Optimization of the operation mode of the three-grid ion gate of the ion-mobility spectrometer

The performance of the three-grid gate and its operating modes was being considered in terms of obtaining a short ion pulse with the maximum possible amplitude to increase the resolution of the ion-mobility spectrometer. As a result of the simulation, it was shown that there is an optimal shutter opening duration for the conditions under consideration, which corresponds to a narrow output ion peak of maximum amplitude. A smaller distance between the wires of the grids causes a narrower ion peak at the gate exit. It is shown that there exists an optimal value of the pushing out potential for the conditions under consideration. The width of the ion pulse decreases with a decrease in the potential difference between the second and third grids, while the height of the narrow peak will be maximum if the ion drift time between the grids 2–3 is approximately equal to the duration of the shutter opening.