Patent attributes
Methods and apparatuses for transmitting ions through an aperture are described. In one embodiment, a mass spectrometer may include an ion source; an aperture; a flight region arranged between the ion source and aperture for separating ions according to their mass to charge ratio; and ion optics arranged and configured for causing ions to be reflected or deflected while they separate according to mass to charge ratio in the flight region and such that the ions are focused to a geometrical focal point at the aperture so that the ions are transmitted through the aperture. The multi-reflecting or multi-deflecting ion optics provides a relatively long flight path for the ions, while naturally converging the ion beam to a focus. As this focus is arranged at the aperture, it enables the aperture to be made relatively small while still maintaining high ion transmission efficiency.
