Correction of Time of Flight Separation in Hybrid Mass Spectrometers

A method of transferring ions from a first ion trap to a second ion trap, the first and second ion trap separated by a distance, the distance having a first and a second section, and the method comprising the steps of:

• ejecting ions from the first ion trap and allowing spatial separation of ions with higher and lower mass to charge ratios over at least a portion of the first section;
• applying a mass dependent potential energy signal to the ions, such that higher mass to charge ratio ions acquire a higher kinetic energy than the lower mass to charge ratio ions;
• allowing the energized ions to traverse from the first to the second trap via the second section;
• and
• the mass dependent potential energy signal applied being such that substantially all ions enter the second ion trap at substantially the same time, and have substantially the same kinetic energy.