A miniature, low cost mass spectrometer capable of unit resolution over a mass range of 10 to 50 AMU. The mass spectrometer incorporates several features that enhance the performance of the design over comparable instruments. An efficient ion source enables relatively low power consumption without sacrificing measurement resolution. Variable geometry mechanical filters allow for variable resolution. An onboard ion pump removes the need for an external pumping source. A magnet and magnetic yoke produce magnetic field regions with different flux densities to run the ion pump and a magnetic sector mass analyzer. An onboard digital controller and power conversion circuit inside the vacuum chamber allows a large degree of flexibility over the operation of the mass spectrometer while eliminating the need for high-voltage electrical feedthroughs. The miniature mass spectrometer senses fractions of a percentage of inlet gas and returns mass spectra data to a computer.

An ambient ionisation source unit (10) is provided comprising: a housing (12) containing a first device (14) for generating analyte material from a surface of a sample to be analysed and a sampling inlet (16) for receiving analyte material liberated from the surface of the sample. The position(s) of the first device and/or sampling inlet is (are) fixed relative to the housing. Thus, the first device and the sampling inlet are integrated into a single unit that can be installed onto the front-end of an ion analysis instrument with minimal or reduced user interaction.

Mobility analyzer comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, one of said electrodes being grounded and the other of said electrodes being connectable to a high-voltage source, which analyzer further comprises an aerosol inlet and a sheath flow outlet as well as at least one sample flow channel with a sample inlet and a sample outlet, wherein the electrodes are embodied in a plastic material provided with an electrically conductive coating.

An analytical device includes: a regulator to which a gas storage container attached and which is held by a holder; a gas introduction chamber to which gas in the gas storage container is supplied through the regulator; and a movement mechanism that moves the holder so that the regulator moves between a measurement position and a non-measurement position.

The invention generally relates to mass spectrometry probes and systems for ionizing a sample. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a mass spectrometry probe including a substrate in which a portion of the substrate is coated with a material, a portion of which protrudes from the substrate.

An ion resonance excitation operation method and device by applying a quadrupolar electric field combined with a dipolar electric field. The method includes applying a main RF to any pair of plates of the ion trap mass analyzer, and applying a quadrupolar excitation signal to any pair of plates, and applying a reverse phase dipolar excitation signal to any pair of plates. Also provided is an ion resonance excitation operation method and device by using a quadrupolar electric field combined with a dipolar electric field, which includes applying a positive main RF to a pair of electrode rods of the quadrupole, and applying a negative main RF to the other pair of electrode rods; applying a quadrupolar excitation signal to any pair of electrode rods, applying a reverse phase dipolar excitation signal to any pair of electrode rods.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for conducting reactions and screening for reaction products.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry that includes producing ions from a sample in a proximity of the sample, transferring the produced ions from the sample to a distance with a flexible or re-configurable ion guide, the flexible or re-configurable ion guide being connected to RF voltages, and separating the produced ions with a mass to charge or mobility analyzer located at the distance to provide spectrometric results; and detecting the separated ions with at least one detector.

A miniature mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an atmospheric pressure ionisation source 701, a first vacuum chamber having an atmospheric pressure sampling orifice or capillary, a second vacuum chamber located downstream of the first vacuum chamber and a third vacuum chamber located downstream of the second vacuum chamber. A first vacuum pump 707 is arranged and adapted to pump the first vacuum chamber, wherein the first vacuum pump is arranged and adapted to maintain the first vacuum chamber at a pressure <10 mbar. A first RF ion guide 702 is located within the first vacuum chamber and an ion detector 705 is located in the third vacuum chamber. The ion path length from the atmospheric pressure sampling orifice or capillary to an ion detecting surface of the ion detector 705 is 400 mm. The mass spectrometer further comprises a tandem quadrupole mass analyser, a 3D ion trap mass analyser, a 2D or linear ion trap mass analyser, a Time of Flight mass analyser, a quadrupole-Time of Flight mass analyser or an electrostatic mass analyser arranged in the third vacuum chamber. A split flow turbomolecular vacuum pump 706 comprising an intermediate or interstage port is connected to the second vacuum chamber and a high vacuum (HV) port is connected to the third vacuum chamber. The first vacuum pump 707 is also arranged and adapted to act as a backing vacuum pump to the split flow turbomolecular vacuum pump 706 and the first vacuum pump 707 has a maximum pumping speed 10 m.sup.3/hr (2.78 L/s).

An ion inlet assembly for connecting to a mass spectrometer housing is disclosed comprising a sampling limiting body (325) having a sampling orifice (329). The sampling limiting body (325) comprises a nickel disk wherein the disk and sampling orifice (329) are made or formed by an electroforming process.