time-of-flight mass spectrometer

https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.T06382
An arrangement using the fact that ions of different mass/charge need different times to travel through a certain distance in a field-free region after they have all been initially given the same translational energy.
Sources:
Orange Book, 2nd ed., p. 202 [Terms] [Book]
PAC, 1991, 63, 1541. (Recommendations for nomenclature and symbolism for mass spectroscopy (including an appendix of terms used in vacuum technology). (Recommendations 1991)) on page 1546 [Terms] [Paper]