Mass spectrometers are analytical instruments that are often used to detect and identify substances such as pollutants, drugs and biological compounds, as well as trace amounts of ordinary chemicals. Time-of-flight mass spectrometers (TOFMS) are based on the measurement of the flight-times of accelerated ionized chemical species (ions) over a known flight distance, and offer particular advantages such as efficient heavy mass transmission, high sensitivity, rapid time response, and law cost. Despite these advantages, a limited mass resolution (the ability to distinguish one mass from another of nearly the same value) has prevented the TOFMS from competing commercially, as well as technologically, with other more popular types of mass spectrometers. A reliable, low cost, high resolution TOFMS would permit many more research laboratories to compete more effectively in research, development and analytical applications. The object of this work is to test the feasibility of improving the resolution by a large factor using a new focusing principle called velocity compaction. The propose d research will extend the basic relations for the flight-time trajectories to a 'tandem' or dualstage velocity compaction configuration for which the mass resolution is expected to be 50 to 100 times better than that obtained in standard TOF mass spectrometers. A series of computer simulations of the flight-times, taking into account the various parameters which can affect the resolution, will be made. Based on these results, a preliminary design of a prototype model, dual-stage velocity compaction TOFMS will begin.The potential applications as described by the company:In particular, the ability to detect and identify higher molecular weight, biologically active species will offer an improved tool for structural determinations. In general, the commercial introduction of this instrument should broaden the usage of TOF mass spectrometers by the scientific and industrial community because the performance-to-cost ratio for this instrument will be vastly improved.
