Torr Scientific have a designed a new Ion Time-of-Flight Detector for use, for example in time-of-flight mass spectrometers such as MALDI instruments.

The detectors use Hamamatsu micro-channel plates, which are recognised as providing the fastest pulse rise times for a given pore size and L/D ratio

The detector envelope has been designed to be compatible with a well know detector currently on the market. Although, through  a novel design and clever use of machineable glass ceramics the component count has been reduced substantially such that the detector can be offered at very competitive prices.

The ingenious use of MGC has also made it possible to design the detector with very large high voltage and vacuum out gassing clearances so that the detector can be installed and run in a very short time without concerns over damaging internal flash-overs that could ruin a channelplate. The conical anode, and concentric body have been designed to give optimum 50 W matching to get fastest rise times and minimum ringing from reflections

There are currently three models available  the 25-6 which uses a 25mm f plate having 6mm pores, the 18-4 having 4mm pores, and the 38-12 using a 38mm f plate having 6mm pores

Good detector performance per se, in terms of rise time and pulse shape is just part of the problem. For very high speed detectors the detection ‘system’ must be dealt with holistically as the cabling, detector and connectors must perform well as a transmission line, and what other manufacturers don’t tell you about is the difficulty of getting this right. Typical co-axial connectors have a VSWR (voltage standing wave ratio) of 1.05  meaning 5% of the energy in the ‘wave’ gets reflected at each connector. This not only reduces the peak height, but also broadens the peak, and results in ringing tales. So you want to minimise the number of connections.

For this reason TSL can also provide a connection kit comprising the very best solid co-axial cable matched to the detector, with a vacuum flange brazed at an appropriate distance, and terminated with an SMA / B/ C, or BNC connector which can be plugged directly into your pre-amp, TDC, or transient recorder – i.e. the minimum number of connections. (see Figs left)

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