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.

The mass spectrometer includes an ionization unit, an ion transport unit, and a mass separation unit that separates transported ions according to a mass-to-charge ratio. The ion transport unit includes a transport electrode member, a voltage generator that applies a voltage to the transport electrode member, and a voltage controller that changes a voltage applied to the transport electrode member while ionization is performed. The voltage controller switches between a first voltage state in which charged particles generated in the ionization unit can enter the mass separation unit, and a second voltage state in which the charged particles cannot enter the mass separation unit, and switches a voltage state of the transport electrode member between the first voltage state and the second voltage state.

A cleanliness monitor for monitoring a cleanliness of a vacuum chamber. The cleanliness monitor may include a mass spectrometer, a molecule aggregation and release unit and an analyzer. The molecule aggregation and release unit is configured to (a) aggregate, during an aggregation period, organic molecules that are present in the vacuum chamber and (b) induce, during a release period, a release of a subset of the organic molecules towards the mass spectrometer. The mass spectrometer is configured to monitor an environment within the vacuum chamber and to generate detection signals indicative of a content of the environment; wherein a first subset of the detection signals is indicative of a presence of the subset of the organic molecules. The analyzer is configured to determine the cleanliness of the vacuum chamber based on the detection signals.

A mass spectrometer comprising: a vacuum chamber; and an ion inlet assembly for transmitting analyte ions into the vacuum chamber; wherein the spectrometer is configured to operate in a cooling mode in which it selectively controls one or more gas flow to the ion inlet assembly for actively cooling the ion inlet assembly.

A sample introduction system providing variable online dilution of a sample is described. In one or more implementations, a device includes a spectrometry analysis system that employs example techniques in accordance with the present disclosure includes an inline dilution environment, including a first valve assembly configured to prepare a sample by accepting at least one of the sample, a diluent, a carrier, or an internal standard, where the first valve assembly includes a first sample loop; and a second valve assembly configured to prepare the sample by accepting the sample from the first valve assembly, where the second valve assembly is coupled to the first valve assembly, and where the second valve assembly includes a second sample loop.

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.

A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a rotatable isolation valve (1) having a curved, spherical, cylindrical or concave portion. At least a portion of an ion guide (2) is positioned so as to extend within a swept volume of the isolation valve (1) enabling the ion guide (2) to be positioned close to a second downstream ion guide (3) and for ions to be transmitted from the first (2) ion guide to the second ion guide (3) with high ion transmission efficiency.

Provided is a valve 130 which requires only a small space for the open/close operation of an opening 113 in a partition wall. A sealing part 140 includes a sealing member 141 for sealing the opening by being pressed onto the partition wall around the opening. An urging means 144 urges the sealing member 141 against the opening when the sealing member 141 is in contact with the opening. A driving means 160 generates a driving force orthogonal to an opening central axis A which is an axis perpendicular to a partition plate 111 and passing through the center of the opening. A linkage 150, which is a Scott Russell linkage connecting the sealing part 140 and the driving means 160, converts the driving force of the driving means 160 into a driving force which is parallel to the opening central axis A and makes the sealing part 140 move along the same axis.

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).

Slide analysis a gripper with three sensors for controlling a slide grip sequence and at least one rotatable carousel with a slide receiving channel. The systems also include a robot with a robot arm that holds a slide gripper residing inside the housing in communication with the rotatable carousel. The systems also include a load lock chamber and a door sealably coupled to the second end portion and an acquisition vacuum chamber with an X-Y stage and a slide holder with a vacuum seal.