Why Can't Bainbridge Mass Spectrometers Use Multiple Detectors Simultaneously?

[Hummel]

Why is it not possible to use multiple detectors in a Bainbridge Mass spectrometer,so that we can record the intensity of each ionic species at the same time?

I got this question because whenever i read about Time of flight mass spectrometer,i find that one of its advantages is listed as the ability to record the spectrum of all the ionic species in the experiment, which is not possible in sector instruments(other mass spectrometers).



For other information about Bain bridge mass spectrometer:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sector_instrument#Bainbridge-Jordan

 

[Valerie Park]

_mass_spectrometerA Bainbridge mass spectrometer (also known as a sector instrument) is an older type of mass spectrometer that uses a single detector to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions in a sample. The detector measures the amount of charge that has been deflected by the magnetic field and then calculates the mass-to-charge ratio of the ions. It is not possible to use multiple detectors in a Bainbridge mass spectrometer because it is designed to measure one ion at a time.