METHOD OF ANALYZING OUTPUT SIGNALS REPRESENTING THE MASS SPECTRUM FROM A SCANNING MASS SPECTROMETER

In a scanning mass spectrometer, electrical output including a series of time-related peaks representing an ion mass spectrum of an unknown sample material are produced along with a series of reference peaks derived from a reference material. The time positions of the peaks due to the unknown sample are thus identified. The electrical output may be recorded on a traveling magnetic medium along with marker signals indicative of time during a scan when a signal was produced. The marker signals may also be indicative of the amount of deflection provided by an analyzer, and hence of the mass/charge ratios of ions producing certain output peaks.