An RF voltage is applied across each electrode of a first array of evenly spaced, parallel, and coplanar electrodes and its corresponding electrode of a second array of evenly spaced, parallel, and coplanar electrodes. The RF voltage varies in amplitude according to an RF voltage amplitude gradient. The RF voltage produces an array of different quadrupole RF electric fields in a uniform gap between the first array and the second array. A DC voltage is superimposed on each electrode of the first array and its corresponding electrode of the second array. The DC voltage varies according to a DC voltage gradient in order to produce a DC electric field in the uniform gap. When ions are introduced in the uniform gap, the DC electric field causes the ions to drift toward quadrupole RF electric fields with increasing RF voltage amplitudes where the ions are trapped according to their m/z.

The invention generally relates to methods and devices for synchronization of ion generation with cycling of a discontinuous atmospheric interface. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a system for analyzing a sample that includes a mass spectrometry probe that generates sample ions, a discontinuous atmospheric interface, and a mass analyzer, in which the system is configured such that ion formation is synchronized with cycling of the discontinuous atmospheric interface.

A method of mass spectral analysis in an analytical electrostatic trap (14) is disclosed. The electrostatic trap (14) defines an electrostatic field volume and includes trap electrodes having static and non-ramped potentials. The method comprises injecting a continuous ion beam into the electrostatic field volume.

A vacuum system is described. The vacuum system includes a vacuum cell and an ion trap. The vacuum cell includes walls having an inner surface that form at least a portion of a vacuum chamber. At least a portion of the inner surface has a topography including structures therein. The structures include a getter material. The ion trap is within the vacuum chamber.

In one aspect, a method of performing Fourier Transform (FT) mass spectrometry is disclosed, which comprises passing a plurality of ions through an FT mass analyzer comprising a plurality of rods arranged in a multipole configuration, where the plurality of rods include an input port for receiving ions and an output port through which ions can exit the mass analyzer. The method can further include applying at least one RF voltage to at least one of the rods so as to generate an RF field for radial confinement of the ions as they pass through the mass analyzer, and applying a resonant burst of an AC signal to at least one of said rods so as to remove ions having selected m/z ratios, e.g., m/z ratios within a desired range, from the ions introduced into the FT mass analyzer.

A molecular cryptographic sampling device is disclosed including at least one unique identifying indicia disposed on the molecular cryptographic sampling device, a substrate including at least one depression disposed in or protrusion disposed on a surface of the substrate, at least one polymeric sorbent coating disposed on the at least one depression or protrusion, and at least one molecular encrypted code disposed on the at least one polymeric sorbent coating. The at least one molecular encrypted code includes at least one molecular tag, wherein the at least one molecular encrypted code is uniquely associated with the at least one unique identifying indicia in a database or by a predetermined algorithm.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for separating ions at about or above atmospheric pressure. In certain embodiments, the invention provides systems that include an ionization source that generates ions and an ion trap. The ion trap is maintained at about or above atmospheric pressure and includes a plurality of electrodes and at least one inlet configured to receive a gas flow and at least one outlet. The system is configured such that a combination of a gas flow and one or more electric fields produced by the electrodes separates the ions based on mass-to-charge ratio and sends the separated ions through the at least one outlet of the ion trap.

A parallel multi-beam mass spectrometer includes an ion trap and a single multi-beam time-of-flight analyzer. The trap has a plurality of alternating electrodes configured to form a plurality of quadrupoles defining a surface of the trap, wherein at least two of the plurality of quadrupoles are configured as mass filters for selective ejection of concurrent parallel beams of ions from the trap in respective predetermined ion mass-to-charge windows. The single multi-beam time-of-flight analyzer has a position sensitive detector or a plurality of individual detectors for simultaneously receiving and analyzing the concurrent parallel beams of ions.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for separating ions at about or above atmospheric pressure. In certain embodiments, the invention provides systems that include an ionization source that generates ions and an ion trap. The ion trap is maintained at about or above atmospheric pressure and includes a plurality of electrodes and at least one inlet configured to receive a gas flow and at least one outlet. The system is configured such that a combination of a gas flow and one or more electric fields produced by the electrodes separates the ions based on mass-to-charge ratio and sends the separated ions through the at least one outlet of the ion trap.

An objective of this invention is to conduct an accurate quantitative analysis on the Ar element contained in a sample gas by an element analysis device comprising a heating furnace and a mass spectrometer for conducting a quantitative analysis on an element in a vacuum atmosphere. The element analysis device comprises: a heating furnace that heats a graphite crucible containing a sample while introducing a carrier gas into the heating furnace, thereby vaporizing the sample to generate a sample gas; a quadrupole mass spectrometer that conducts the quantitative analysis on the Ar element contained in the sample gas in a mixed gas comprising the carrier gas and the sample gas discharged from the heating furnace, a first pressure regulator that controls the pressure of the carrier gas to be introduced into the heating furnace, and a second pressure regulator that controls the pressure of the mixed gas discharged from the heating furnace.