An ion-storage time-of-flight mass spectrometer for analysis of electrospray ions

A preliminary design and implementation of a novel approach to electrospray‐mass spectrometry anr described. Based on a time‐of flight mass analysis, the instrument provides several important advantages for on‐line mass analysis: 1, simplicity, ease of use and low manufacturing cost; 2, rapid scan speed, yielding quasi‐instantaneous full mass scans at repetition rates up to several kHz; 3, soft ionization and accurate mass determination of extremely large analyte molecules; 4, high sensitivity.