FIELD: physics.
SUBSTANCE: method for mass-separation of ions based on time of flight involves superposition of the ion formation region with the entrance aperture of a radio-frequency time-of-flight mass spectrometre. Analysed ions are accelerated and enter the drift space under the effect of an HF electric field. For this purpose, initial coordinates x0 of the ions on the X axis are selected such that they are comparable to the amplitude ym of oscillation of charged particles on the drift axis Y. To obtain high linearity of the electric field in the drift region of the ions, an electrode system which is closed in the XOY plane and consisting of three flat electrodes with discrete-linear distribution of potential and one flat earthed electrode with slits for entrance and outlet of ions is used.
EFFECT: improved ion inlet system and design of mass-analysers of the time-of-flight type with two-dimensional linear HF electric fields.
2 cl, 1 dwg
