The NBS triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer

Abstract
A detailed description is provided of a triple quadrupole (QQQ) tandem mass spectrometer (MS/MS) which is kinetically well behaved and can be configured to use either a molecular beam target (type A) or collision chamber (type B) configuration. Its unique capabilities are being used to explore design criteria essential for (i) absolute cross‐section measurements, and for (ii) the development of standardized operating conditions for generic, instrument‐independent spectral databases for collisionally activated dissociation (CAD).