Poor digitization accuracy

Figure 3.6. Effect of poor digitization accuracy. The difference between the actual and sampled signals is shown for each data point. This error can be considered to be approximately equivalent to peak-to-peak...

Early TOF experiments were already undertaken in the 1950s. However, the lack of sufficient fast electronics for the time measurement (in the range of micro- or even nanoseconds) resulted in a very poor resolution of the recorded mass spectra. Nowadays, modem TOF analyzers are equipped with fast digitizers of up to 4 GHz. A peak resolution of 40 000 (mlAm, where Am is the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the peak) can be regarded as standard. These instmments combine high sensitivity with excellent mass resolution and mass accuracy. 

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