Method and system for mass spectroscopy

A system for determining the ratio of mass to charge of an ion comprising:

• a pulsed ionizer which generates intact analyte ions from a sample of matter to be analyzed;
• a high pressure co-linear ion guide/accelerator having a length and being interfaced with said pulsed ionizer for non-accelerated receipt of intact ions of said sample, said high pressure co-linear ion guide/accelerator being configured to simultaneously dampen and linearly accelerate the intact ions along the entire length in the substantial absence of fragmentation of said ions to provide a substantially continuous beam of said intact ions for mass analysis;
• and
• a mass analyzer connected to said ion guide/accelerator for receipt of said beam of ions which determines the mass to charge ratio of said intact ions.

An ion transmission device for mass spectroscopy, said device comprising:

• an entrance for receiving ions from a first mass spectroscopy device;
• an exit for delivering ions to a second mass spectroscopy device;
• an axis extending between said entrance and said exit;
• a plurality of ion guide rods for providing guidance to the ions, said plurality of ion guide rods being symmetrically arranged about said axis between said entrance and said exit;
• a plurality of accelerator rods for providing acceleration to the ions, said plurality of accelerator rods having a length and being symmetrically arranged about said axis between said entrance and said exit, each of said plurality of accelerator rods being arranged closer to said axis at said entrance than said exit;
• and
• means for maintaining said plurality of ion guide rods and said plurality of accelerator rods under high pressure,
• wherein the ions received from the first mass spectroscopy device are simultaneously dampened by said high pressure and linearly accelerated by said plurality of accelerator rods along said entire length to provide a substantially continuous beam of ions for delivery to the second mass spectroscopy device.