Ion Detector for Mass Spectrometry
Hamamatsu Photonics has introduced the M2 ion detector, an ultra-compact high-speed ion detector designed for mass spectrometry applications. The M2 ion detector device measures 28 x 24mm with an 8mm-diameter effective area. The device was developed to achieve a fast response time and wide dynamic range within a compact package. This is achieved through the combination of a microchannel plate (MCP) and a metal channel dynode from a photomultiplier tube (PMT).
Typically, microchannel plates show fast time-response characteristics, but are easily saturated due to their high resistivity. Conversely, an electron multiplier will exhibit a wider dynamic range but a slower time response. However, by combining an MCP with Hamamatsu's metal channel dynode structure, a detector with a rise time of 1ns and a time response of 2ns (FWHM) has been created. In addition, the metal channel dynode structure provides for good count rate linearity characteristics up to 50M counts per second, compared with 10M counts per second for a two-stage MCP assembly. The high speed and wide dynamic range of the M2 ion detector make it suitable for both quadrupole mass spectrometry and time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
Typically, microchannel plates show fast time-response characteristics, but are easily saturated due to their high resistivity. Conversely, an electron multiplier will exhibit a wider dynamic range but a slower time response. However, by combining an MCP with Hamamatsu's metal channel dynode structure, a detector with a rise time of 1ns and a time response of 2ns (FWHM) has been created. In addition, the metal channel dynode structure provides for good count rate linearity characteristics up to 50M counts per second, compared with 10M counts per second for a two-stage MCP assembly. The high speed and wide dynamic range of the M2 ion detector make it suitable for both quadrupole mass spectrometry and time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
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