TOF mass spectrometer

An online time-of-flight mass spectrometer is an ion-based mass spectrometer that utilises the acceleration of particles in an electric field and the differences in their flight times to measure the mass and charge of the particles.

The principle of operation of a TOF mass spectrometer is as follows: first, molecules or ions in the sample are converted into charged particles by an ionisation source; these charged particles are then accelerated to a certain energy and pass through a region where their initial velocity is zero, so that all particles acquire the same kinetic energy. Next, the particles travel through a flight tube, where they move at different speeds under the influence of the electric field within the tube. Finally, the particles enter a detector, where their arrival times are recorded.

The flight time of a particle can be calculated based on the time it takes to leave the accelerator and the distance it travels. As there is a relationship between a particle’s velocity and its mass and charge, the flight time can be used to determine the particle’s mass and charge.

TOF mass spectrometers offer the advantages of high resolution, high sensitivity and high speed, and are widely used in analysis and research across fields such as biomedicine, environmental monitoring and food safety.