An analytical device includes: a mass spectrometry unit that separates ions based on flight time and detects the ions having been separated; an analysis unit that creates data corresponding to a spectrum in which an intensity of the ions having been detected and the flight time or m/z corresponding to the flight time are associated; a peak width calculation unit that calculates a first peak width at a first intensity and a second peak width at a second intensity different from the first intensity for at least one peak in the spectrum; and an adjustment unit that performs an adjustment of the mass spectrometry unit based on the first peak width and the second peak width.

A Time of Flight mass analyzer is disclosed comprising an annular ion guide having a longitudinal axis and comprising a first annular ion guide section and a second annular ion guide section. Ions are introduced into the first annular ion guide section so that the ions form substantially stable circular orbits within the first annular ion guide section about the longitudinal axis. The ions are then orthogonally accelerated ions from the first annular ion guide section into the second annular ion guide section. An ion detector is disposed within the annular ion guide and has an ion detecting surface arranged in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

Improved ion mirrors (30) (FIG. 3) are proposed for multi-reflecting TOF MS and electrostatic traps. Minor and controlled variation by means of arranging a localized wedge field structure (35) at the ion retarding region was found to produce major tilt of ion packets time fronts (39). Combining wedge reflecting fields with compensated deflectors is proposed for electrically controlled compensation of local and global misalignments, for improved ion injection and for reversing ion motion in the drift direction. Fine ion optical properties of methods and embodiments are verified in ion optical simulations.

A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ion optics device housing having one or more external electrical connectors (1719) provided thereon. An ion optics device (301) is arranged inside the ion optics device housing, the ion optics device (301) comprising one or more electrodes for manipulating ions, the one or more electrodes being electrically connected to the one or more external electrical connectors (1719) provided on the ion optics device housing. A voltage supply housing (1717) is provided having one or more external electrical connectors provided thereon. One or more voltage supplies are arranged inside the voltage supply housing (1717), the one or more voltage supplies being in electrical communication with the one or more external electrical connectors provided on the voltage supply housing. The one or more external electrical connectors provided on the voltage supply housing are directly physically and electrically connected to the one or more external electrical connectors (1719) provided on the ion optics device housing.

An ion mirror 41 constructed of thin electrodes that are interconnected by resistive dividers 45 with potentials U1-U5 applied to knot electrodes to form segments 41-43 of linear potential distribution between the “knot” electrodes, yet without separating those field regions by meshes. Weak and controlled penetration of electric fields provide for a fine control over the field non linearity and over the equipotential line curvature, thus allowing to reach unprecedented level of ion optical quality: more than twice larger energy acceptance compared to thick electrode mirrors, up to sixth order time per energy focusing, ion spatial focusing and wide spatial acceptance. Novel mirrors can be formed very slim to arrange them into stacks for ion transverse displacement between ion reflections or for multiplexed mirror stacks. Printed circuit boards (PCB) are best suited for making novel ion mirrors, while novel ion mirrors are designed to suit PCB requirements.

Provided is a time-of-flight mass spectrometer including: a loop-orbit defining electrode (21) including an outer electrode (211) and inner electrode (212) located on the outside and inside of a loop orbit, respectively; an ion inlet (22); an ion outlet (23) provided in either the outer or inner electrode; a loop-flight voltage applier (28) configured to apply loop-flight voltages to the outer and inner electrodes, respectively; a set of deflecting electrodes (24) facing each other across a section of an n-th loop orbit, where n is a predetermined number, the deflecting electrodes including a first portion (241) which faces the n-th loop orbit and a second portion (242) which includes other portions; and a voltage applier (29) configured to apply deflecting voltages to the first portion so as to reverse the drifting direction of the ions flying in the n-th loop orbit, and a voltage to the second portion so as to create the loop-flight electric field.

Improved ion mirrors 30 (FIG. 3) are proposed for multi-reflecting TOF MS and electrostatic traps. Minor and controlled variation by means of arranging a localized wedge field structure 35 at the ion retarding region was found to produce major tilt of ion packets time fronts 39. Combining wedge reflecting fields with compensated deflectors is proposed for electrically controlled compensation of local and global misalignments, for improved ion injection and for reversing ion motion in the drift direction. Fine ion optical properties of methods and embodiments are verified in ion optical simulations.

An MCP detector (620) receives an ion packet along an ion path (601) of mass spectrometer through a hollow central cylindrical tube (621) of the MCP detector. The MCP detector includes coaxial rings (622) of MCPs surrounding the hollow central cylindrical tube. The MCP detector transmits the ion packet along the ion path to an ELIT (610) through holes in the center of a first set of reflectron plates (613) of the ELIT to oscillate the ion packet between the first set and a second set of reflectron plates (614) of the ELIT. The ELIT transmits the oscillated ion packet back to the MCP detector along the ion path through the holes of the first set. The MCP detector detects ions of the oscillated ion packet that are radially deflected from the ion path using the rings of MCPs. The MCP detector allows ions to be transmitted to or from either port of the ELIT.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media described provide multi-reflection time-of-flight analyser (e.g. of a type in which the ion beam is allowed to spread out relatively broadly) and methods for use in a zoom mode, in which time-of-flight perturbations induced by reflections at the deflector are cancelled out or removed, such that they do not give rise to a significant increase in the arrival time spread of ions at the detector. This accordingly facilitates high resolution operation of the analyser in the zoom mode. Furthermore, this is done in a way which allows the analyser to remain drift focussed, which in turn means that the analyser can be straightforwardly and seamlessly switched between its normal mode of operation and the zoom mode of operation.

Improved ion mirrors 30 (FIG. 3) are proposed for multi-reflecting TOF MS and electrostatic traps. Minor and controlled variation by means of arranging a localized wedge field structure 35 at the ion retarding region was found to produce major tilt of ion packets time fronts 39. Combining wedge reflecting fields with compensated deflectors is proposed for electrically controlled compensation of local and global misalignments, for improved ion injection and for reversing ion motion in the drift direction. Fine ion optical properties of methods and embodiments are verified in ion optical simulations.