A method of analysis is disclosed comprising providing a sample on an insulating substrate such as a petri dish 4 and contacting e.g. the rear surface of the insulating substrate with a first electrode 9. The method further comprises contacting the sample with a second electrode 2 and applying an AC or RF voltage to the first and second electrodes 9,2 in order to generate an aerosol from the sample.

A surface ionizer for a trace detection system includes an extreme ultraviolet light source and an ion transfer line. Activation of the extreme ultraviolet light disrupts a surface of a sample along with residue and ionizes the resulting vapor. The ionized vapor is collected in the ion transfer line and passed into an analysis device for detection of components in the vapor.

Devices, systems and methods including a spray chamber are described. In certain examples, the spray chamber may be configured with an outer chamber configured to provide tangential gas flows. In other instances, an inner tube can be positioned within the outer chamber and may comprise a plurality of microchannels. In some examples, the outer chamber may comprise dual gas inlet ports. In some instances, the spray chamber may be configured to provide tangential gas flow and laminar gas flows to prevent droplet formation on surfaces of the spray chamber. Optical emission devices, optical absorption devices and mass spectrometers using the spray chamber are also described.

The present disclosure is directed to methods and systems for detecting a chemical substance. The methods and systems include chemically modifying a sample of a substance of interest through combination with a reagent to increase the volatility of the substance of interest. The systems and methods further include performing an analysis of the substance of interest.

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.

The present invention is directed to a method and device to desorb an analyte using heat to allow desorption of the analyte molecules, where the desorbed analyte molecules are ionized with ambient temperature ionizing species. In various embodiments of the invention a current is passed through a mesh upon which the analyte molecules are present. The current heats the mesh and results in desorption of the analyte molecules which then interact with gas phase metastable neutral molecules or atoms to form analyte ions characteristic of the analyte molecules.

A method for strontium isotope analysis of picogram-level samples using highly sensitive silicotungstic acid emitter is presented by a thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The emitter has merits of extremely high sensitivity, low cost, simple operation, etc. It is an important innovation of the strontium isotope analysis of the picogram-level samples. Compared with a sample consumption of 1-50 ng of conventional emitter, the present invention only needs 30-200 pg to obtain satisfying measurement accuracy. The present invention greatly improves test sensitivity, and has broad application prospects in future.

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.

An apparatus for mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising a first device arranged and adapted to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from a target and one or more second devices arranged and adapted to aspirate aerosol, smoke, vapour and/or liquid to or towards an analyser. A liquid trap or separator is provided to capture and/or discard liquid aspirated by the one or more second devices.

An ion molecule reactor for generating analyte ions from analytes comprises: a) a reaction volume in which reagent ions can interact with the analytes in order to form analyte ions; b) at least one analyte inlet for introducing the analytes along an inlet path into the reaction volume whereby, preferably, the inlet path runs essentially along at least a first section of the predefined transit path in the reaction volume; c) at least one reagent ion source and/or at least one reagent ion inlet for providing reagent ions into the reaction volume; d) optionally, at least one ion guide comprising an electrode arrangement which is configured for producing an alternating electrical, magnetic and/or electromagnetic field, that allows for guiding the reagent ions and/or the analyte ions at least along a section of the predefined transit path, preferably along the whole transit path, through the reaction volume. There is also provided a sampler comprising one or more chambers, wherein each chamber is configured for receiving an individual sample and comprises an inlet and an outlet, such that a gaseous fluid flow can pass through each of the chambers.