Patent · US Expired

Non-linear field reflectron

US5464985A · kind A · utility

88Cited by
2References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 1, 1993
Grant dateNov 7, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 1, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J49/405
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A reflectron capable of focusing an entire mass range of product ions at substantially the same focal point, comprising a plurality of lens plates, each having an opening therein, for generating a non-linear electric field in the reflectron. To generate the non-linear electric field, the voltage applied to each successive lens plate increases non-linearly with respect to its adjacent lens plate. The voltage of the first lens plate having the opening through which the ions first enter the reflectron is set to a low potential and the voltage being applied to each successive lens plate increases in a non-linear manner with the largest voltage being applied to the lens plate furthest from the first lens plate. This non-linear voltage application, to generate the non-linear electric field, can be achieved by coupling a potentiometer between each lens plate and adjusting each potentiometer accordingly. Alternatively, to generate the non-linear electric field, the lens plates may be unequally spaced and an equal voltage may be applied to each lens plate.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.