Patent ID: 6958474
Filing Date: 2005-10-25
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. A detector for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer comprising: an electron multiplier, for converting a charged particle into a multiplicity of electrons; a scintillator, for converting the multiplicity of electrons into a multiplicity of photons; and a collector disposed for receiving the multiplicity of photons and adapted for reconverting said photons into a second multiplicity of electrons and integrating said second multiplicity of electrons into a charge pulse corresponding to the mass of the charged particle; wherein said collector comprises a light sensor selected from the group consisting of an avalanche photodiode, an avalanche photodiode array, a charge coupled device, a photovoltaic device, a CdS photoconductive cell, a PN photodiode, a PIN photodiode, a phototransistor, a vacuum photodiode, an image intensifier tube having a metal anode in place of a luminescent screen, a microchannel plate type photomultiplier, and a photomultiplier tube incorporating stage skipping.