Patent ID: 6316768
Filing Date: 2001-11-13
Classification: H01J,H05K

Abstract:
A time of flight mass spectrometer utilized for detecting time of flight mass spectrometry data, wherein the mass spectrometer consists of:a vacuum housing for receiving ions which are to be accelerated;an inner flight tube disposed within the vacuum housing through which the ions are directed;a plurality of field defining electrodes associated with the inner flight tube and activated so as to generate electrical fields which accelerate ions; anda microchannel plate disposed within the vacuum housing to thereby receive the accelerated ions, and wherein the inner flight tube is comprised of a dense non-porous printed circuit board material which does not allow gasses to pass through the printed circuit board, disposed so as to provide a support structure for the plurality of field defining electrodes so that the ions can be accelerated from a receiving aperture of the vacuum housing to the microchannel plate.