The principle behind TOF mass spectrometry is relatively straightforward. Ions are generated in the ion source and then accelerated into a field-free drift region. The ions travel through this region and their time of flight is measured. Because the time it takes for an ion to travel a fixed distance is proportional to the square root of its mass-to-charge ratio, lighter ions reach the detector faster than heavier ones. This allows for the separation and identification of ions based on their mass.
