On the transmission function of an ion-energy and mass spectrometer

The operation of a mass spectrometer system with an electrostatic energy analyser, designed for measurements of mass-resolved ion-energy distributions, is discussed. We show how the electric fields in the different electrostatic lenses present in the system can be optimized. These lenses direct the ions entering the system into the energy filter and the quadrupole mass filter. These lenses can exhibit chromatic aberration. The conditions without chromatic aberration have been found by simulating the ion trajectories in the part of the system up to the energy filter. Also, an experimental method is presented to find these settings. We show that the energy-dependent transmission of ions through the system is mainly determined by its acceptance angle. Ion-energy spectra from an argon plasma have been measured and corrected for the transmission of the ions through the system. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.