Patent ID: 8642948
Filing Date: 2014-02-04
Classification: G01N,H01J

Abstract:
1. A method of changing the kinetic energy of ions, comprising: introducing ions from an ion source into a trapping region of an ion trap via a first aperture; trapping the ions in the trapping region of the ion trap, the ion trap being elongate along a first axis; and directing a beam of gas into and through the trapping region via a second aperture, so as to change the kinetic energy of the trapped ions thereby without substantial dissociation of the trapped ions; wherein the beam of gas propagates essentially along a single direction through the ion trapping region and all particles of the beam of gas have a vector of motion with a dominant component, the dominant component being common across all the particles; and wherein the first axis is arranged substantially collinearly to the direction of the beam of gas through the trapping region.