Patent ID: 6998606

Claim:
A time-of-flight mass spectrometer comprising: a) ion flight path means defining a flight path for ions and having an ion entrance and an ion exit, the ion flight path means comprising: i) at least one field free region; ii) at least one electric sector, each electric sector having an entry and an outlet; and iii) at least one ion optical element, wherein at least one of the ion optical elements is each disposed at either the entry or the outlet of at least one of the electric sectors, at least one of the ion optical elements so disposed comprises at least one trim electrode that modifies the potential experienced by an ion entering or exiting the electric sector at which it is disposed, at least one of the trim electrodes is adjustable, wherein the adjustable trim electrodes adjustably modify the potential experienced by an ion entering or exiting the electric sector at which it is disposed, and the adjustable trim electrodes are independently adjustable with respect to each other; b) an ion source in communication with the ion entrance of the ion flight path means; and c) an ion detector in communication with the ion exit of the ion flight path means.