Observation of the Products of Ionic Collision Processes and Ion Decomposition in a Linear, Pulsed Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer

A retarding potential technique has been investigated which permits study of secondary processes occurring after ion acceleration in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. By application of a retarding field near the end of the flight path, peaks due to neutral species and fragment ions formed after acceleration are separated from their parent ion peaks and displayed in the same panoramic mass spectrum. Charge exchange, collision-induced dissociation, and spontaneous (metastable) ion decomposition are easily observed. The identities of initial ions and fragment ions involved in secondary processes can be determined unambiguously without complications of peak overlap.