Mass spectrometer for both positive and negative particle detection

Abstract

A mass spectrometer suitable to measure both positive and negative particles, such as ions for example in a vacuum chamber. This spectrometer is provided with a turnable permanent magnet segment, which provides the gap of a yoke with adequate magnetic flux having the appropriate direction to separate the positive or the negative particles. Changing the polarity adjusts the flight path of the ions. Thus, negatively charged ions and positively charged ions will follow similar flight paths under opposite polarities, permitting the use of a single array of detectors. One or more coils may be used in place of or in addition to the turnable permanent magnet segment in order to provide the appropriate magnetic flux to the gap, and/or facilitate the turning process of the turnable magnet segment. The turnable magnet and/or the coils may be inside or outside the vacuum chamber. The detector may comprise at least one detector area, two charge mode amplifiers coupled to the detector area, a first CCD shift register coupled to a first one of the charge mode amplifiers and a second CCD shift register coupled to a second one of the charge mode amplifiers.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.