Inception Electrostatic Linear Ion Trap

A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory and tangible computer-readable storage medium whose contents include a program with instructions being executed on a processor to perform a method for selecting different ion path lengths in an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT), the method comprising:

• providing a system, wherein the system comprises one or more distinct software modules, and wherein the distinct software modules comprise a control module;
• instructing one or more switches to select a first path length by applying voltages from one or more voltage sources to a first set of electrode plates and a second set of electrode plates that cause a first group of plates of the first set and the second set to trap ions within the first path length using the control module, wherein the plates of the first set include holes in center and are aligned along a central axis, wherein the plates of the second set include holes in center and are aligned along the central axis with the first set, and wherein the first group of plates is positioned along the central axis to trap ions within the first path length of the central axis and a second group of plates of the first set and the second set is positioned along the central axis to trap ions within a second path length of the central axis that is shorter than the first path length;
• and
• instructing the one or more switches to select the second path length by applying voltages from the one or more voltage sources to the first set and the second set that cause the second group of plates set to trap ions within the second path length using the control module.