MIKES, as the name implies, is used for kinetic energy spectrometery. This means that certain criteria are needed to accomplish this. One such feature of MIKES is that it has high kinetic energy resolution and good angular resolution. This is due to the fact that MIKES has low accelerating voltage, around 3 kilo-volts. Another feature is that it has good differential pumping between the various regions of the instrument. In addition, MIKES has multiple systems for bringing in and/or overseeing collision gases or vapors and the ability to vary slit height and width. This prevents favoritism when determining kinetic energy distributions. Although common now, back in the 1970s, MIKES had a great computer compatibility that allowed for readily obtainable molecular structures.