An inductive detector for time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

In this paper we describe the underlying principles of, and demonstrate some of the attributes of, an inductive detector for use in time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. Unlike a microchannel plate detector, the detection efficiency of the inductive detector is not dependent on ion velocity. Also, the inductive detector cannot be saturated in the same manner as a microchannel plate detector. Because the inductive detector detects only charged species, the neutral species normally observed in linear time‐of‐flight matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization spectra do not appear in spectra obtained with the inductive detector. Further, price and availability of the material needed to fabricate an inductive detector are virtually independent of detector size. Perhaps one of the most important features of the inductive detector is that it is a largely non‐destructive detector.