An ion reflector has a configuration in which multiple plate electrodes having a rectangular opening are arranged. The components are arranged so that a central axial line extending in the longitudinal direction of the opening lies on a plane which contains a straight line (Y-axis) connecting the centroidal position of an ion distribution in an ion trap and a central position on the detection surface of a detector, and a central axial line (X-axis) of an ion-ejecting direction. If the potential distribution along the central axis of the ion reflector is modified so that a portion of the reflecting field becomes a non-uniform electric field intended for improving isochronism for a group of ions to be detected, an area having an ideal potential distribution for realizing the isochronism is spread in the Y-axis direction.

A mass spectrometer comprising: a pulsed ion source for generating pulses of ions having a range of masses; a time-of-flight mass analyzer for receiving and mass analyzing the pulses of ions from the ion source; and an energy controlling electrode assembly located between the pulsed ion source and the time-of-flight mass analyzer configured to receive the pulses of ions from the pulsed ion source and apply a time-dependent potential to the ions thereby to control the energy of the ions depending on their m/z before they reach the time-of-flight mass analyzer. Mass dependent differences in average energy of ions can be reduced for injection into a time-of-flight mass analyzer, which can improve ion transmission and/or instrument resolving power.

An ion mirror for use in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer includes a mirror ring sub-assembly for creating an electric potential field to decelerate incoming ions and accelerate outgoing ions, and a grid sub-assembly comprising one or more grid plates, which define bounds of the electrical potential field of the ion mirror. The mirror ring sub-assembly and the grid sub-assembly are coaxially superposed, and the mirror ring sub-assembly is mechanically engaged with the grid sub-assembly only at one of the grid plates.

An ion mirror (10) for use in a time of flight mass spectrometer (100) comprises a first conductor (20) for producing a quadratic field along a first axis (80), and a second conductor (30) for producing a quadratic field along a second axis (90), the axes (80, 90) being orthogonal.

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising ion optics that map an array of ions at an ion source array (71) to a corresponding array of positions on a position sensitive ion detector (79). The ion optics include at least one gridless ion mirror (76) for reflecting ions, which may compensate for various aberrations and allows the spectrometer to have relatively high mass and spatial resolutions.

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.

The disclosure relates to devices and methods for the spectrometric analysis of sample material located on a sample support, and in particular on a flat sample support plate, using axial time-of-flight analysis. One operating mode of the devices and methods comprises an adjustment of the pulse focal position for the abrupt ablation and/or abrupt desorption of sample material in a z-direction that is perpendicular to a tangential plane at the location of ablation and/or desorption at the sample support, and the selection of a suitable setting for an acceleration with time lag of the ablated and/or desorbed and ionized sample material onto a flight path. It can be particularly advantageous to use these devices and methods in mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). The devices and methods can, in particular, be used with laser desorption/ionization (LDI) and specifically matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI).

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 comprising: a vacuum housing comprising a first vacuum chamber having a first gas exhaust port; a gas pump (1700) having a first gas inlet port connected to the first gas exhaust port (H1) by a first gas conduit for evacuating the first vacuum chamber, and a first apertured cover (2010) arranged over the first gas exhaust port (H1) or first gas inlet port, or in the first gas conduit therebetween.

The invention relates to reflectors for time-of-flight mass spectrometers, and especially their design. A Mamyrin reflector is provided which consists of metal plates with cut-out internal apertures, and symmetric shielding edges which are set back from the inner edges. The dipole field formed by these shielding edges penetrates only slightly through the plates and into the interior of the reflector. With a good mechanical design, the resolving power of the time-of-flight mass spectrometer increases by around fifteen percent compared to the best prior art to date.