Mass analyzer having improved mass filter and ion detection arrangement

A mass analyzer comprising:

• an ion selection chamber;
• a first electrode disposed in the ion selection chamber, the first electrode having a planar face;
• a second electrode having a planar face, said first and second electrodes being oriented in said ion selection chamber to place the planar faces thereof parallel and opposite one another;
• an RF signal generator connected to said first and second electrodes to produce a non-rotating, oscillating electric field within said ion selection chamber;
• an ion injector adapted to inject ions into said ion selection chamber toward a planar face of either said first or second electrode.

A mass analyzer comprising:

• an ion selection chamber having an ion inlet lying in an inlet plane, an ion outlet lying in an outlet plane that is substantially parallel to the inlet plane, and a central axis extending between and normal to the inlet and outlet planes;
• a single set of parallel plate electrodes disposed in the ion selection chamber about the central axis;
• an RF signal generator connected to the single set of parallel plate electrodes to produce an electric field within the ion selection chamber, said electric field oscillating in a coordinate plane that is substantially perpendicular to the inlet and outlet claims;
• an ion injector adapted to inject ions into the ion selection chamber so that the principal velocity components of said injected ions lie in said coordinate plane.

A mass analyzer comprising:

• an ion injector;
• an ion selection chamber adapted to receive ions from the ion injector, said ion selection chamber having an ion inlet lying in an ion inlet plane and an ion outlet lying in an ion outlet plane;
• a plurality of electrodes disposed in said ion selection chamber;
• an RF signal generator connected to said plurality of electrodes to generate a non-rotating, oscillating electric field in said ion selection chamber;
• an ion detector disposed proximate said ion outlet of said ion selection chamber, the ion detector having a detection surface that is positioned to principally detect ions that exit substantially at a predetermined exit angle θe to said outlet plane of the ion outlet to the general exclusion of ions having other exit angles.