The four-dimensional microscope includes a sample plate, a laser device, an aperture, an extraction plate, a hexapole, a quadrupole, a time-of-flight mass analyzer, a detector, and a device for supplying a voltage to the sample plate, the aperture, the extraction plate and the hexapole and the quadrupole. By utilizing the tunneling effect of photo-induced electrons on surfaces of semiconductor materials under laser irradiation and the electron capture ionization, mass-to-charge ratios and signal intensities of the ions resulting from the capture of interfacially transferred photo-induced electrons and subsequent photo-chemical reactions are measured, and image reconstruction is performed to obtain microscopic images. By using the present invention, not only active photo-catalytic sites of the semiconductor materials are imaged but also various structures of intermediates and products of photo-chemical reactions can be determined.

Provided is an ICP mass spectrometer which is able to effectively discharge residual water by limiting the consumption of Ar gas and a fluctuation in supply pressure of an Ar gas source at the time of an Ar gas purge for a coolant system. The ICP mass spectrometer is provided with: a device body part 1; a coolant system 2 that supplies a coolant from a water source 20 to to-be-cooled structure parts including a high-frequency power supply 12, a high-frequency coil 18, and a sample introduction part 13, which need to be cooled; and an Ar gas supply system 3. Intermediate valves V2, V3 are disposed on the downstream side of a main valve V0, a purge gas channel 32 having a purge valve V1, and a meeting point G of the purge gas channel 32. The to-be-cooled structure parts are connected to a cooling-use pipe on the downstream side of the intermediate valves V2, V3. A valve control part 35 is configured to perform intermittent purge control of repeating accumulation and discharge of the Ar gas on the upstream side of the intermediate valves V2, V3 by intermediately opening and closing the intermediate valves V2, V3 when the Ar gas is being sent.

Disclosed is an apparatus for and a method of mass analysis, the apparatus and the method being capable of improving a detection accuracy of a target substance including impurities, without increasing a size of the apparatus, and shortening measuring time. The apparatus analyzing a sample containing a target substance and one or more interfering substances, which have a peak of a mass spectrum overlapping that of the target substance includes: a peak correction unit calculating an intensity of net peak D of the mass spectrum of the target substance by subtracting a total sum of estimated intensities of the peak B, which are calculated every predetermined time interval according to the intensity of the peak A and a nonlinear relation F between the peak A and the peak B, from an intensity of peak C of a mass spectrum of the target substance of the sample.

A sample preparation apparatus for an elemental analysis system comprising a sample combustion and/or reduction and/or pyrolysis arrangement for receiving a sample of material to be analyzed, and producing therefrom a sample gas flow containing atoms, molecules and/or compounds; a gas chromatography (GC) column into which the sample gas flow is directed; a heater for heating at least a part of the GC column; and a controller for controlling the heater. The controller is configured to control the heater so as to increase the temperature of at least the part of the GC column while the sample gas flow in the GC column elutes.

The present invention relates to drift tubes for ion mobility spectrometers. In one embodiment, the drift tube of the present invention uses a simplified design having helical resistive material to form substantially constant electric fields that guide ion movements. The drift tube for ion mobility spectrometers described herein is constructed with a non-conductive structure. This configuration provides a robust ion mobility spectrometer that is simple to build. One feature of the present invention is that the drift tube design described herein enables the ion mobility spectrometer to be built with a lower weight, lower power consumption, lower manufacturing cost, and free of sealants.

A new ICP-MS ion transfer method is disclosed capable of generating and transporting high yields of positive and negative ions, with the ability of quenching undesirable meta-stable ions and neutrals while using the existing ICP torch. A dopant is added in various pressure regions of the mass spectrometer interface, where reaction time is suitable for gas-phase ion/molecular reaction to occur. Introducing dopants or analyte in the provided RF confinement fields generates a high yield of negative ions in various pressure regions of mass spectrometer. A mechanism utilizing free electrons and meta-stable neutrals (Ar* for example) is used to form high yields of negatively charged elements which are originally atomized within the plasma and are stable in negative ionic form.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for systems and methods for multiplexed electrospray ionization. In certain embodiments, electrospray ionization sources orthogonally inject ions into an ion funnel with at least two of the sources injecting on the same side of the ion funnel.

A method of injecting analyte ions into a mass analyser comprises: injecting analyte ions of a first charge and counter ions of a second charge into an ion trap; cooling the analyte ions and the counter ions simultaneously in the ion trap such that a spatial distribution of the analyte ions therein is reduced; and injecting the analyte ions as an ion packet from the ion trap into the mass analyser. A mass spectrometer controller is configured to: cause an ion source to inject an amount of analyte ions of a first charge and an amount of counter ions of a second charge into an ion trap; cause the ion trap to simultaneously cool the analyte ions and the counter ions in the ion trap, thereby reducing a spatial distribution of the analyte ions therein; and cause the ion trap to inject the analyte ions into a mass analyser.

A detection apparatus and a detection method are disclosed. In one aspect, the detection apparatus includes a sampling device for collecting samples to be checked. It further includes a sample pre-processing device configured to pre-process the sample from the sampling device. It further includes a sample analyzing device for separating samples from the pre-processing device and for analyzing the separated samples. The detection apparatus is miniaturized and highly precise, and is capable of quickly and accurately detecting gaseous phase or particulate substances, and it has applications for safety inspections at airports, ports, and subway stations.

Methods for determining the hardness and/or ductility of a material by compression of the material are provided as a first aspect of the invention. Typically, compression is performed on multiple sides of a geologic material sample in a contemporaneous manner. Devices and systems for performing such methods also are provided. These methods, devices, and systems can be combined with additional methods, devices, and systems of the invention that provide for the analysis of compounds contained in such samples, which can indicate the presence of valuable materials, such as petroleum-associated hydrocarbons. Alternatively, these additional methods, devices, and systems can also stand independently of the methods, devices, and systems for analyzing ductility and/or hardness of materials.