A method of time-of-flight mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising: providing two ion mirrors (42) that are spaced apart in a first dimension (X-dimension) and that are each elongated in a second dimension (Z-dimension) orthogonal to the first dimension; introducing packets of ions (47) into the space between the mirrors using an ion introduction mechanism (43) such that the ions repeatedly oscillate in the first dimension (X-dimension) between the mirrors (42) as they drift through said space in the second dimension (Z-dimension); oscillating the ions in a third dimension (Y-dimension) orthogonal to both the first and second dimensions as the ions drift through said space in the second dimension (Z-dimension); and receiving the ions in or on an ion receiving mechanism (44) after the ions have oscillated multiple times in the first dimension (X-dimension); wherein at least part of the ion introduction mechanism (43) and/or at least part of the ion receiving mechanism (44) is arranged between the mirrors (42).

A multi-reflection mass spectrometer comprising two ion mirrors spaced apart and opposing each other in a direction X, each mirror elongated generally along a drift direction Y, the drift direction Y being orthogonal to the direction X, a pulsed ion injector for injecting pulses of ions into the space between the ion mirrors, the ions entering the space at a non-zero inclination angle to the X direction, the ions thereby forming an ion beam that follows a zigzag ion path having N reflections between the ion mirrors in the direction X whilst drifting along the drift direction Y, a detector for detecting ions after completing the same number N of reflections between the ion mirrors, and an ion focusing arrangement at least partly located between the opposing ion mirrors and configured to provide focusing of the ion beam in the drift direction Y, such that a spatial spread of the ion beam in the drift direction Y passes through a single minimum at or immediately after a reflection having a number between 0.25N and 0.75N, wherein all detected ions are detected after completing the same number N of reflections between the ion mirrors.

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 guide includes electrodes and an RF generator. The electrodes extend in a Z-axis that is straight or curved with a radius that is larger than a distance between the electrodes. The electrodes are made of carbon filled ceramic resistors, silicon carbide, or boron carbide to form bulk resistance with specific resistance between 1 and 1000 Ohm*cm. Conductive Z-edges are disposed on each electrode. An insulating coating is disposed on one side of each electrode and oriented away from an inner region of the ion guide surrounded by said electrodes. At least one conductive track per electrode is attached on a top side of the insulating coating. The conductive track is connected to one conductive electrode edge. The RF generator has at least two sets of secondary coils with DC supplies connected to central taps of the sets of secondary coils to provide at least four distinct signals.

An electronic device is disclosed herein. The electronic device includes an illuminator configured to output light of a first designated wavelength band, a time of flight (ToF) sensor configured to acquire the light of the first designated wavelength band, an optical sensor configured to acquire light of a second designated wavelength band, and a processor, configured to: measure, through the optical sensor, a light quantity of an environment in which the electronic device is disposed, determine a first power amount to be supplied to the illuminator, based on the measured light quantity, control the illuminator to irradiate light of a first intensity toward an object, using a supply of power to the illuminator at the first power amount, detect, by the ToF sensor, at least a part of the irradiated light, when reflected off the object and back towards the electronic device, and generate depth information for the object using the at least the part of the detected irradiated light reflected off the object.

Elongation of orthogonal accelerators is assisted by ion spatial transverse confinement within novel confinement means, formed by spatial alternation of electrostatic quadrupolar field (22). Contrary to prior art RF confinement means, the static means provide mass independent confinement and may be readily switched. Spatial confinement defines ion beam (29) position, prevents surfaces charging, assists forming wedge and bend fields, and allows axial fields in the region of pulsed ion extraction, this way improving the ion beam admission at higher energies and the spatial focusing of ion packets in multi- reflecting, multi-turn and singly reflecting TOF MS or electrostatic traps.

A multi-reflecting time-of-flight mass spectrometer MR TOF with an orthogonal accelerator (40) is improved with at least one deflector (30) and/or (30R) in combination with at least one wedge field (46) for denser folding of ion rays (73). Systematic mechanical misalignments (72) of ion mirrors (71) may be compensated by electrical tuning of the instrument, as shown by resolution improvements between simulated peaks for non compensated case (74) and compensated one (75), and/or by an electronically controlled global electrostatic wedge/arc field within ion mirror (71).

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 mirror is disclosed comprising an ion entrance electrode section (62) at the ion entrance to the ion mirror, an energy focussing electrode section (66) for reflecting ions back along a longitudinal axis towards said ion entrance, and a spatial focussing electrode section (64) arranged between the ion entrance electrode section (62) and the energy focussing electrode section (66) for spatially focussing the ions. One or more DC voltage supply is provided to apply a DC potential to the ion entrance electrode section (62) that is intermediate the DC potential applied to the spatial focussing electrode section (64) and the DC potential applied to the energy focussing electrode section (66). The ion mirror further comprises: (i) at least one first transition electrode (68) arranged between said ion entrance electrode section (62) and said spatial focussing electrode section (64), wherein said one or more DC voltage supply is configured to apply a DC potential to said at least one first transition electrode that is intermediate the DC potential applied to the ion entrance electrode section (62) and the DC potential applied to the spatial focussing electrode section (64); and (ii) at least one second transition electrode (69) arranged between said energy focussing electrode section (66) and said spatial focussing electrode section (64), wherein said one or more DC voltage supply is configured to apply a DC potential to said at least one second transition electrode (69) that is intermediate the DC potential applied to the spatial focussing electrode section (64) and the DC potential applied to the ion entrance electrode section (62).

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.