| CPC H01J 49/165 (2013.01) [H01J 49/0031 (2013.01); H01J 49/0468 (2013.01); H01J 49/26 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |

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1. An instrument for analyzing charged particles, comprising:
an ion generator configured to generate charged particles from each of a plurality of samples of particles, each of the plurality of samples of particles having a different chemical composition within a range of chemical compositions over which each of the plurality of samples of particles undergo structural changes,
a mass spectrometer configured to receive the charged particles generated by the ion generator from each of the plurality of samples of particles and to measure masses and charge magnitudes of the generated charged particles generated from each of the plurality of samples having the different chemical compositions within the range of chemical compositions,
a processor, and
a memory having instructions stored therein executable by the processor to cause the processor to (a) control the mass spectrometer to measure at least the charge magnitudes of the generated charged particles generated from each of the plurality of samples having the different chemical compositions, (b) determine an average charge magnitude of the generated charged particles generated from each of the plurality of samples having the different chemical compositions based on the measured charge magnitudes, and (c) determine an average charge magnitude profile over the range of chemical compositions based on the determined average charge magnitudes.
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