Micro-reflectron for time-of-flight mass spectrometer

A micro-reflectron for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, the micro-reflectron comprising:

• a substrate and, integrated within an inner volume of the substrate, at least two polarization electrodes and a wall of at least one resistive material
• wherein the substrate comprises two bonded wafers, at least one of the wafers having an etched channel therein, such that the bonded wafers define a tube enclosed by the wall and the at least two polarization electrodes extending longitudinally along the tube, the tube comprising a flight zone for ions, and
• wherein the wall is polarized between the at least two polarization electrodes and generates a continuous potential gradient, the at least two polarization electrodes providing the continuous potential gradient for a reflectron and the flight zone, the at least two polarization electrodes and the wall being obtained by microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology comprising etching, deposition, and assembly and the micro-reflectron having a thickness in a thickness direction of less than 5 millimeters, and two characteristic lateral dimensions orthogonal to the thickness direction of less than 10 times the thickness.