Patent ID: 8927927
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: G01N,H01J

Abstract:
1. A mass spectrometer having a function of performing a tuning process for optimizing a control parameter of each section of the mass spectrometer based on a result of a mass spectrometry performed on a predetermined component in a sample, the mass spectrometer comprising: a) a parameter setting section for changing a value of a control parameter to be adjusted in predetermined steps over a predetermined range, the parameter setting section being switchable between a coarse control mode for changing the value of the control parameter in steps of a first size over a first predetermined range and a fine control mode for changing the value of the control parameter in steps of a second size smaller than the first size over a second predetermined range narrower than the first predetermined range; b) a result obtaining section for obtaining ion-intensity information for an ion originating from the predetermined component every time the value of the control parameter is changed by the parameter setting section; and c) a parameter optimizing section for performing a measurement in the coarse control mode using the parameter setting section during a period of time in which the predetermined component in the sample is introduced, for calculating, as an amount of change in the ion intensity for a predetermined amount of change in the value of the control parameter, a difference between a highest ion intensity among a plurality of ion intensities obtained by the result obtaining section and another ion intensity obtained at a value of the control parameter next to the value of the control parameter giving the highest ion intensity, and for comparing the difference in the ion intensity with a threshold to determine whether an optimal value of the control parameter should be determined from the ion-intensity information obtained in the coarse control mode or a measurement in the fine control mode should subsequently be performed to determine an optimal value of the control parameter from the ion-intensity information obtained by the result obtaining section in the fine control mode.