Performance Evaluation of a Hybrid Linear Ion Trap/Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer

Design and performance of a novel hybrid mass spectrometer is described. It couples a linear ion trap mass spectrometer to an orbitrap mass analyzer via an rf-only trapping quadrupole with a curved axis. The latter injects pulsed ion beams into a rapidly changing electric field in the orbitrap wherein they are trapped at high kinetic energies around an inner electrode. Image current detection is subsequently performed after a stable electrostatic field is achieved. Fourier transformation of the acquired transient allows wide mass range detection with high resolving power, mass accuracy, and dynamic range. The entire instrument operates in LC/MS mode (1 spectrum/s) with nominal mass resolving power of 60,000…