Orthogonal acceleration system for time-of-flight mass spectrometer

1. A method, comprising:

directing an ion beam in a first direction within a region between a first electrically-conductive plate extending in a first plane and a second plate extending in a second plane parallel to the first plane, the second plate comprising a grid that defines a plurality of apertures each having a first dimension extending in the first direction and a second dimension orthogonal to the first dimension, the first and second dimensions lying in the second plane and the second dimension being larger than the first dimension;

receiving an ion beam propagating in the first direction in the region between the first and second plates while a first electric field between the first and second plates is essentially zero; and

applying a first voltage on the first electrically-conductive plate to produce a second electric field between the first and second plates to accelerate at least a portion of ions in the ion beam in the region through the apertures of the second plate such that an electric field strength in the region between the first and second plates is essentially identical to an electric field strength in a region on an opposite side of the second plate, away from the first plate.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obstructing at least some of the ions incident on the aperture at a grazing incidence angle with respect to the second plane before the voltage is applied.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the region is separated from the first electrically-conductive plate and the second plate by an equal distance along a direction orthogonal to the first direction.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second plate is arranged to cause a reduction in transmission of ions in the ion beam incident on the aperture at a grazing incidence angle with respect to the second plane.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising directing the ions in the ion beam to a detector to obtain a spectrum indicative of m/z ratios of the ions.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising eliminating artifact signals from the spectrum.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising directing the ions which have passed through the apertures of the second plate through an electrically-conductive third plate; the third plate extending in a third plane parallel to the second plane, the third plate comprising a second grid that defines a second plurality of apertures each having a third dimension extending in the first direction and a fourth dimension orthogonal to the third dimension, the third and fourth dimensions lying in the third plane, the third dimension being larger than the fourth dimension, wherein the ions in the ion beam pass through the second plurality of apertures.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the first voltage on the first electrically-conductive plate comprises applying a voltage of between −10 V to −2000 V for negative ions, or from +10 to +2000 V for positive ions, to the first plate.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising directing the ions in the ion beam that have passed through the second plurality of apertures into a flight tube.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the flight tube is maintained at a voltage between 3 kV to 25 kV for negative ions and from −3 kV to −25 kV for positive ions.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reducing artifact signals from registering at a detector.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising internally grounding the second plate.

13. The method of claim 7 , further comprising applying a second voltage to the third plate such that the electric field strength between the second and third plate is essentially identical to the electric field strength between the first and second plate.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein applying the second voltage on the third plate comprises applying a voltage between 10 V to 2000 V for negative ions, or from −10 to −2000 V for positive ions, to the third plate.