Advances in the Design and Functionality of a Compact Multi-Reflecting Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer

High-resolution mass spectrometry is routinely used for the analysis of complex samples in pharmaceutical, environmental, and omics related studies. Such applications require instrumentation to be capable of combining sub-ppm mass accuracy, high resolving power, rapid full m/z range acquisition, and a wide dynamic range. Achieving these requirements simultaneously places constraints on analyzer design and performance. Multi-reflecting time-of-flight (MRT) based analyzers have been previously reported as a means of extending effective flight path length in compact TOF designs. Here, further instrument and functionality advances in a compact MRT mass spectrometer design are described and the impact of these enhancements is demonstrated for omics applications.