Patent ID: 7482582

Claim:
An apparatus for analyzing a flow of gaseous ions or mixture of gaseous ions and gaseous neutral species, said apparatus comprising: a single source for the generation of said flow of gaseous ions or mixture of gaseous ions and gaseous neutral species, an ion mobility assembly fluidly coupled to said source, said ion mobility assembly comprising: an ion trapping region comprising a plurality of ion traps to receive said flow of gaseous ions or mixture of gaseous ions and gaseous neutral species; a plurality of parallel mobility tubes, each of said mobility tubes fluidly coupled to said ion trapping region; optionally, a plurality of parallel CID tubes, each of said CID tubes fluidly coupled to at least one of said mobility tubes; optionally, a plurality of parallel exit tubes, each of said exit tubes comprising at least one electrode and being fluidly coupled to at least one of said CID tubes or to at least one of said mobility tubes; and, at least one multi-channel RF ion guide fluidly coupled to at least one of said exit tubes, at least one of said CID tubes, or at least one of said mobility tubes; said ion mobility assembly having a separation axis in a first direction; and, at least one TOFMS fluidly coupled to said ion mobility assembly, said TOFMS comprising a position sensitive detector.