Mass Analysis Using Collective Interaction of Ions in an Ion Trap.

The ion trap is a unique type of device that is used for quantum studies in physics and mass analysis in chemistry. The space charge effect, which is due to trapping of an excessive number of ions, has long been recognized to be harmful for ion manipulation or mass spectrometry analysis. Here, we show an interesting phenomenon in which the energy exchange through collective interaction between the ion species could be effectively used for ion manipulation and high-quality mass measurement. This observation not only reveals a fundamentally interesting process in ion trap operation but also suggests a new alternative means for mass analysis.