An ion trap apparatus is provided. The ion trap apparatus comprises two or more radio frequency (RF) rails formed with substantially parallel longitudinal axes and with substantially coplanar upper surfaces; and two or more sequences of trapping and/or transport (TT) electrodes with each sequence formed to extend substantially parallel to the substantially parallel longitudinal axes of the RF rails. The two or more RF rails and the two or more sequences of TT electrodes define an ion trap. The two or more sequences of TT electrodes are arranged into a number of zones. Each zone comprises wide matched groups of TT electrodes and at least one narrow matched group of TT electrodes. A wide TT electrode is longer and/or wider in a direction substantially parallel to the substantially parallel longitudinal axes of the RF rails than a narrow TT electrode.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for collision induced dissociation of ions in an ion trap. In certain aspects, the invention provides a system that includes a mass spectrometer having an ion trap, and a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU includes storage coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the system to generate one or more signals, and apply the one or more signals to the ion trap in a manner that all ions within the ion trap are fragmented at a same Mathieu q value.

A method of injecting ions into an ion storage device, comprising: providing an RF trapping field in the ion storage device that defines a trapping volume in the ion storage device by applying one or more RF voltages to one or more trapping electrodes; providing a gas in the trapping volume; injecting ions into the trapping volume through an aperture in an end electrode located at a first end of the ion storage device, the end electrode having a DC voltage applied thereto; reflecting the injected ions at a second end of the ion storage device, opposite to the first end, thereby returning the ions to the first end; and ramping the DC voltage applied to the end electrode during the period between injecting the ions through the aperture and the return of the ions to the first end, such that by the time the ions return to the first end for a first time a potential barrier is established by the ramped DC voltage that prevents returning ions from striking the end electrode. Also an apparatus for injecting ions into an ion storage device, which comprises a controller for ramping a first DC voltage applied to an end electrode of the device having an entrance aperture during a period between injection of ions through the entrance aperture and a return of the injected ions to the aperture so as to establish a potential barrier that prevents returning ions from striking the end electrode.

A quadrupole mass spectrometer includes an ion source that ionizes a sample, a filter unit that includes a quadrupole and separates ions generated from the ion source according to mass, a detector that detects ions passing through the filter unit, a filter voltage controller that controls a filter voltage applied to the quadrupole to switch between a blocking mode in which ions entering the filter unit are not allowed to impinge on the detector and a passing mode in which ions entering the filter unit are allowed to impinge on the detector, the filter voltage including a radio-frequency voltage and a direct-current voltage, a baseline computing unit that computes a baseline based on outputs of the detector in the blocking mode, and an analyzing unit that outputs an analysis result of the sample based on outputs of the detector in the passing mode and the computed baseline.

A method of operating a quadrupole device is disclosed that comprises operating the quadrupole device in a first mode of operation, passing ions into the quadrupole device while the quadrupole device is operated in the first mode of operation, and then operating the quadrupole device in a second mode of operation. Operating the quadrupole device in the second mode of operation comprises applying one or more drive voltages to the quadrupole device, and operating the quadrupole device in the first mode of operation comprises applying one or more reduced drive voltages or not applying one or more drive voltages to the quadrupole device.

A tuning system may acquire, from a mass spectrometer during a batch of one or more analytical runs performed with the mass spectrometer, tune data associated with an operating characteristic of the mass spectrometer. The tuning system may determine, based on the tune data, a value of an operating parameter configured to adjust the operating characteristic of the mass spectrometer and set the operating parameter to the determined value.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for collision induced dissociation of ions in an ion trap. In certain aspects, the invention provides a system that includes a mass spectrometer having an ion trap, and a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU includes storage coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the system to generate one or more signals, and apply the one or more signals to the ion trap in a manner that all ions within the ion trap are fragmented at a same Mathieu q value.

A mass analyzer for scanning sample gases is disclosed. The mass analyzer comprises an ionizer for generating ions from a sample; a mass filter with an accumulator section integrated in the mass filter and accumulates filtered ions prior to ejecting from the mass filter; and an ion detector that is configured to detecting ejected ions from the mass filter. The mass filter may include a quadrupole array and the accumulator section includes an ion trap array.

In one aspect, an ion trap is disclosed, which includes a curved linear ion trap having a plurality of electrodes arranged around a central curved axis so as to provide a volume for trapping ions, said plurality of electrodes comprising at least one inner electrode and at least one outer electrode radially separated from said inner electrode. The ion trap further includes a pair of inner and outer ion guide electrodes providing a volume therebetween for receiving ions ejected from said curved ion trap and guiding the ejected ions to one or more spatial locations along a focal line, said inner and outer ion guide electrodes being positioned external to said ion trapping volume and in proximity of said at least inner and outer electrodes of the curved ion trap, respectively, wherein a DC voltage is applied between said ion guide electrodes to provide an electric filed therebetween for guiding the ejected ions to said spatial locations.

An analytical device, includes: an ionization unit that ionizes carrier gas introduced into the separation column; a mass separation unit that mass-separates ions generated in the ionization unit; a detection unit that detects the ions mass-separated by the mass separation unit in amplification with a predetermined multiplication factor, and outputs a detection signal; an analysis unit that analyzes the detection signal having been output from the detection unit; and an adjustment unit performs an adjustment of the multiplication factor of the detection unit and/or voltage applied to an electrode of an ion transport system of the mass separation unit based on magnitude of the detection signal corresponding to the carrier gas detected by the detection unit.