Method and a mass spectrometer and uses thereof for detecting ions or subsequently-ionised neutral particles from samples
AssigneeIon-Tof Technologies GmbH
InventorEwald Niehuis
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Abstract
A method is used in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer for analysis of a first pulsed ion beam, the ions of which are disposed along the pulse direction, separated with respect to their ion masses. The ions of at least one individual predetermined ion mass or of at least one predetermined range of ion masses can be decoupled from the first pulsed ion beam, as at least one decoupled ion beam, and the first ion beam and the at least one decoupled ion beam are analyzed.
Claims29
A method for operating a time-of-flight mass spectrometer for analysis of a first pulsed ion beam, the ions of which are disposed in a separated manner along a pulse direction with respect to their ion masses, wherein ions of at least one individual predetermined ion mass or of at least one predetermined range of ion masses are decoupled from the first pulsed ion beam and form at least one decoupled ion beam, and the first ion beam and the at least one decoupled ion beam are analyzed,
- wherein the intensity of at least one decoupled ion beam or the intensity of the first ion beam is attenuated after decoupling, and
- wherein at least one decoupled ion beam, after attenuation of the first ion beam or of the decoupled ion beam, is reunited with the first ion beam.
A time-of-flight mass spectrometer for analysis of a first pulsed ion beam, the ions of which are disposed along the pulse direction, separated with respect to their ion masses, having a first detector for analysis of the first pulsed ion beam,
- said mass spectrometer comprising:
- a) at least one beam switch which is disposed in the beam path of the first ion beam for deflecting ions of at least one specific mass or of at least one specific mass range from the first ion beam as a decoupled ion beam, and
- b) at least one device for reuniting at least one decoupled ion beam with the first ion beam in order to form a common ion beam, the ions of the decoupled ion beam and of the first ion beam being positioned in the common ion beam, separated with respect to their masses, and at least one device for the attenuation of the first ion beam or of the decoupled ion beam, which is disposed in the beam path of the first ion beam or of the decoupled ion beam between the beam switch which decouples the decoupled ion beam and the reuniting device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.