time-of-flight spectrometer

time-of-flight spectrometer [¦tīm əv ¦flīt spek′träm·əd·ər]

(engineering)

Any instrument in which the speed of a particle is determined directly by measuring the time it takes to travel a measured distance.

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Time-of-flight spectrometer

Any of a general class of instruments in which the speed of a particle is determined directly by measuring the time that it takes to travel a measured distance. By knowing the particle's mass, its energy can be calculated. If the particles are uncharged (for example, neutrons), difficulties arise because standard methods of measurement (such as deflection in electric and magnetic fields) are not possible. The time-of-flight method is a powerful alternative, suitable for both uncharged and charged particles.

The time intervals are best measured by counting the number of oscillations of a stable oscillator that occur between the instants that the particle begins and ends its journey. Oscillators operating at 100 MHz are in common use. See Mass spectroscope, Neutron spectrometry, Time-interval measurement