A throughput model explaining non-linearity in discrete ion counters used in mass spectrometry

Abstract

A mathematical model is presented to calculate the expected throughput rate in a discrete ion counter with imposed non-extending dead time. The count loss mechanism consists of a combined effect of the imposed dead time, interfered with pulse pileup owing to the finite time resolution of the electronic pulses generated in the ion counter. This model may be applicable to mass spectrometers making use of discrete ion counters, thus providing a means to reproduce counting-rate dependency of observed atomic abundance ratios.