Patent ID: 7463983
Filing Date: 2008-12-09
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. A time of flight mass spectrometer (TOF) with a clock phase to time bin cycling device, the TOF comprising: a time of flight analyzer; an ion source connected to the time of flight analyzer; an ion detector associated with the time of flight analyzer; at least one data storage cell for storing data representing a time stamp; a high speed master clock having a plurality of binary clocks, the binary clocks having respective binary clock paths, wherein a combination of the binary clock paths is for carrying a composite binary signal to be decoded into the time stamp and sent to the at least one data storage cell; and a binary clock signal path selection device that systematically selects the combination of the binary clock signal paths in a pattern that directs data signals representing particular masses generally uniformly along the plurality of binary clock paths; wherein the clock path selection device comprises a variable delay timer operably connected to one of the ion detector and the ion extractor for adjusting a delay for transporting the data to the at least one data storage cell in a systematic manner such that data for a first peak is delivered via different composite binary signals over a plurality of shots.