Metastable ion
From Mass Spec Terms
| DRAFT DEFINITION |
| Metastable ion |
|---|
| An ion which is formed with internal energy higher than the threshold for dissociation but with a lifetime great enough to allow it to exit the ion source and enter the mass spectrometer where it dissociates before detection. |
| Considered between 2004 and 2006 but not included in the 2006 PAC submission |
| This is an unofficial draft definition presented for information and comment. |
|
See additional comments on the Metastable ion discussion page (archive of discussion between 2004 and 2006) |
Orange Book Entry
An ion which is formed with sufficient excitation to dissociate spontaneously during its flight from the ion source to the detector.
