Simulations of the four-dimensional (4D) phase-space acceptance volume of a quadrupole mass filter (QMF) are discussed. The 4D acceptance is considered since the ion trajectories in the X and Y phase planes are dependent via the initial RF phase at ion entry into QMF. The QMF parameters are set up for resolution equal to the ion mass number M. For a wide range of ion masses, the acceptance is characterized by relatively large aperture with about 5% transmission, primarily defined by phase dependent ellipses. Contrary to expectations, the small-aperture central spot with 75% transmission accepts a very small portion, namely less than 1% of the passed through particles.
Dawson PH (ed.). Quadrupole mass spectrometry and its applications. New York: American Institute of Physics, 1995.
2.
DawsonPHIon optical properties of quadrupole mass filters. In: MartonLMartonC (eds). Advances in electronics and electron physics, New York: Academic Press Inc., 1980, pp. 53–153.
3.
HennequinJFInglebertRL. Experimental study on the acceptance of a quadrupole mass filter. Int J Mass Spectrom Ion Physics1978; 26: 131.
4.
ToddJFJWaldrenRMFreerDA. The quadrupole ion store (QUISTOR). Part X. Space charge and ion stability. B. On the theoretical distribution and density of stored charge in RF quadrupole fields. Int J Mass Spectrom Ion Physics1980; 35: 107.
5.
Wiedemann H. Transformation in phase space. In: Particle accelerator. Physics I: basic principles and linear beam dynamics. Berlin, Springer, 2003, pp.152–157.
6.
HunterKLMcIntoshBJ. An improved model of the fringing fields of a quadrupole mass filter. Int J Mass Spectrom Ion Process1989; 87: 157.
7.
McIntoshBJHunterKL. Influence of realistic fringing fields on the acceptance of a quadrupole mass filter. Int J Mass Spectrom Ion Process1989; 87: 165.
8.
DawsonPH. Source-analyzer coupling in the quadrupole mass filter. Int J Mass Spectrom Ion Process1990; 100: 41.
9.
KonenkovNVKorolkovANStrashnovUV. Acceptance and transmission of a quadrupole mass filter with amplitude modulation of RF voltage taking into account fringing fields. J Tech Phys2010; 80: 110, (in Russian).
10.
KonenkovNVSudakovMDouglasDJ. Matrix methods for the calculation of stability diagrams in quadrupole mass spectrometry. J Am Soc Mass Spectrom2002; 13: 597.
11.
BrubakerWM. An improved quadrupole mass analyzer. Adv Mass Spectrom1968; 4: 293.
