Method for generating extremely short ion pulses of high intensity from a pulsed ion source

US4904872A · kind A · utility

Inventors

• Raimund Grix · Neu-Ulm, DE
• Roland Kutscher · Biebertal, DE
• Gang Li · Neu-Ulm, DE
• Hermann Wollnik · Santa Fe, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 27, 1988
• Grant date: Feb 27, 1990
• Expiry date: May 27, 2008

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01J27/08
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

In a method for generating extremely short ion pulses having a high intensity and a pulsed ion source to generate extremely short ion pulses having a high intensity, the ions are generated by an electron, laser or particle beam and are stored in a potential well formed by at least three electrodes, at least one of the central electrodes having a more attractive potential for the ions in question than the other electrodes. A single electrical pulse is used for extracting the ions from the potential well. Correspondingly constructed pulsed ion sources are particularly suitable for use in time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The ion storage effect is produced by a number of electrodes which generate a potential well for the ions to be detected. The ion compression is determined by the field strength existing during the ion extraction in the ion source which should be approximately equal in the entire area of acceleration.