Systems for generating a proton beam include an electromagnetic radiation beam (e.g., a laser) that is directed onto an ion-generating target by optics to form the proton beam. A detector is configured to measure a laser-target interaction property, which a processor uses to produce a feedback signal that can be used to alter the proton beam by adjusting the source of the electromagnetic radiation beam, the optics, or a relative position or orientation of the electromagnetic radiation beam to the ion-generating target. By adjusting the laser-target interaction, the feedback can be used to control properties of the proton beam, such as the proton beam energy or flux. Such systems have certain advantages, including reducing the size, complexity, and cost of machines used to generate proton beams, while also improving their speed, precision, and configurability.

Provided is a charged particle generation device. The charged particle generation device includes a light source unit configured to emit a laser, a target layer that receives the laser and emits charged particles, and a focusing structure disposed on the target layer to focus the laser. The focusing structure includes solid films extending on an upper surface of the target layer in a direction away from the target layer, and a pore section disposed between the solid films and having a porous structure. The focusing structure includes a material having a higher atomic number than carbon.

Provided is a charged particle generation device. The charged particle generation device includes a light source unit configured to emit a laser, a target layer that receives the laser and emits charged particles, and a focusing structure disposed on the target layer to focus the laser. The focusing structure includes solid films extending on an upper surface of the target layer in a direction away from the target layer, and a pore section disposed between the solid films and having a porous structure. The focusing structure includes a material having a higher atomic number than carbon.

The invention relates to an ion source (50) for generating elemental ions and/or ionized metal oxides from aerosol particles, comprising: a reduced pressure chamber (61) having an inside; an inlet (56) and a flow restricting device (60) for inserting the aerosol particles in a dispersion comprising the aerosol particles dispersed in a gas, in particular in air, into the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (61), the inlet (60) fluidly coupling an outside of the reduced pressure chamber (61) via the flow restricting device (60) with the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (60); a laser (62) for inducing in a plasma region (63) in the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (61) a plasma in the dispersion for atomizing and ionizing the aerosol particles to elemental ions and/or ionized metal oxides; wherein the reduced pressure chamber (61) is adapted for achieving and maintaining in the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (61) a pressure in a range from 0.01 mbar to 100 mbar. The invention further relates to a method for generating elemental ions and/or ionized metal oxides from aerosol particles, comprising the steps of inserting aerosol particles in a dispersion comprising the aerosol particles dispersed in a gas, in particular in air, through an inlet (56) via a flow restricting device (60) into an inside of a reduced pressure chamber (61), while maintaining in the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (61) a pressure in a range from 0.01 mbar to 100 mbar, preferably from 0.1 mbar to 100 mbar or from 1 mbar to 100 mbar, particular preferably from 0.1 mbar to 50 mbar or from 1 mbar to 50 mbar, most preferably from 0.1 mbar to 40 mbar or from 1 mbar to 40 mbar; and inducing with a laser (62) in a plasma region (63) in the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (61) a plasma in the dispersion for atomizing and ionizing the aerosol particles to elemental ions and/or ionized metal oxides, wherein the laser (62) is adapted for inducing in the plasma region (63) in the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (61) the plasma in the gas of the dispersion for atomizing and ionizing the aerosol particles to elemental ions.

The invention refers to a method for generating an ultrashort ion bunch (22) comprising the steps of emitting a laser pulse (16) whose length is four periods or less, preferably one period, and whose power is 1 PW or more, preferably 10 PW or more; and irradiating a solid target (12) with said laser pulse (16), so as to create an ion bunch (22). The invention also refers to a corresponding system (10) for generating an ultrashort ion bunch (20) comprising the solid target (12), and a laser system (14) for generating the laser pulse (16) and irradiating the solid target (12) with the laser pulse (16), for creating an ion bunch (22).

The invention refers to a method for generating an ultrashort ion bunch (22) comprising the steps of emitting a laser pulse (16) whose length is four periods or less, preferably one period, and whose power is 1 PW or more, preferably 10 PW or more; and irradiating a solid target (12) with said laser pulse (16), so as to create an ion bunch (22). The invention also refers to a corresponding system (10) for generating an ultrashort ion bunch (20) comprising the solid target (12), and a laser system (14) for generating the laser pulse (16) and irradiating the solid target (12) with the laser pulse (16), for creating an ion bunch (22).

The invention relates to an ion source (50) for generating elemental ions and/or ionised metal oxides from aerosol particles, comprising: a reduced pressure chamber (61) having an inside; an inlet (56) and a flow restricting device (60) for inserting the aerosol particles in a dispersion comprising the aerosol particles dispersed in a gas, in particular in air, into the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (61), the inlet (60) fluidly coupling an outside of the reduced pressure chamber (61) via the flow restricting device (60) with the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (60); a laser (62) for inducing in a plasma region (63) in the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (61) a plasma in the dispersion for atomising and ionising the aerosol particles to elemental ions and/or ionised metal oxides; wherein the reduced pressure chamber (61) is adapted for achieving and maintaining in the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (61) a pressure in a range from 0.01 mbar to 100 mbar. The invention further relates to a method for generating elemental ions and/or ionised metal oxides from aerosol particles, comprising the steps of inserting aerosol particles in a dispersion comprising the aerosol particles dispersed in a gas, in particular in air, through an inlet (56) via a flow restricting device (60) into an inside of a reduced pressure chamber (61), while maintaining in the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (61) a pressure in a range from 0.01 mbar to 100 mbar, preferably from 0.1 mbar to 100 mbar or from 1 mbar to 100 mbar, particular preferably from 0.1 mbar to 50 mbar or from 1 mbar to 50 mbar, most preferably from 0.1 mbar to 40 mbar or from 1 mbar to 40 mbar; and inducing with a laser (62) in a plasma region (63) in the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (61) a plasma in the dispersion for atomising and ionising the aerosol particles to elemental ions and/or ionised metal oxides, wherein the laser (62) is adapted for inducing in the plasma region (63) in the inside of the reduced pressure chamber (61) the plasma in the gas of the dispersion for atomising and ionising the aerosol particles to elemental ions.

The present invention provides a mass spectrometer comprising a sample inlet, an ionization source, a mass analyzer, and an ion detector, wherein the ionization source comprises a photoionization detector lamp. The invention also provides mass spectrometers comprising two photoionization detector lamps. The use of a photoionization detector lamp can provide an increase in the signal of detected compounds as compared to the signal of detected compounds obtained using a comparable mass spectrometer with a conventional electron pumped beam lamp.

A method is presented for generating an ion beam. The method includes: positioning atoms in a cavity of an optical resonator that defines an optical dipole trap; exciting the atoms while the atoms are trapped in the optical dipole trap using two or more laser beams, thereby forming ions; and driving the ions along an output axis towards a target by applying an electric field to the ions. In one aspect, the ion density of the ion source is regulated, for example using feedback control. Changing the ion density may be achieved, for example by inputting the atomic excitation spectrum into a feedback loop and controlling the power of the two or more laser beams using feedback from the feedback loop.

Disclosed herein are metal oxides, metal oxide surfaces, and methods of using metal oxides and metal oxide surfaces for matrix-free analysis, identification, and characterization of small molecular mass compounds. The disclosed compounds and methods may be used with laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry. The disclosed surfaces may aid in producing mass/charge spectra having low or no interference found with traditional matrices. In some aspects, the method may be used to produce molecular ions. The disclosed compounds, surfaces, and methods may be used to analyze complex mixtures including fuels, vegetable shortening, lipid extracts from a variety of organic sources such as animals, plants, bacteria, algae, viruses, etc.