A machine, article, process of using, process of making, products produced thereby and necessary intermediates. Illustratively, there can be a process that includes: ionizing at least some injected gas to form ions; confining, without using magnetic fields, at least some of said ions to produce confined ions; accumulating at least some of said confined ions to produce accumulated ions; cooling at least some of said accumulated ions to produce cooled ions; compressing, without using magnetic fields, at least some of said accumulated ions to produce compressed ions; accelerating at least some of said compressed ions to produce accelerated ions; ejecting at least some of said accelerated ions; and measuring at least one property of said ejected ions.

A machine, article, process of using, process of making, products produced thereby and necessary intermediates. Illustratively, there can be a process that includes: ionizing at least some injected gas to form ions; confining, without using magnetic fields, at least some of said ions to produce confined ions; accumulating at least some of said confined ions to produce accumulated ions; cooling at least some of said accumulated ions to produce cooled ions; compressing, without using magnetic fields, at least some of said accumulated ions to produce compressed ions; accelerating at least some of said compressed ions to produce accelerated ions; ejecting at least some of said accelerated ions; and measuring at least one property of said ejected ions.