Time-of-flight mass spectrometer

Claim 2

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer, comprising: a vacuum analyzer chamber having an axis; means to maintain vacuum in said chamber; a pulsed ion source in said analyzer chamber; electrodes of said pulsed ion source which are transparent to the ions studied; an ion detector disposed in coaxial relationship with said ion source in said analyzer chamber; a drift space in said analyzer chamber disposed between said ion source and said ion detector; an ion reflecting system disposed in said analyzer chamber in coaxial relationship with said ion source on the side thereof facing away from said ion detector and a gap defined in said analyzer chamber between said reflecting system and said ion source.

Claim 3

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pulsed ion source comprises first and second of said electrodes formed as plates perpendicular to the axis of the chamber.

Claim 4

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 2, wherein said pulsed ion source comprises a third electrode formed as a plate in parallel to said first and second electrodes and disposed in the immediate vicinity thereof on the side facing toward said ion detector.

Claim 5

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 3, wherein said pulsed ion source comprises a fourth electrode formed as a plate disposed in the immediate vicinity of said first, second and third electrodes in parallel therewith on the side facing toward said ion reflecting system and having a potential to accelerate ions in the direction toward said reflecting system.

Claim 6

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 4, wherein said ion reflecting system is formed as a primary electrode constituted by a plate opaque to the ion studied and disposed parallel to said electrodes of said ion source.

Claim 7

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 5, wherein said ion reflecting system comprises a secondary electrode formed as a plate transparent to the ions studied, disposed parallel to said primary electrode and disposed between said primary electrode and said pulsed ion source, said second electrode of the reflecting system having a potential ensuring retardation of ions as they move toward said first electrode.

Claim 8

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 6, wherein said ion reflecting system comprises a tertiary electrode formed as a plate transparent to the ions studied, disposed parallel to said primary and secondary electrodes and disposed between said secondary electrodes and said pulsed ion source, said tertiary electrode having a potential equal to that of said fourth electrode, and a second drift gap between said tertiary electrode of the reflecting system and the fourth electrode of said pulsed ion source.

Claim 9

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ion reflecting system is formed as a primary electrode constituted by a plate opaque to the ions studied and disposed parallel to said electrodes of said ion source.

Claim 10

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 8, wherein said ion reflecting system comprises a secondary electrode formed as a plate transparent to the ions studied, disposed parallel to said primary electrode and disposed between said primary electrode and said pulsed ion source said secondary electrode of the reflecting system having a potential ensuring retardation of ions as they move toward said primary electrode.

Claim 11

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 9, wherein said ion reflecting system comprises a tertiary electrode formed as a plate transparent to the ions studied, disposed parallel to said primary and secondary electrodes and disposed between said secondary electrode and said pulsed ion source, said tertiary electrode having a potential equal to that of said fourth electrode of said pulsed ion source, and a second drift gap between said tertiary electrode of the reflecting system and the fourth electrode of said pulsed ion source.

Claim 12

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 2, wherein said ion reflecting system is formed as a primary electrode constituted by a plate opaque to the ions studied and disposed parallel to said electrodes of said ion source.

Claim 13

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 11, wherein said ion reflecting system comprises a secondary electrode formed as a plate transparent to the ions studied, disposed parallel to said primary electrode and disposed between said primary electrode and said pulsed ion source said secondary electrode of the reflecting system having a potential ensuring retardation of ions as they move toward said primary electrode.

Claim 14

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 12, wherein said ion reflecting system comprises a tertiary electrode formed as a plate transparent to the ions studied, disposed parallel to said primary and secondary electrodes and disposed between said secondary electrode and said pulsed ion source, said tertiary electrode having a potential equal to that of said fourth electrode, and a second drift gap between said tertiary electrode of the reflecting system and the fourth electrode of said pulsed ion source.

Claim 15

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 3, wherein said ion reflecting system is formed as a primary electrode constituted by a plate opaque to the ions studied and disposed parallel to said electrodes of said ion source.

Claim 16

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 14, wherein said ion reflecting system comprises a secondary electrode formed as a plate transparent to the ions studied, disposed parallel to said primary electrode and disposed between said primary electrode and said pulsed ion source, said secondary electrode of the reflecting system having a potential ensuring retardation of ions as they move towards said primary electrode.

Claim 17

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer as set forth in claim 15, wherein said ion reflecting system comprises a tertiary electrode formed as a plate transparent to the ions studied, disposed parallel to primary and secondary electrodes and disposed between said secondary electrode and said pulsed ion source, said tertiary electrode having a potential equal to that of said fourth electrode, and a second drift gap between said tertiary electrode of the reflecting system and the fourth electrode of said pulsed ion source.

Claim 18

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer comprising: a vacuum analyzer chamber having an axis; means for maintaining vacuum in said chamber to ensure a length of free flight of ion in said analyzer chamber considerably greater than the geometric size of the chamber itself; a pulsed ion source arranged in said chamber; electrodes of said ion source which are transparent to the ions being studied; means for forming ions being studied in the form of a stream between said electrodes of the ion source; an ion detector disposed in coaxial relationship with said ion source in said analyzer chamber; a drift sapce in said analyzer chamber disposed between said ion source and said ion detector; an ion reflecting system disposed in said analyzer chamber in coaxial relationship with said ion source on the side thereof facing away from said ion detector; a gap defined in said analyzer chamber between said ion reflecting system and said ion source; means for generating in said gap an ion reflecting electric field compensating for the energy spread of ions in the stream formed in said ion source.

Claim 19

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer comprising: a vacuum analyzer chamber having an axis; means for maintaining vacuum in said chamber to ensure a length of free flight of ion in said analyzer chamber considerably greater than the geometric size of the chamber itself; a pulsed ion source arranged in said chamber; electrodes of said ion source which are transparent to the ions being studied; means for forming ions being studied in the form of a stream between said electrodes of the ion source; an ion detector disposed in coaxial relationship with said ion source in said analyzer chamber; a drift sapce in said analyzer chamber disposed between said ion source and said ion detector; an ion reflecting system disposed in said analyzer chamber in coaxial relationship with said ion source on the side thereof facing away from said ion detector; a gap defined in said analyzer chamber between said ion reflecting system and said ion source; means for generating in said gap an ion reflecting electric field compensating for the energy spread of ions in the stream formed in said ion source.