Tandem Mass Spectrometry - Notation

Notation

For tandem mass spectrometry in space, the different elements are often noted in shorthand.

Q – Quadrupole mass analyzer

q – Radio frequency collision quadrupole

TOF – Time-of-flight mass analyzer

B – Magnetic sector

E – Electric sector

The notation can be combined to indicate various hybrid instrument, for example

QqQ – Triple quadrupole mass spectrometer

QTOF – Quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (also QqTOF)

BEBE – Four-sector (reverse geometry) mass spectrometer