Various configurations of muon drift tubes for use in muon tomography are described and involve aluminum end caps coupled to an aluminum tube, an electrode in each of the end caps, and an anode wire extending between the electrodes. A two-part electrically conductive, gas-sealed, connection is located between an aluminum end cap and the aluminum tube. Methods of making those configurations of muon drift tubes are also described.

A probe assembly is disclosed comprising an inlet for receiving an eluent from a chromatography device; an outlet for delivering the eluent to an ion source of a mass spectrometer; and an attachment device for attaching the outlet to the mass spectrometer. The outlet comprises an electrically conductive capillary and an electrically conductive member surrounding at least part of the electrically conductive capillary. The electrically conductive member is arranged to receive a voltage upon connection of the attachment device to the mass spectrometer and the electrically conductive member is arranged to provide an electrical connection from the electrically conductive member to the electrically conductive capillary.

A probe assembly is disclosed comprising an inlet for receiving an eluent from a chromatography device; an outlet for delivering the eluent to an ion source of a mass spectrometer; and an attachment device for attaching the outlet to the mass spectrometer. The outlet comprises an electrically conductive capillary and an electrically conductive member surrounding at least part of the electrically conductive capillary. The electrically conductive member is arranged to receive a voltage upon connection of the attachment device to the mass spectrometer and the electrically conductive member is arranged to provide an electrical connection from the electrically conductive member to the electrically conductive capillary.

A muon detector includes: a chamber having a maximum cross-sectional dimension of 30 cm or less; a gas sealed inside the chamber ionized by the passage of atmospheric muons to form ions in the chamber; a cathode in the chamber at a first position; an anode in the chamber displaced from the first position, the anode including a mesh of wires; a micropattern gaseous detector arranged between the cathode and the anode and proximate to the anode and configured to receive the ions formed in the chamber between the anode and the cathode and generate electrons in response to each ion sufficient to generate a current in one or more of the mesh wires of the anode; and readout electronics in electrical communication with the anode to detect signals in response to the current generated in the mesh wires.

A probe assembly is disclosed comprising an inlet for receiving an eluent from a chromatography device; an outlet for delivering the eluent to an ion source of a mass spectrometer; and an attachment device for attaching the outlet to the mass spectrometer. The outlet comprises an electrically conductive capillary and an electrically conductive member surrounding at least part of the electrically conductive capillary. The electrically conductive member is arranged to receive a voltage upon connection of the attachment device to the mass spectrometer and the electrically conductive member is arranged to provide an electrical connection from the electrically conductive member to the electrically conductive capillary.

Components of scientific analytical equipment. More particularly, ion detectors of the type which incorporate electron multipliers and modifications thereto for extending the operational lifetime or otherwise improving performance. The ion detector may be embodied in the form of a particle detector having one or more electron emissive surfaces and/or an electron collector surface therein, the particle detector being configured such that in operation the environment about the electron emissive surface(s) and/or the electron collector surface is/are different to the environment immediately external to the detector.