Planar multi-reflecting time-of-flight mass analyzer with a jig-saw ion path

Abstract

In the paper a multi-reflecting time-of-flight analyzer is described in which ions move along a jig-saw path between two parallel planar gridless ion mirrors. Since ion path contains no closed loops, the analyzer accepts ions in the full mass range. Stable ion confinement in the plane of jig-saw motion is provided by a periodic lens array located between the mirrors. Optimization of the mirrors leads to the 3rd-order time-of-flight focusing with respect to ion energy and 2nd-order time-of-flight focusing with respect to spatial spread in the direction normal to the plane of the jig-saw motion. Experimental tests demonstrated the mass resolving power up to 50,000 at one 20 m long pass through the analyzer while with closing ion path in loops the mass resolving power exceeding 100,000 was obtained. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.