A system to generate a high yield of negative ions for icp-ms

An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) system, comprising:

• an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source having at least one inlet to receive a background gas and analytes, and to at least partially ionize the background gas and generate a plasma, the plasma comprising of positive and negative ions, meta-stable ions and neutrals, and molecules of the background gas, and free electrons;
• a mass spectrometer (MS);
• an interface between the ICP source and the MS, comprising of a cavity, the cavity having:
• a first cavity inlet fluidically coupled to the ICP source to receive the plasma and the background gas;
• a second cavity inlet to receive a dopant and analytes;
• a cavity outlet fluidically coupled to the MS;
• wherein the cavity is configured to mix and react the dopant, the plasma and the analytes to form a mixture, and to transport the mixture by momentum of the background gas to the cavity outlet,
• wherein the plasma is configured to heat the walls of the cavity to prevent the formation of deposits on the walls of the cavity and to help with the transfer of the mixture from the first and second cavity inlets to the cavity outlet,
• whereby no electrostatic or magnetic fields is applied inside the cavity to transfer the mixture from the first and second cavity inlets to the cavity outlet.