A mass analyzing apparatus and system are disclosed for time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry analysis. A representative system includes a first electrostatic mirror prism to reflect a first ion beam and provide an intermediate ion beam having an intermediate TOF focus and having a spatial dispersion of ions proportional to ion kinetic energies; and a second electrostatic mirror prism to reflect the second ion beam and converge the spatial dispersion of ions to provide a third, recombined ion beam having an output TOF focus; and an ion detector arranged at the output TOF focus to receive and detect the ions of the third ion beam. A bandpass filter may be arranged at the intermediate TOF focus to selectively allow propagation of ions of the second ion beam having a selected range of ion kinetic energies. Configurations having additional electrostatic mirror prisms are disclosed, including for tandem MS-MS and selectable time-of-flight.

An orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer in which an ion injected into an orthogonal acceleration area is periodically accelerated in a direction orthogonal to a direction of the injection and thereby ejected into a flight space. The mass spectrometer includes: an orthogonal acceleration electrode; a voltage supplier for applying a fixed level of voltage to the orthogonal acceleration electrode with a predetermined period; a TOF determiner for detecting an ion after a completion of a flight of the ion within the flight space, and determining the TOF of the ion; a storage section in which mass determination information defining a relationship between the TOF and mass-to-charge ratio of the ion depending on the period of the applied voltage is stored; and a mass-to-charge-ratio determiner for determining the mass-to-charge ratio of an ion from the TOF of the ion determined by the TOF determiner, based on the mass determination information.

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF MS) comprises a mass analyzer, an ion pushing device, a filtering device, a multi-pass reflector, a detector, and a decoder. The ion pushing device is arranged to push ions into the mass analyzer. The filtering device is arranged to filter a portion of the ions based on a mass range of the ions. The multi-pass reflector is arranged to selectively reflect the ions for further passes through the mass analyzer. The detector is arranged to receive the ions. The decoder is arranged to reconstruct a mass spectrum for the entire mass range of the ions.

An apparatus 41 and operation method are provided for an electrostatic trap mass spectrometer with measuring frequency of multiple isochronous ionic oscillations. For improving throughput and space charge capacity, the trap is substantially extended in one Z-direction forming a reproduced two-dimensional field. Multiple geometries are provided for trap Z-extension. The throughput of the analysis is improved by multiplexing electrostatic traps. The frequency analysis is accelerated by the shortening of ion packets and either by Wavelet-fit analysis of the image current signal or by using a time-of-flight detector for sampling a small portion of ions per oscillation. Multiple pulsed converters are suggested for optimal ion injection into electrostatic traps.

An apparatus for detecting constituents in a sample includes first and second drift tubes defining first and second drift regions, and a controllable electric field device within a fragmentation region coupled to the first and second drift tubes. The apparatus also includes a first ion shutter positioned between the first drift and fragmentation regions. The apparatus further includes a control system configured to regulate the first ion shutter, thereby facilitating injection of a selected portion of ions from the first drift region into the fragmentation region. The control system is also configured to regulate the controllable device to modify the selected portion of ions to generate predetermined ion fragments within the fragmentation region, thereby facilitating injection of a selected portion of the predetermined fragmented ions into the second drift region. A method of detecting constituents in a sample is facilitated through such an apparatus.

An ion spectrometer is provided, comprising: an ion source, arranged to generate ions continuously with a first range of mass to charge ratios; and an ion trap, arranged to receive ions from the ion source along an axis, and to eject ions with a second range of mass to charge ratios orthogonally to that axis, the second range of mass to charge ratios being narrower than the first range of mass to charge ratios. In some embodiments, ions generated by the ion source continuously flow into the ion trap. Additionally or alternatively, ion optics receive ions ejected from the ion trap and cool the ions without substantial fragmentation. An ion analyser receives ions ejected from the ion trap or ion optics and separates the ions in accordance with at least one characteristic of the ions.

A Time of Flight mass analyser is disclosed comprising: at least one ion mirror 34 for reflecting ions; an ion detector 36 arranged for detecting the reflected ions; a first pulsed ion accelerator 30 for accelerating an ion packet in a first dimension (Y-dimension) towards the ion detector 36 so that the ion packet spatially converges in the first dimension as it travels to the detector 36; and a pulsed orthogonal accelerator 32 for orthogonally accelerating the ion packet in a second, orthogonal dimension (X-dimension) into one of said at least one ion mirrors 34.

An ion transport optical system is disposed between a collision cell and an orthogonal acceleration unit. When releasing ions that are held in the collision cell, an accelerating electric field in which a large potential difference exists is created between an exit-side end of an ion guide and a first stage of the ion transport optical system, and a decelerating electric field in which a relatively small potential difference exists is created between a final stage of the ion transport optical system and an entrance end of the orthogonal acceleration unit. In the accelerating electric field, the velocity of ions is increased overall by imparting a large amount of energy to the ions, and spreading of ions in the ion travel direction that is caused by differences between the mass-to-charge ratios of the ions is reduced.

A method of targeted mass spectrometric analysis is provided for analyzing trace compounds at sub-ppb level compared to sample matrix. Sample is chromatographically separated at standard conditions to employ a map of target mass (M) versus retention time (RT). Small mass ions under M(RT) are rejected by RF field, and remaining ions are accumulated for pulsed injection into a multi-reflecting TOF MS, either directly from EI source, or from linear RF trap or via a heated RF only quadrupole with axial ion trapping. In combination with EI source the method provides sub femtogram sensitivity at matrices loads in microgram range.

A mass analyzer is disclosed comprising an annular ion guide comprising a first annular ion guide section and a second annular ion guide section, wherein the annular ion guide comprises: (i) an inner cylindrical electrode arrangement which is axially segmented and comprises a plurality of first electrodes and (ii) an outer cylindrical electrode arrangement which is axially segmented and comprises a plurality of second electrodes. Ions are introduced into the first annular ion guide section so that the ions form substantially stable circular orbits. Ions are orthogonally accelerated from the first annular ion guide section into the second annular ion guide section and one or more parabolic DC potentials are maintained along a portion of the second annular ion guide section so that ions undergo simple harmonic motion. An inductive ion detector is arranged and adapted to detect ions within the second annular ion guide section.