Ionization device and ionization method

An ionization device to be installed for an ionization chamber separated from an analysis chamber by a partition wall in which an ion introduction port is provided, the ionization device comprising:

• an ionization probe configured to spray a liquid sample;
• a heated-gas supply mechanism including a gas supply source and a heating section for heating a gas supplied from the gas supply source, the heated-gas supply mechanism configured to expel the gas in a direction intersecting with a direction in which the liquid sample is sprayed from the ionization probe;
• and
• a controller configured to control an operation of the heated-gas supply mechanism so that the gas is continuously expelled from the heated-gas supply mechanism regardless of presence or absence of an operation by a user while the liquid sample is sprayed from the ionization probe;
• the controller configured to control a gas-expelling operation by the heated-gas supply mechanism to be automatically initiated simultaneously with or earlier than a point in time where spraying of the liquid sample is initiated, and to control a gas-expelling operation by the heated-gas supply mechanism to be continued to a point in time simultaneous with or later than a completion of the spraying of the liquid sample.