A system for sampling a sample material includes a device for directing sample into a capture probe. The device for supplying sample material to the probe can be a device for radiating energy to the surface to eject sample from the sample material. A probe includes an outer probe housing having an open end. A liquid supply conduit has an outlet positioned to deliver liquid to the open end. An exhaust conduit removes liquid from the open end of the housing. The liquid supply conduit can be connectable to a liquid supply for delivering liquid at a first volumetric flow rate to the open end of the housing. A liquid exhaust system can be in fluid connection with the liquid exhaust conduit for removing liquid from the liquid exhaust conduit at a second volumetric flow rate, which exceeds the first volumetric flow rate such that gas with sample is withdrawn with the liquid. The probe can produce a vortex of liquid in the liquid exhaust conduit. A method for sampling a surface and a sampling probe system are also disclosed.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises: using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target comprising or consisting of a microbial population; mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and analysing said spectrometric data in order to analyse said microbial population.

A nozzle for an ionisation source comprises: a light passage having an inlet end and an outlet end; and a gas flow passage in fluid communication with the light passage, wherein the gas flow passage is configured to convey, in use, a flow of gas into the light passage such that the flow of gas travels substantially towards the outlet end of the light passage.

A sample support used for ionizing a component of a sample includes: a substrate having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of through-holes that are open on the first surface and on the second surface; a conductive layer provided on at least the first surface; and a cationizing agent provided in the plurality of through-holes to cationize the component with a predetermined atom.

A method and apparatus for locating and selecting a colony of microorganisms on a culture dish and identifying microorganisms in said selected colony using MALDI. The method comprises the automated steps of locating and selecting a colony of microorganisms on a culture dish; obtaining a sample of said selected colony of microorganisms; depositing at least some of said sample of said selected colony of microorganisms on a target plate; and transferring said target plate with said sample in an apparatus for performing MALDI for identification of said sample of said selected colony of microorganisms. A sample of a colony of microorganisms is automatically deposited on a depositing spot such that the sample covers at most approximately half of said one of the depositing spots of the target plate. A suspension of a sample of microorganisms is automatically prepared by automatically picking the sample with a picking tool and submerging the picking tool with said sample in a suspension, after which the picking tool is vibrated in vertical sense only to release the sample from the picking tool.

Provided is a sample pretreatment device configured to apply, to the surface of a sample, a solution in which a predetermined substance is dissolved or dispersed. In order to properly and efficiently unclog a nozzle due to the deposition of the crystal of a matrix substance, the device includes a spray unit (3) including a solution tube (32) for the solution to pass through, a gas tube (33) for a spray gas to pass through, and a nozzle part (30) configured to spray the solution arriving at the terminal end of the solution tube by ejection of the spray gas through the gas tube, as well as a cleaning liquid supplier (4, 41) configured to put a cleaning liquid on an opening of the nozzle part from outside the spray unit.

Methods for an instrument including a light source of are provided. A method for an instrument including a light source includes providing light from the light source to a target location in a process chamber. The method includes receiving the light at a sensor. The method includes determining, using data from the sensor, a first position of the light at the target location. Moreover, the method includes determining whether to adjust the light to a second position at the target location. Related instruments are also provided.

In a data processing unit, alignment is performed by appropriately deforming one image among MS imaging images acquired from different samples so that positions and sizes on the MS imaging image are matched (S1 to S5). When the aligned image is displayed on a screen of a display unit and a user sets a region of interest on the image serving as a reference (S6), a micro region including a center point within a range of the set region of interest is extracted in each of an image serving as the reference and an image not serving as the reference (S7). In the image subjected to image deformation, although the shape of each micro region is distorted and micro regions are not arranged in an orderly grid manner, by assuming that the micro regions in which the center point is included within the range of the region of interest is included in the range of the region of interest, it is possible to perform a comparative analysis based on the data value within an appropriate micro region corresponding to the region of interest regardless of the image deformation.

The present invention provides an imaging mass spectrometer which generates ions by irradiating a sample with a laser beam and performs mass spectrometry of the ions, the imaging mass spectrometer including: a laser irradiation unit 30 configured to emit the laser beam toward the sample, a condensing optical system 33 disposed between the laser irradiation unit 30 and the sample and configured to condense the laser beam emitted from the laser irradiation unit 30, an image acquiring unit 40 configured to acquire a condensing state checking image which is an optical microscopic image capable of checking a condensing state on the sample of the laser beam emitted from the laser irradiation unit 30, and a display unit 64 configured to display the condensing state checking image acquired by the image acquiring unit 40 on a display screen.

The present disclosure provides a method for simultaneously measuring the value of forsterite and trace elements in olivine, comprising the following steps: Step S1: selecting samples, wherein the samples are olivine samples; Step S2: placing the samples in a sample chamber of LA-ICP-MS, and adjusting the position of the samples in the optical axis direction so that the laser beam is well focused; Step S3: optimizing the instrument to make the signal-to-noise ratio of .sup.57Fe be the best; Step S4: adopting LA-ICP-MS peak hopping mode and receiving all the mass peaks of the samples by single electron multiplier (SEM). The present disclosure overcomes the disadvantages of long test cycle and high test cost in the prior art.