A multipole assembly configured to be disposed in a mass spectrometer includes a plurality of elongate electrodes arranged about an axis extending along a longitudinal trajectory of the plurality of elongate electrodes and configured to confine ions radially about the axis, and a piezoelectric actuator configured to adjust a position of a first electrode included in the plurality of elongate electrodes.

A multipole assembly configured to be disposed in a mass spectrometer includes a plurality of elongate electrodes arranged about an axis extending along a longitudinal trajectory of the plurality of elongate electrodes and configured to confine ions radially about the axis, and a piezoelectric actuator configured to adjust a position of a first electrode included in the plurality of elongate electrodes.

A voltage supply system for supplying an RF voltage to an RF resonant load comprising an ion-optical component of a mass spectrometer is disclosed. The system comprises a Direct Digital Synthesizer (DDS) arranged and adapted to output an RF voltage. The voltage supply system is arranged and adapted: (i) to vary the frequency of the RF voltage output by the Direct Digital Synthesizer, (ii) to determine a first resonant frequency of the RF resonant load comprising the ion-optical component, and (iii) to determine whether or not the generation of an RF voltage at the first resonant frequency by the Direct Digital Synthesizer would also result in the generation of a spur frequency close to the first resonant frequency. If it is determined that a spur frequency would be generated close to the first resonant frequency then the voltage supply system is further arranged and adapted: (iv) to consult a look-up table comprising one or more preferred frequencies, and (v) to direct the Direct Digital Synthesizer to generate an RF voltage at a second frequency which corresponds with one of the preferred frequencies from the look-up table, wherein the second frequency is different to said first resonant frequency.

A method of operating an electrostatic trapping mass analyzer, comprising: introducing a sample of ions into a trapping region of the mass analyzer, wherein a trapping field within the trapping region is such that the ions exhibit radial motion with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the trapping region while undergoing harmonic motion in a dimension defined by the central longitudinal axis, the frequency of harmonic motion of a particular ion being a function of its mass-to-charge ratio; superimposing a modulation field onto the trapping field within the trapping region, the modulation field acting to either increase or reduce the harmonic motion energies of the ions by an amount varying according to the frequency of harmonic motion; and acquiring a mass spectrum of the ions in the trapping region by measuring a signal representative of an image current induced by the harmonic motion of the ions.

An ion shuttling system includes a plurality of first electrodes connected to a system configured to selectively provide an ion movement control voltage to each electrode of the plurality of first electrodes, a voltage source configured to provide one or more compensation voltages, a plurality of compensation electrodes comprising a plurality of compensation electrode pairs, where each compensation electrode pair of the plurality of compensation electrode pairs is associated with one or more different first electrodes of the plurality of first electrodes, and a plurality of switches, where each switch of the plurality of switches is connected at a respective first node to a compensation electrode of the plurality of compensation electrodes and is configured to selectively connect the respective compensation electrode to the voltage source.

An ion shuttling system includes a plurality of first electrodes connected to a system configured to selectively provide an ion movement control voltage to each electrode of the plurality of first electrodes, a voltage source configured to provide one or more compensation voltages, a plurality of compensation electrodes comprising a plurality of compensation electrode pairs, where each compensation electrode pair of the plurality of compensation electrode pairs is associated with one or more different first electrodes of the plurality of first electrodes, and a plurality of switches, where each switch of the plurality of switches is connected at a respective first node to a compensation electrode of the plurality of compensation electrodes and is configured to selectively connect the respective compensation electrode to the voltage source.

A method of operating an electrostatic trapping mass analyzer, comprising: introducing a sample of ions into a trapping region of the mass analyzer, wherein a trapping field within the trapping region is such that the ions exhibit radial motion with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the trapping region while undergoing harmonic motion in a dimension defined by the central longitudinal axis, the frequency of harmonic motion of a particular ion being a function of its mass-to-charge ratio; superimposing a modulation field onto the trapping field within the trapping region, the modulation field acting to either increase or reduce the harmonic motion energies of the ions by an amount varying according to the frequency of harmonic motion; and acquiring a mass spectrum of the ions in the trapping region by measuring a signal representative of an image current induced by the harmonic motion of the ions.

A method of operating a quadrupole device (10) is disclosed. The quadrupole device (10) is operated in a mode of operation by applying a repeating voltage waveform comprising a main drive voltage and at least one auxiliary drive voltage is applied to the quadrupole device to the quadrupole device (10). The intensity of ions passing into the quadrupole device is varied with time in synchronisation with the repeating voltage waveform. This may be done such that the number of ions per unit phase which initially experience a phase within a first range of phases of the repeating voltage waveform is greater than the number of ions per unit phase which initially experience a phase within a second range of phases of the repeating voltage waveform.

A voltage supply system for supplying an RF voltage to an RF resonant load comprising an ion-optical component of a mass spectrometer is disclosed. The system comprises a Direct Digital Synthesiser (DDS) arranged and adapted to output an RF voltage. The voltage supply system is arranged and adapted: (i) to vary the frequency of the RF voltage output by the Direct Digital Synthesiser, (ii) to determine a first resonant frequency of the RF resonant load comprising the ion-optical component, and (iii) to determine whether or not the generation of an RF voltage at the first resonant frequency by the Direct Digital Synthesiser would also result in the generation of a spur frequency close to the first resonant frequency. If it is determined that a spur frequency would be generated close to the first resonant frequency then the voltage supply system is further arranged and adapted: (iv) to consult a look-up table comprising one or more preferred frequencies, and (v) to direct the Direct Digital Synthesiser to generate an RF voltage at a second frequency which corresponds with one of the preferred frequencies from the look-up table, wherein the second frequency is different to said first resonant frequency.

A method of operating an electrostatic trapping mass analyzer, comprising: introducing a sample of ions into a trapping region of the mass analyzer, wherein a trapping field within the trapping region is such that the ions exhibit radial motion with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the trapping region while undergoing harmonic motion in a dimension defined by the central longitudinal axis, the frequency of harmonic motion of a particular ion being a function of its mass-to-charge ratio; superimposing a modulation field onto the trapping field within the trapping region, the modulation field acting to either increase or reduce the harmonic motion energies of the ions by an amount varying according to the frequency of harmonic motion; and acquiring a mass spectrum of the ions in the trapping region by measuring a signal representative of an image current induced by the harmonic motion of the ions.