An electrical two-channel ion detection system for a time-of-flight mass analyzer, comprising: a series of one or more microchannel plates configured to be impacted by ion packets (1301, 1302) in a rectangular pattern on a first side of the series of one or more microchannel plates and configured to convert the impacts into multiplied electrons emitted in the rectangular pattern on a second side of the series of one or more microchannel plates, wherein a longer side of the rectangular pattern is the length and a shorter side of the rectangular pattern is the width and wherein ions of each ion packet impact the first side at different times along the length of the rectangular pattern following a convex shape with ions of each packet impacting a central inner area of the rectangular pattern before impacting two outer areas at each end of the rectangular pattern; two or more anode electrodes plates arranged in a plane parallel with the series of one or more microchannel plates and positioned next to the series of one or more microchannel plates to receive the emitted electrons from the rectangular pattern on the second side of the series of one or more microchannel plates, wherein the two or more electrodes together have an area large enough to receive electrons from the rectangular pattern and wherein two or more electrodes include one or more inner electrodes positioned to receive emitted electrons from the central inner area of the rectangular pattern and one or more outer electrodes (1321, 1323) positioned to receive emitted electrons from the two outer areas at each end of the rectangular pattern; and a two-channel digitizer that includes a first channel electrically connected to the one or more inner electrodes configured to convert the electrons received by the one or more inner electrodes for each ion packet into a first digital value and a second channel electrically connected to the one or more outer electrodes configured to convert the electrons received by the one or more outer electrodes for each packet into a second digital value, wherein the first channel and the second channel are independently calibrated to align the first digital value and the second digital value in time and account for the convex shape of the ion impacts of each ion packet. a series of one or more microchannel plates configured to be impacted by ion packets (1301, 1302) in a rectangular pattern on a first side of the series of one or more microchannel plates and configured to convert the impacts into multiplied electrons emitted in the rectangular pattern on a second side of the series of one or more microchannel plates, wherein a longer side of the rectangular pattern is the length and a shorter side of the rectangular pattern is the width and wherein ions of each ion packet impact the first side at different times along the length of the rectangular pattern following a convex shape with ions of each packet impacting a central inner area of the rectangular pattern before impacting two outer areas at each end of the rectangular pattern; two or more anode electrodes plates arranged in a plane parallel with the series of one or more microchannel plates and positioned next to the series of one or more microchannel plates to receive the emitted electrons from the rectangular pattern on the second side of the series of one or more microchannel plates, wherein the two or more electrodes together have an area large enough to receive electrons from the rectangular pattern and wherein two or more electrodes include one or more inner electrodes positioned to receive emitted electrons from the central inner area of the rectangular pattern and one or more outer electrodes (1321, 1323) positioned to receive emitted electrons from the two outer areas at each end of the rectangular pattern; and a two-channel digitizer that includes a first channel electrically connected to the one or more inner electrodes configured to convert the electrons received by the one or more inner electrodes for each ion packet into a first digital value and a second channel electrically connected to the one or more outer electrodes configured to convert the electrons received by the one or more outer electrodes for each packet into a second digital value, wherein the first channel and the second channel are independently calibrated to align the first digital value and the second digital value in time and account for the convex shape of the ion impacts of each ion packet.