Abstract
| I. | Introduction | 000 |
| II. | Linear Multipoles | 000 |
| | A. Multipole Fields | 000 |
| | 1. Multipole Potentials | 000 |
| | 2. Ion Motion in 2D Multipole Fields | 000 |
| | 3. Ion Motion in Quadrupole Fields | 000 |
| | 4. Ion Motion in Higher Multipole Fields | 000 |
| | 5. Linear Ion Guides, Collision Cells, and Traps | 000 |
| | 6. Collisional Cooling | 000 |
| | 7. Ion Excitation in the Presence of a Collision Gas | 000 |
| | 8. Ion Isolation | 000 |
| | 9. Trap Capacity | 000 |
| | A. Mass Discrimination Effects | 000 |
| III. | Linear Traps Combined with Other Mass Analyzers | 000 |
| | A. Linear Traps Combined with 3D Paul Traps | 000 |
| | B. Linear Ion Traps Combined with TOF Mass Analyzers | 000 |
| | C. Linear Traps Combined with FTICR | 000 |
| IV. | Linear Traps as Mass Spectrometers | 000 |
| | A. Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry in a Linear Quadrupole Ion Trap | 000 |
| | B. Linear Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer with Radial Ion Ejection | 000 |
| | C. Linear Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer with Axial Ejection | 000 |
| V. | Summary and Outlook | 000 |
| Acknowledgments | 000 |
| List of Symbols | 000 |
| References | 000 |
Linear ion traps are finding new applications in many areas of mass spectrometry. In a linear ion trap, ions are confined radially by a two‐dimensional (2D) radio frequency (RF) field, and axially by stopping potentials applied to end electrodes. This review focuses on linear ion trap instrumentation. Potentials and ion motion in linear multipole fields and methods of ion trapping, cooling, excitation, and isolation are described. This is followed by a description of various mass discrimination effects that have been reported with linear ion traps. Linear ion traps combined in various ways with three‐dimensional (3D) traps, time‐of‐flight (TOF) mass analyzers, and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometers are then given. Linear ion traps can be used as stand alone mass analyzers, and their use for mass analysis by Fourier transforming image currents, by mass selective radial ejection, and by mass selective axial ejection are reviewed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev