and enables two-dimensional convergence and imaging at 90 deflection with respect to an incident direction. Outer electrodes and inner electrodes are disposed along the shapes of two rotation bodies formed on the inside and the outside for a common rotation axis. The inner-surface shape of the outer electrode has a tapered shape becoming smaller in diameter toward both ends. The outer-surface shape of the inner electrodes has a tapered shape becoming smaller in diameter toward both ends. An electron incident hole and exit hole are formed in each of the outer electrodes at both ends on the rotation axis. The outer and the inner electrodes have applied thereto voltages for accelerating and decelerating electrons in proportion to the energy of incident electrons.

Neutral particles are blocked by a deflector provided upstream of a detector. A controller changes a reference potential V2 of the deflector in connection with a change of a reference potential V1 of a collision cell such that a potential difference V between the reference potential V1 and the reference potential V2 is constant. The change of the reference potential V2 is executed during a period in which an ion pulse does not pass the deflector.

Neutral particles are blocked by a deflector provided upstream of a detector. A controller changes a reference potential V2 of the deflector in connection with a change of a reference potential V1 of a collision cell such that a potential difference V between the reference potential V1 and the reference potential V2 is constant. The change of the reference potential V2 is executed during a period in which an ion pulse does not pass the deflector.

A mass spectrometer includes at least one ion guide having an inlet for receiving a plurality of ions from an upstream ion source and an outlet through which ions exit the ion guide, an ion routing device having an inlet for receiving at least a portion of the ions exiting the ion guide and at least two outlets, a first mass spectrometer positioned relative to the first outlet to receive ions exiting the ion routing device via the first outlet, and a second mass spectrometer positioned relative to the second outlet to receive ions exiting the ion routing device via the second outlet.

A mass spectrometer includes at least one ion guide having an inlet for receiving a plurality of ions from an upstream ion source and an outlet through which ions exit the ion guide, an ion routing device having an inlet for receiving at least a portion of the ions exiting the ion guide and at least two outlets, a first mass spectrometer positioned relative to the first outlet to receive ions exiting the ion routing device via the first outlet, and a second mass spectrometer positioned relative to the second outlet to receive ions exiting the ion routing device via the second outlet.