The invention provides an analytic nebuliser device for delivering a sample in aerosolised form, the device comprising a nebuliser nozzle configured to receive a flow of said sample and generate a plume of aerosolised sample spray and a chamber configured to receive a flow of make-up gas and connecting with a plurality of microchannels having outlets arranged around and adjacent to said nebuliser nozzle wherein the microchannels are configured to produce a make-up gas stream with high linear velocity around said aerosolised sample spray to shape and direct said plume. The invention extends to a mass spectrometry or spectroscopy system including the above analytic nebuliser device, to provide in operation the aerosolised sample spray to an ionisation device of the system.

A mass spectrometry method comprising steps of generating an ion beam from an ion source; directing the ion beam into a collision cell; introducing into the collision cell through a gas inlet on the collision cell a charge-neutral analyte gas or reaction gas; ionizing the analyte gas or reaction gas in the collision cell by means of collisions between the analyte gas or reaction gas and the ion beam; transmitting ions from the ionized analyte gas or reaction gas from the collision cell into a mass analyzer; and mass analyzing the transmitted ions of the ionized analyte or reaction gas. The methods can be applied in isotope ratio mass spectrometry to determine the isotope abundance or isotope ratio of a reaction gas used in mass shift reactions between the gas and sample ions, to determine a corrected isotope abundance or ratio of the sample ions.

A mass spectrometer (ion analyzer) includes: an ionization chamber; a sample probe fixed to a wall of the ionization chamber and configured to nebulize a liquid sample into the ionization chamber; a gas heater including a tubular member having both end walls and a peripheral wall, a heater configured to heat the inside of the tubular member, a gas flow inlet and a gas flow outlet provided in the peripheral wall or the end wall of the tubular member, and a gas flow outlet pipe having one end connected to the gas flow outlet and the other end inserted into the ionization chamber; a fixture configured to fix the gas heater to the wall of the ionization chamber; and a cooling unit configured to cool the fixture.

A mass spectrometry device and process may include the use of helium as a nebulizing gas to provide increased signal strength in mass spectrum results. This may be implemented in, for example, ESI-based and/or DESI-based systems and/or processes. The process may be implemented utilizing a unique ionization source and, optionally, other unique components. One or more process parameters may be adjusted to provide increased signal intensity in mass spectrum results.

A first spray unit (201) sprays a first sample into a first space (20) while charging the first sample. A second spray unit (202) sprays a second sample into the first space (20) or a second space (21) communicating with the first space (20) while charging the second sample. A determination unit (62) determines whether or not the second sample is sprayed from the second spray unit (202). A gas supply unit (74) supplies gas into the first space (20). A control unit (63) controls supply of the gas from the gas supply unit (74). In a case where the determination unit (62) determines that the second sample is sprayed from the second spray unit (202), the control unit (63) starts the supply of the gas from the gas supply unit (74) into the first space (20).

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.

Systems and methods for atmospheric pressure chemical ionization are provided herein. In various aspects, the APCI apparatus, systems, and methods can provide an asymmetric sample spray into a vaporization chamber asymmetrically (e.g., off axis from the longitudinal axis of the vaporization chamber) so as to increase the interaction of the molecules in the sample spray with the vaporization chamber's sidewalls (and expose more of the molecules to the heat generated thereby), which can thereby result in improved consistency and/or efficiency of ion formation, and/or increased sensitivity relative to conventional APCI techniques.

An object of the present invention is to improve the safety and stability of an ion source by making a temperature distribution of a heated gas uniform while ensuring heat insulating properties. The ion source according to the present invention includes a gas introduction port inside a probe holder that holds an ion probe. A heater that increases the temperature of a heated gas and the gas introduction port are connected by a plurality of pipes which extend along an extending direction of the ion probe and are independent of each other (see FIG. 4).

A system and method are provided for loading a sample into an analytical instrument using acoustic droplet ejection (“ADE”) in combination with a continuous flow sampling probe. An acoustic droplet ejector is used to eject small droplets of a fluid sample containing an analyte into the sampling tip of a continuous flow sampling probe, where the acoustically ejected droplet combines with a continuous, circulating flow stream of solvent within the flow probe. Fluid circulation within the probe transports the sample through a sample transport capillary to an outlet that directs the analyte away from the probe to an analytical instrument, e.g., a device that detects the presence, concentration quantity, and/or identity of the analyte. When the analytical instrument is a mass spectrometer or other type of device requiring the analyte to be in ionized form, the exiting droplets pass through an ionization region, e.g., an electrospray ion source, prior to entering the mass spectrometer or other analytical instrument. The method employs active flow control and enables real-time kinetic measurements.

A flow control device for aerosolised sample delivery in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analytical system is provided. The device includes a body that at least in part defines a sample flow separating region, the sample flow separating region having a longitudinal flow direction and having an upstream end through which the aerosolised sample enters and a downstream end through which a modified aerosolised sample exits. The body further includes an injection duct having an opening adjacent to the sample flow separating region, the injection duct configured to direct a stream of gas in an injection direction to the sample flow separating region. The injection direction is angled relative to the longitudinal flow direction such that, upon introduction of the stream of gas through the opening, a vortex flow is generated in the sample flow separating region, the vortex flow having a direction counter to the direction of flow of the aerosolised sample to provide control of droplet size in the modified aerosolised sample.