Disclosed herein is an ion guide for guiding an ion beam along an ion path, said ion guide having a longitudinal axis corresponding to said ion path, said ion guide-comprising a plurality of elongate electrodes arranged around and extending along said longitudinal axis wherein an inner envelope of the plurality of electrodes defines an ion guide volume. Said elongate electrodes are formed by electrode wires, wherein adjacent electrode wires are arranged at an inter-wire distance. The ion guide comprises holding structures for supporting and for straightening the electrode wires by applying a tension or maintaining a tension applied to them. Any portion of said holding structures which is separated from said ion guide volume by less than the local inter-wire distance is made from a material having a resistivity of less than 10.sup.12 Ohm.Math.cm, preferably of less than 10.sup.9 Ohm.Math.cm, or has a sheet resistivity of less than 10.sup.14 Ohm, preferably of less than 10.sup.10 Ohm on a surface facing said ion guide volume.

A method for analyzing biological samples using mass spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry that includes producing gas-phase ions and neutrals from the sample in a proximity of the sample; transferring the produced ions from the sample to a distance via a flexible or re-configurable ion transfer device such that the flexible or re-configurable ion transfer device includes a plurality of electrodes configured to be flexible or flexibly connected to each other, and the ion transfer device is configured to be flexible while transferring the ions to allow the ion transfer device to form one or more curvatures; and separating the produced ions with a mass spectrometer or a mobility analyzer located at the distance to provide spectrometric results.

An ion guide may comprise a set of plate electrodes, each plate electrode having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough. The set of plate electrodes are spatially arranged such that a relative positioning of each plurality of apertures of a respective plate electrode of the set of plate electrodes and respective adjacent plate electrodes of the set of plate electrodes defines a continuous ion flight path through the respective plurality of apertures of each plate electrode of the set of plate electrodes. The continuous ion flight path has a helical-based and/or spiral-based shape.

A first multipole assembly includes a first plurality of rod electrodes arranged about an axis and configured to confine ions radially about the axis. A second multipole assembly disposed adjacent to the first multipole assembly includes a second plurality of rod electrodes arranged about the axis and configured to confine the ions radially about the axis. An orientation of the first multipole assembly about the axis is rotationally offset relative to an orientation of the second multipole assembly about the axis.

An ion optical arrangement (1) for use in a mass spectrometer comprises electrodes (11, 12, 14) comprising a multipole arrangement defining an ion optical axis, and a voltage source for providing voltages to the electrodes to produce electric fields. The ion optical arrangement is configured for producing a radio frequency electric focusing field for focusing ions on the ion optical axis. The radio frequency electric focusing field has a varying frequency so as to reduce any mass dependence of ion trajectories through the ion optical arrangement. The ion optical arrangement may further he configured for producing a static electric field in response to a DC bias voltage applied to the multipole arrangement. A superimposed varying electric field may be produced by superimposing an AC voltage upon the DC bias voltage.

An ion guide may comprise a set of plate electrodes, each plate electrode having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough. The set of plate electrodes are spatially arranged such that a relative positioning of each plurality of apertures of a respective plate electrode of the set of plate electrodes and respective adjacent plate electrodes of the set of plate electrodes defines a continuous ion flight path through the respective plurality of apertures of each plate electrode of the set of plate electrodes. The continuous ion flight path has a helical-based and/or spiral-based shape.

An ion guide electrode assembly (10) for an ion-mobility spectrometer is described. The electrode assembly (10) comprises a first sheet (100), having first and second surfaces (110, 120) comprising a plurality of corresponding regions (111, 112, 121, 122). The first sheet (100) comprises a set of N electrodes (130, 140), including a first electrode (130) and a second electrode (140), provided as tracks mutually spaced apart on the first surface (110) thereof. The electrode assembly (10) is arrangeable in a planar configuration and preferably in a tubular configuration. In the tubular configuration, a first part (131) of the first electrode (130), provided in a first region 111 of the first surface (110), overlays a second region (122) of the second surface (120). In the tubular configuration, the first part (131) of the first electrode (130) overlaps a second part (132) of the first electrode (130) and/or a second part (142) of the second electrode (140), provided in a second region (112) of the first surface (110).

A device (1) for manipulating charged particles, the device comprising a series of electrodes (2, 3) disposed so as to form a channel for transportation of the charged particles. A power supply unit (5) provides a first supply voltage (7) which changes according to a waveform having a period (T), to axially segmented bunching electrodes (3) to create an electric field within the channel. The potential of the electric field defines a potential well which is translated along the length of the channel such that the potential well is translated a distance substantially equal to its length in an interval of time substantially equal to the period (T). The waveform is substantially continuously smooth throughout its period (T); and, substantially constant in value throughout a finite duration of time (T.sub.L<T) within the period (T), corresponding to a minimum of the waveform. A power supply unit (6) provides a second supply voltage (8) to radial confinement electrodes (2) to create a radially confining electric field within the channel configured to radially confine charged particles within the channel.

An ion guide may comprise a set of plate electrodes, each plate electrode having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough. The set of plate electrodes are spatially arranged such that a relative positioning of each plurality of apertures of a respective plate electrode of the set of plate electrodes and respective adjacent plate electrodes of the set of plate electrodes defines a continuous ion flight path through the respective plurality of apertures of each plate electrode of the set of plate electrodes. The continuous ion flight path has a helical-based and/or spiral-based shape.

A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a rotatable isolation valve (1) having a curved, spherical, cylindrical or concave portion. At least a portion of an ion guide (2) is positioned so as to extend within a swept volume of the isolation valve (1) enabling the ion guide (2) to be positioned close to a second downstream ion guide (3) and for ions to be transmitted from the first (2) ion guide to the second ion guide (3) with high ion transmission efficiency.