An ultrasonic transmitter (95) and detector (e.g., integrated as an ultrasound transducer) utilized in a feedback control system automatically monitors and/or detects surface profile (e.g., shape) of the liquid-air interface and adjusts the flow rate of sampling liquid to ensure that experimental conditions remain consistent at the time of sample introduction during serial samplings. The feedback control can provide for automated adjustment of the surface profile of the liquid-air interface in accordance with changes in desired set point according to an experimental workflow (e.g., automated adjustment between an interface corresponding to a vortex sampling set point and an overflow cleaning set point). Improvements in desorption efficiency and quality of mass spectrometry data by degassing of the liquid solvent utilized within the sampling interfaces, and/or utilization in a feedback control system for generating data indicative of a surface profile of the liquid-air interface within the interface's sampling port may be realized.

Devices, methods, and systems for enclosures for an ion trapping device are described herein. One enclosure for an ion trapping device includes a heat spreader base that includes a perimeter portion and a center portion connected to the perimeter portion by a bridge portion, a grid array coupled to the heat spreader, a spacer with a plurality of studs coupled to the grid array, an interposer and ion trap die coupled to the spacer, a connector coupled to interposer, and a roof portion coupled to the heat spreader base.

A rapid online analyzer for a .sup.14C-AMS, comprising: a solid sample processing module, an atmospheric sample collection and processing module, a microflow control module, an AMS module and an automatic control module. Sample preparation and AMS measurement are combined, a solid sample is directly converted into CO.sub.2 gas by an element analyzer and then enters an AMS for measurement, and an atmospheric sample is collected in real time for analysis by the AMS, such that quick and efficient analysis of the solid sample and the atmospheric sample is realized.

Methods and systems are provided for ionizing molecules for the purpose of analysis by mass spectrometry, in which gaseous material from a sample substrate is generated using laser desorption. The laser is provided having a pulse range of about 1-1000 picoseconds to produce the gaseous material. The gaseous material is heated to generate ions from the molecules present in the gaseous material where the amount of heat that is applied is in the temperature range of 45 C. to 250 C. and the applied heat results in soft ionization of the molecules. The ionized molecules are transported to a mass spectrometer for analysis.

An ionizing system includes a channel and a heater coupled to the channel. The channel has an inlet disposed in a first pressure region having a first pressure and an outlet disposed in a second pressure region having a second pressure. The first pressure is greater than the second pressure. The heater is for heating the channel, and the channel is configured to generate charged particles of a sample in response to the sample being introduced into the channel.

The present invention relates to a preconcentrator for vapors and particles collected from air. The vapor preconcentrator is made from plural layer of coils. The coil is made of resistance alloy. The pitch size of the coil is made to precisely trap/filter out certain size of the particles during preconcentration. Multiple coils could be made with different pitch sizes to achieve multiple step filtrations. When the sample flow enters the preconcentrator chamber, it passes through the coils. The particles of different sizes are trapped on different layer of coils. The vapor sample can be trapped on any coils when interacted with the coil surface. They could be trapped without any affinitive coating as the preconcentrator is at relatively low temperature. Different coils or different sections of the coil can be coated with different material to trap chemicals of different classes. During the desorption process, the coils are flash heated with controlled temperature ramping speed to evaporate the trapped chemicals.

The present invention provides an analysis method for determining halogens in geological samples by ICP-MS. The method includes following steps: weighing a geological sample and ammonium bifluoride in a sample dissolving tank, tightening the sample dissolving tank, and shaking; then heating the sample dissolving tank in a drying oven, and setting a temperature of the drying oven as 200-220 C. and heating time as 1-2 hours; cooling the sample dissolving tank to room temperature so as to obtain a solid mixture after heating is ended, adding ammonium hydroxide into the solid mixture, centrifuging, removing a precipitate, and collecting the supernatant; adding an internal standard solution into the supernatant, and uniformly mixing; and optimizing the ICP-MS to an optimal state, testing content of chlorine in the supernatant under a condition of medium resolution m/m=4000, and testing content of bromine and iodine in the supernatant under a condition of low resolution m/m=300.

A chemical analysis machine comprising a liquid phase chromatograph comprising, in turn, a chromatography nano-column with an inner diameter that is smaller than or equal to 100 m, a mass spectrometer with an electronic ionization source, and a joining assembly interposed between the liquid phase chromatograph and the mass spectrometer. The joining assembly comprises a microcapillary tube having an inner diameter smaller than or equal to 50 m and having a first end, which is directly connected to an outlet end of the nano-column so as to receive the liquid phase, and a second end, which is housed inside a vaporization microcannula where an inert gas flows. The vaporization microcannula is partially engaged by the microcapillary tube and has an end facing the inside of an ionization chamber of the mass spectrometer. The vaporization microcannula is subdivided into a first part, which is subjected to the action of a heating device, and a second part, which is kept at room temperature and has a length that is greater than or equal to 2 cm. The microcapillary tube occupies the inside of the entire second part of the vaporization microcannula and has an end portion that is arranged inside the first part and has a length that is less than or equal to 5 mm.

A method of spectrometric analysis comprises obtaining one or more sample spectra for an aerosol, smoke or vapour sample. The one or more sample spectra are subjected to pre-processing and then multivariate and/or library based analysis so as to classify the aerosol, smoke or vapour sample. The results of the analysis are used for various surgical or non-surgical applications.

An apparatus is disclosed comprising a first device for generating aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of a target, an inlet conduit to an ion analyser or mass spectrometer, the inlet conduit having an inlet through which the aerosol, smoke or vapour passes, and a Venturi pump arrangement arranged and adapted to direct the aerosol, smoke or vapour towards the inlet.