Sampling system for use with surface ionization spectroscopy
AssigneeIonsense, Inc.
InventorBrian D. Musselman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In various embodiments of the invention, a device permits more efficient collection and transmission of ions produced by the action of a carrier gas containing metastable neutral excited-state species into a mass spectrometer. In one embodiment of the invention, the device incorporates the source for ionization in combination with a jet separator to efficiently remove excess carrier gas while permitting ions to be more efficiently transferred into the vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer. In an embodiment of the invention, improved collection of ions produced by the carrier gas containing metastable neutral excited-state species at greater distances from between the position of the analyte and the position of the mass spectrometer are enabled.
Claims18
A device comprising:
- an atmospheric pressure ionization source producing a stream of one or both low mass carrier molecules and atoms;
- a grid;
- and
- a gas ion separator connected to the grid, where both the grid and gas ion separator are located at least in part in a vacuum region;
- and wherein the gas ion separator is made up of two or more substantially co-axial tubes having a proximal portion located at least in part in a region of approximately atmospheric pressure and a distal portion located at least in part in a high vacuum region.
An instrument for analyzing ions comprising:
- an atmospheric pressure ionization source producing a stream of ionizing gas;
- a grid;
- a gas ion separator;
- a spectrometer;
- and
- a pump producing a vacuum region in the instrument, where the grid and the gas ion separator are at least in part located in the vacuum region and wherein the gas ion separator is made up of two or more substantially co-axial tubes having a proximal portion located at least in part in a region of approximately atmospheric pressure and a distal portion located at least in part in a high vacuum region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.