A tandem reflectron time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer for the investigation of laser photofragmentation of molecular ions

Abstract A tandem reflectron time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer has been constructed for the investigation of laser photofragmentation of selected molecular ions. Ions are generated by an ablation laser and attracted by ion optics into the field‐free flight region of a reflectron time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer. Laser photofragmentation of selected molecular ions takes place at the turn‐around point of ions in the reflectron. Fragmentation mass calibration, parent ion selection, ion collection effects, reflectron field effects and the mass resolution of this tandem reflectron time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer are described. Furthermore it is shown that laser parameters may be used to control the fragmentation pattern.