Incorporating time-of-flight detection on a selected ion flow tube apparatus

A new ion detection scheme incorporating both time-of-flight and quadrupole instrumentation has been implemented on a variable temperature selected ion flow tube and is described here. The new detection region retains typical quadrupole detection for the study of most systems, and adds time-of-flight capability to study systems over a wide mass range while minimizing the effects of mass discrimination. Experiments verify the accuracy of the kinetics obtained with time-of-flight detection. We find excellent agreement with previously published rate constants and product branching for the reactions of Ar+ with SF6 and C2H4. Additionally, new results are presented for the reaction of Ar+ with WF6, observing a rate constant of 1.23 x 10(-9) cm(3) s(-1), with product branching of 0.9 and 0.1 to WF5+ and WF6+ respectively. Published by Elsevier B.V.