Secondary Ion Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometers and Data Systems

Some recent improvements to the Manitoba linear time-of-flight mass spectrometer are reviewed. A new data system gives greatly improved performance. A detector assembly with a small 45° ion mirror and separate detectors for neutral and charged particles has been added. In conjunction with the new data system, it enables measurement of correlations between neutral and charged fragments resulting from unimolecular decay in the flight tube. A new time-of-flight spectrometer has been constructed. It is a reflecting instrument with a relatively long ion mirror. Resolution and signal/background ratio are much better than in the linear instrument, and correlation measurements can be made with considerably higher accuracy in mass determination than with the small mirror.