Electrostatic ion trap configuration

Abstract

An electrostatic ion trap or an array of electrostatic ion traps are provided having a longitudinal length of no more than 10 mm and/or at least one electrode with a capacitance to ground of no more than 1 pF. First and second sets of planar electrodes may be distributed along the longitudinal axis, at least some of the which are configured to receive an electrostatic potential for confinement of ions received in the space between the first and second sets of planar electrodes. An array may comprise an inlet for receiving an ion beam, configured such that a portion of the ion beam can be trapped in each of the ion traps. Signals indicative of ion mass and charge data may be obtained from multiple electrostatic ion traps in the array. This mass and charge data may be combined for identification of components of a mixture of different analyte ions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.