Ion modification An ion mobility spectrometer (100) comprising a sample inlet (108) comprising an aperture arranged to allow a sample of gaseous fluid to flow from an ambient pressure region to a low pressure region of the ion mobility spectrometer to be ionised; a controller (200) arranged to control gas pressure in the low pressure region to be lower than ambient pressure; and an ion modifier (126, 127, 202) configured to modify ions in the low pressure region, wherein the ions are obtained from the sample of gas.

Load lock assemblies for a sample analysis system, such as a mass spectrometry system, include a load lock chamber having longitudinally opposing first and second end portions and a through channel, a door coupled to the second end portion, and a seal assembly coupled to the first end portion. The seal assembly includes a rigid seal housing member coupled to a housing of the load lock chamber. The rigid seal housing member includes a port forming part of the first end portion of the through channel of the load lock chamber. The rigid seal housing member can include a self-centering cartridge and/or a flexure member coupled to the housing of the load lock chamber. Where used, the flexure member has an outer perimeter that extends above and below the rigid seal housing member and includes an aperture that is aligned with the port of the rigid seal housing member.

An interface for receiving ions in a carrier gas from an atmospheric pressure ion source at a spectrometer that is configured to analyse the received ions at a lower pressure includes an interface vacuum chamber having a downstream aperture; a support assembly defining an axial bore arranged to allow a removable capillary tube to extend therethrough; ions being received from the atmospheric pressure ion source through the capillary tube and directed towards the downstream aperture; and a jet disruptor, positioned downstream from the axial bore and configured to disrupt gas flow between the axial bore and the downstream aperture only when the capillary tube is not fully inserted through the axial bore.

A method of mass spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises providing a spectrometer comprising an orifice between an atmospheric pressure region and a sub-atmospheric pressure region of the spectrometer, wherein the sub-atmospheric pressure region comprises an ion guide or ion trap; providing a sample probe comprising a needle assembly on which a sample is deposited or that is supplied with a sample; inserting the needle assembly through the orifice and into the sub-atmospheric pressure region so that the sample is arranged within or adjacent to the ion guide or ion trap in the sub-atmospheric pressure region; and then desorbing the sample from the needle assembly within the sub-atmospheric pressure region and/or ionising the sample within the sub-atmospheric pressure region so as to generate ions that enter the ion guide or ion trap. As the needle assembly is inserted so that the sample is arranged within or adjacent to the ion guide or ion trap, analyte ions from the sample are captured efficiently.

This mass spectrometric device is provided with a sample container (8) for placing a measurement sample (12) therein, a detector (9) analyzing the mass of a sample and detecting a drug, or the like, in the sample, a dielectric container (3) linked to the sample container for running a discharge current into air to provoke ionization, a valve (2) for sending air intermittently to the sample container, the dielectric container and the detector, a barrier discharge high-voltage power source (6) to be discharged by the dielectric container, a current detection unit (5) connected to the barrier discharge high-voltage power source for detecting a discharge current (28), a discharge-start timing detection unit (7) connected to the current detection unit for detecting the discharge-start timing based on the current detection result from the current detection unit to send a discharge-start timing signal (17), and a control unit (11) for controlling each constituent.

In a mass spectrometry method for generating product ions from a precursor ion derived from a sample component having a hydrocarbon chain and mass-analyzing the product ion, the precursor ion is irradiated with an oxygen radical or a hydroxy radical and a nitrogen oxide radical to generate product ions, the product ions are separated according to mass-to-charge ratio and the product ions are detected, and a structure of the hydrocarbon chain is inferred based on mass-to-charge ratio of the detected product ions.

The invention relates to hybrid IMS/MS systems and provides hybrid IMS/MS system comprising an RF funnel, an ion mobility analyzer and a mass analyzer wherein the RF funnel is arranged non-collinearly to the ion mobility analyzer, preferably a TIMS analyzer (TIMS=trapped ion mobility spectrometry).

A mass spectrometer includes an ion trap, which has an interior for storing ions, a signal generator, which is connected to an electrode of the ion trap, which delimits the interior, for coupling in a voltage signal, in particular a radiofrequency voltage signal, and an ionization device for ionizing a gas to be ionized and supplied to the interior. The ionization device is connected to the signal generator in order to use the voltage signal (U.sub.RF, U.sub.Stim1, U.sub.stim2) of the signal generator, which is coupled into the electrode, for generating ions.

A packaging for a needle-like component of a mass spectrometry (MS) system is provided. The packaging includes a receptacle configured for storing the needle-like component in a secured position inside the receptacle. The packaging further comprises an actuator configured to move the needle-like component from the secured position inside the receptacle to a mounting position in which the needle-like component projects out of the receptacle for mounting the needle-like component to the MS system.

Imaging by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) requires that a sample be encased in an amorphous solid, such as amorphous ice. In current cryo-EM preparation systems, once the sample has been deposited on an EM grid and coated in the amorphous solid, the EM grid must be removed from vacuum and then transferred into the vacuum of the cryo-EM system. As a result, samples deposited on the grid are exposed to damage and contamination. The present invention provides improved EM grid handling systems and devices compatible with advanced cryo-EM sample preparation techniques and which reduce or eliminate exposure of the sample on the grid to atmosphere and elevated temperatures. These methods and devices will also significantly reduce handling time and complexities associated with cryo-EM sample preparation.