A method is disclosed comprising providing a biological sample on a swab, directing a spray of charged droplets onto a surface of the swab in order to generate a plurality of analyte ions, and analysing the analyte ions.

Certain configurations are described herein of an instrument comprising a passive cooling device which includes, in part, a loop thermosyphon configured to thermally couple to a component of the instrument to be cooled. In some instances, the cooling device can cool a transistor, transistor pair, an interface or other components of the instrument.

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.

A heating device having a heating element patterned into a robust MEMs substrate, wherein the heating element is electrically isolated from a fluid reservoir or bulk conductive sample, but close enough in proximity to an imagable window/area having the fluid or sample thereon, such that the sample is heated through conduction. The heating device can be used in a microscope sample holder, e.g., for SEM, TEM, STEM, X-ray synchrotron, scanning probe microscopy, and optical microscopy.

A method for operating a mass spectrometer comprises: generating a stream of ions by an ion source; directing the stream of ions into a first one of a pair of ion storage locations and trapping a first portion of the ions therein; directing a packet of ions from the other one of the pair of ion storage locations into an ion cooling cell that damps the kinetic energy of the ions comprising the packet of ions; directing the packet of ions to a mass analyzer of the mass spectrometer for mass analysis thereby; directing the first portion of ions from the first one of the pair of ion storage locations into the ion cooling cell; and directing the first portion of ions to the mass analyzer for mass analysis thereby.

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.

An example system includes an electron ionization ion source and a mass analyzer. The electron ion source is configured, during operation of the system, to create from sample molecules a beam of ions extending along an ion beam axis. The system also includes a collision cooling chamber comprising a gas manifold and an electric field generator. The cooling chamber defines an entrance aperture and an exit aperture on respective opposing ends of the cooling chamber, the entrance aperture of the cooling chamber being in axial alignment with the ion beam axis. The cooling chamber is configured, during operation of the system, to generate a radio frequency (RF) field within the cooling chamber using the electric field generator, and receive collision gas through the gas manifold to pressurize the cooling chamber.

A water-containing simulated lunar soil preparation and water content measurement system and method is provided. The system includes a water-containing simulated lunar soil preparation unit, a low-pressure environment simulation unit, and a water content analysis unit. The water-containing simulated lunar soil preparation unit includes a preparation pipeline, a low-temperature lunar soil cold trap, and a low-temperature water ice cold trap. Both ends of the preparation pipeline are connected with the low-temperature lunar soil cold trap and the low-temperature water ice cold trap through a first opening and closing valve and a second opening and closing valve, respectively. The low-pressure environment simulation unit includes a low-pressure pipeline provided with a vacuum pump. Both ends of the low-pressure pipeline are connected with the preparation pipeline and the water content analysis unit through a first pneumatic valve and a second pneumatic valve, respectively.

The invention relates to the generation of desolvated ions by electrospraying to be investigated analytically, e.g. according to the charge-related mass m/z and/or ion mobility. The cloud of highly charged droplets drawn from the spray capillary by a high voltage is usually focused and stabilized by a beam of nebulizing gas surrounding the cloud of tiny droplets. For a fast drying of the droplets, an additional desolvation gas is usually heated to a temperature of up to several hundred degrees centigrade and blown into the cloud of droplets. The invention particularly relates to the heating of the gas which is instrumental in the generation of desolvated ions as part of the electrospraying process without any mechanical or electrical contact between the heating power supply and the heater itself, but rather by heating the heater for the gas using electromagnetic induction.

Provided is a technique to carry out mass spectrometry of a wide variety of subject compounds to be analyzed, each of which is extracted in a supercritical fluid. A mass spectrometer (1) includes: a supercritical fluid introduction section (3) for introducing and releasing, to vacuum, a supercritical fluid in which a subject compound for mass spectrometry is contained (extracted); an ionization section (4) that ionizes the subject compound which is extracted in the supercritical fluid, the ionization being carried out in the vacuum by a molecular reaction involving proton transfer; and a mass measurement section (5) that measures a mass of the subject compound which has been ionized.