User`s guide

Chapter 5 Optimizing Instrument Settings
5-44 PerSeptive Biosystems
5
5.3.3 Understanding Delay Time
Delay Time is the time in nanoseconds after the laser
ionizes the sample at which full Accelerating Voltage is
applied. This creates the potential gradient that accelerates
ions. Delay Time corrects the dependence of ion flight time on
initial velocity. Observed mass resolution increases in
proportion to the effective length of the ion flight path.
NOTE: There is an inherent 177±5 nsec delay between the
time the laser fires and the time the voltage is applied. The
actual time that voltage is applied is equal to the Delay
Time you enter plus the inherent delay on your system.
Changing the Delay Time in increments smaller than
25 nsec may have no significant impact on resolution.
Figure 5-9 illustrates Delay Time.
Figure 5-9 Delay Time
time
extracting
laser
Delay Time
pulse
field
(nsec)
Full Accelerating
Voltage applied