An ion guide for transferring ions to a mass analyzer is disclosed. The ion guide is characterized in that a plurality of DC rings and a plurality of RF multi-pole rings with a plurality of electrodes are arranged alternatingly along a central axis between an inlet into which the ions move and an outlet for transferring the ions. The inner diameter of the DC rings is kept constant and the inner diameter of the RF multi-pole rings gradually decreases in a direction from the inlet to the outlet.

A mass spectrum resolution device for measuring laser ablation ion species with improved time of flight mass spectrometry includes a vacuum system unit, a plasma production unit, and a particle restraint selection and separation unit, wherein the particle restraint selection and separation unit comprises a particle limit selector and a plurality of ion pulse accelerated electrode plates; the particle limit selector comprises a restrainer lifting block, a restrainer and a restrainer selection baffle; a through hole is formed in the restrainer lifting block; a plurality of circular holes with different apertures are formed in the restrainer selection baffle, and the restrainer and the restrainer selection baffle are arranged in the restrainer lifting block and can move; and the ion pulse accelerated electrode plates are arranged in the advance direction of particles and are axially parallel to the restrainer lifting block.

An ionizer includes a probe having multiple coaxially aligned conduits. The conduits may carry liquids, and nebulizing and heating gases at various flow rates and temperatures, for generation of ions from a liquid source. An outermost conduit defines an entrainment region that transports and entrains ions in a gas for a defined distance along the length of the conduits. In embodiments, various voltages may be applied to the multiple conduits to aid in ionization and to guide ions. Depending on the voltages applied to the multiple conduits and electrodes, the ionizer can act as an electrospray, APCI, or APPI source. Further, the ionizer may include a source of photons or a source of corona ionization. Formed ions may be provided to a downstream mass analyser.

A mass spectrometer provided with an ionization chamber (10) in which ionization is performed on a sample by laser ionization, includes an opening part (12) that is provided on a side wall of the ionization chamber (10), and includes a door (13); a ventilation port (14) provided in a wall of the ionization chamber (10), which is opposite to the opening port (12); and a gas supplier (64), (67) for supplying high-pressure cleaning gas to the ionization chamber (10) through the ventilation port (14). In this configuration, the high-pressure cleaning gas flows into the ionization chamber (10) from the gas supplier (64), (67) while the door (13) is opened, thereby blowing up particles including fragments of bacterial cells, which are piled up on a floor of the ionization chamber (10), and/or sweeping particles floating near the floor, so as to discharge the particles to the outside.

A laser desorption/ionization method includes a first process of preparing a sample support body. The sample support body includes a substrate, an ionization substrate, and a support that supports the ionization substrate with respect to the substrate such that a first surface of the ionization substrate is separated from the substrate. A plurality of through-holes are formed at least in measurement regions of the ionization substrate. A conductive layer is provided on peripheral edges of the through-holes at least on the second surface. Further, the laser desorption/ionization method includes a second process of dropping the sample on the measurement regions of the ionization substrate, and a third process of, after the sample has infiltrated into the ionization substrate, ionizing components of the sample by applying a laser beam to the second surface while applying a voltage to the conductive layer.

A sample analyzer includes a voltage source that applies a voltage to a sample. A laser irradiator irradiates the sample with a laser beam. A detector detects a particle emitted from the sample. An operation device specifies the material of the particle detected by the detection device, by mass spectrometry of the particle and analyzes the structure of the sample. The operation device calculates a ratio in structure between model information indicating the structure of the sample, which is prepared in advance, and analysis information indicating the structure of the sample, which is obtained by the mass spectrometry, and applies the ratio to the analysis information so as to correct the analysis information.

An analyzing device includes: a measurement data acquisition unit that acquires measurement data obtained by irradiating a plurality of irradiation positions on a sample with a laser beam and performing mass spectrometry on a sample component corresponding to each irradiation position; and an analysis unit that performs analysis of the measurement data by excluding a set of data corresponding to an excluded irradiation position among the plurality of irradiation positions each having a different irradiation portion from which a portion that has been already irradiated with the laser beam is excluded in an irradiation range irradiated when the laser beam is irradiated to each irradiation position.

An ion analyzer includes: a sample placement unit 2 on which a sample 1 is to be placed; an excitation beam irradiation unit 3 that irradiates the sample 1 placed on the sample placement unit 2 with an excitation beam in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the sample 1; a deflection unit 6 that makes at least some of ions generated from the sample 1 to fly in a direction deviating from an irradiation path of the excitation beam; and an analysis unit 8 disposed in a flight direction of ions deflected by the deflection unit 6, that separates and measures the ions in accordance with a predetermined physical quantity.

A mass spectrometer includes: a chamber; a support that, in a state in which, in a sample support body that includes a substrate in which a plurality of through-holes open in first and second surfaces are formed and a conductive layer that is at least provided on the first surface, the second surface thereof is in contact with a sample, supports the sample and the sample support body; a laser beam irradiation part that irradiates the first surface with a laser beam; a voltage application part that applies a voltage to the conductive layer; an ion detection part that, detects the ionized components of the sample in a space inside the chamber; a first light irradiation part that irradiates the sample with a first light from a side of the substrate; and an imaging part that obtains a reflected light image of the sample by the first light.

The present invention relates to the high resolution imaging of samples using imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) and to the imaging of biological samples by imaging mass cytometry (IMCTM) in which labelling atoms are detected by IMS. LA-ICP-MS (a form of IMS in which the sample is ablated by a laser, the ablated material is then ionised in an inductively coupled plasma before the ions are detected by mass spectrometry) has been used for analysis of various substances, such as mineral analysis of geological samples, analysis of archaeological samples, and imaging of biological substances. However, traditional LA-ICP-MS systems and methods may not provide high resolution. Described herein are methods and systems for high resolution IMS and IMC.