A voltage supply for a mass analyser is provided. The voltage supply comprises a voltage source, a first voltage output, a second voltage output, and a voltage divider network. The first voltage output is configured to provide a first voltage to a first electrode of the mass analyser, wherein the first electrode of the mass analyser has a first mass shift per volt perturbation. The second voltage output is configured to provide a second voltage to a second electrode of the mass analyser, wherein the second electrode of the mass analyser has a second mass shift per volt perturbation. The second mass shift per volt perturbation opposes the first mass shift per volt perturbation. The voltage divider network comprises a first resistor and a second resistor. The first resistor is configured to define the first voltage, the first resistor having a first temperature coefficient. The second resistor is configured to define the second voltage, the second resistor having a second temperature coefficient. The second temperature coefficient is selected based on the first and second mass shift per volt perturbations and the first temperature coefficient such that a first mass shift associated with the first electrode is compensated by a second mass shift associated with the second electrode.

An ion confinement device (2) comprising: a plurality of electrodes arranged and configured for confining ions when an AC or RF voltage is applied thereto; and at least one inductive ballast (10a,10b), each ballast connected to at least some of said electrodes so as to form a resonator circuit therewith.

A high-voltage power supply system for a mass spectrometer comprises a ground-referenced power supply with a first transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding is electrically coupled to a first source of AC power, and a floated bias voltage power supply with a second transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding of the second transformer is electrically coupled to a second source of AC power. A return electrical path of the floated bias voltage power supply is electrically coupled to the ground-referenced power supply to bias an output voltage of the ground-referenced power supply. A floating shield is around the floating bias voltage power supply, and at least one resistive element is in the return electrical path of the floated bias voltage power supply to reduce noise coupled from the floated bias voltage power supply to the ground-referenced power supply.

Adjusting compensation voltage (CV) parameters of an ion mobility device is described. In one instance, the CV parameters are adjusted to reflect a different CV range, a number of CV steps, or a CV step size to increase throughput of a mass spectrometer.

A CDMS may include an ELIT having a charge detection cylinder (CD), a charge generator for generating a high frequency charge (HFC), a charge sensitive preamplifier (CP) having an input coupled to the CD and an output configured to produce a charge detection signal (CHD) in response to a charge induced on the CD, and a processor configured to (a) control the charge generator to induce an HFC on the CD, (b) control operation of the ELIT to cause a trapped ion to oscillate back and forth through the CD each time inducing a charge thereon, and (c) process CHD to (i) determine a gain factor as a function of the HFC induced on the CD, and (ii) modify a magnitude of the portion of CHD resulting from the charge induced on the CD by the trapped ion passing therethrough as a function of the gain factor.

An ion analyzer includes an ion optical element having four rod electrodes around an optical axis, for transferring ions from their surrounding space to the subsequent stage while converging the ions. To create an RF electric field within this space, a voltage supplier applies RF voltages of opposite polarities to two pairs of electrodes facing each other across the axis. The cross-sectional shape of each electrode in a plane orthogonal to the axis has a first side having width w facing the axis and is tangent to a circle of radius r.sub.0 around the axis, and two adjacent sides connected to the ends of the first side at an angle determined so that an RF field created by the adjacent sides exerts no influence within the space. The ratio w/r.sub.0 is determined so that the amount of dodecapole field component becomes a predetermined value or does not exceed it.

The disclosure features mass spectrometry systems and methods that include an ion source, an ion trap, a detector subsystem featuring first and second detector elements, and a controller electrically connected to the ion source, the ion trap, and the detector subsystem and configured so that during operation of the system, the controller: applies an electrical signal to the ion source to generate positively and negatively charged particles from sample particles in the system; applies an electrical signal to the ion trap to eject a plurality of particles from the ion trap through a common aperture of the ion trap, and determines information about the sample particles based on first and second electrical signals generated by the ejected particles.

A set of acceleration electrodes for the acceleration of charged particles in a vacuum ion optical system, wherein each acceleration electrode comprises a conical section and at least an elongated leg protruding from the conical section, the elongated leg and any further elongated leg each being configured as a mechanical support and as an electrical connection between the conical section and an intended source of electric potential.

An apparatus (100, 300, 700) is described, comprising: a linear ion trap (102) comprising two pairs of pole electrodes and a radiofrequency, RF, electrical potential supply (117) configured to apply respective RF waveforms to the pairs of pole electrodes, thereby forming a RF trapping field component to trap analyte ions (116) radially in a trapping region (115) of the linear ion trap for processing of the analyte ions (116) therein; a charged particle source (101) comprising a pulse valve (103), a conduit (106, 107), having an entrance in fluid communication therewith and an exit, wherein the conduit (106, 107) extends in the direction of the trapping region (115), and a discharge device (108) electrically coupled to an electrical potential supply (109) and disposed between the entrance and the exit of the conduit (106, 107), wherein the pulse valve (103) is configured to release a gas pulse from a gas supply into the entrance of the conduit (106, 107) and wherein the electrical potential supply (109) is configured to apply a high voltage to the discharge device (108) to generate a discharge (110) in the gas pulse in the conduit (106, 107), thereby generating charged particles (114) from the gas and accelerating the generated charged particles in the direction of the trapping region (115). A method is also described.

A protection device for an Optical Emission Spectrometer (OES) and a method of protecting a detector to which purge gas is supplied, in an OES, are disclosed. The protection device comprises a timer, which measures a parameter, such as a humidity value, indicative of a shut down time period following cessation of application of purge gas to the detector. The protection device comprises a processor, which determines a start-up time period, based on the parameter, during which purge gas is supplied to the detector prior to cooling of the detector. The processor may selectively trigger commencing or maintaining application of purge gas to the detector or cooling of the detector in dependence on the parameter.