Abstract: An apparatus for automatic leak detection includes a fixture having a primary seal and a secondary seal. The fixture connects to a workpiece to enclose a test volume defined in the workpiece. The seals are to interface with the workpiece to at least partially enclose a buffer volume. An enclosure is to connect to the fixture to enclose a test portion of the workpiece to form a test chamber. The secondary seal separates the buffer volume from the test chamber. The test volume and the test chamber have a tracer gas pressure differential between them. A port in fluid communication with the buffer volume removes fixture leakage from the buffer volume. A detector detects the tracer gas in the test volume or the test chamber where the tracer gas pressure differential between the test volume and the test chamber urges workpiece leakage of the tracer gas to accumulate.

Abstract: Embodiments of fluid pumps configured for use in a magnetic resonance imaging environment are disclosed. The pumps may include piezoelectric driven pumping mechanisms or ultrasonic motor driven pumping mechanisms. The pumps may be configured to pump fluid such as air or liquid. The pumps may be incorporated in a multi-parameter patient monitoring system.

Abstract: An ambient ionisation source unit (10) is provided comprising: a housing (12) containing a first device (14) for generating analyte material from a surface of a sample to be analysed and a sampling inlet (16) for receiving analyte material liberated from the surface of the sample. The position(s) of the first device and/or sampling inlet is (are) fixed relative to the housing. Thus, the first device and the sampling inlet are integrated into a single unit that can be installed onto the front-end of an ion analysis instrument with minimal or reduced user interaction.

Abstract: A spray area in which a large number of droplets of a liquid sample sprayed from a spray nozzle (3) is separated from the tip of a needle electrode (14) for corona discharge by a sufficiently large distance, with a grid electrode (15) facing the needle electrode (14) placed in between. Ring electrodes (16) for creating an electric field which drives primary ions that should react with the sample and generate sample-derived ions are provided within an ion chamber (10) between the grid electrode (15) and the spray area. Primary ions generated by corona discharge within the space between the needle electrode (14) and the grid electrode (15) pass through the opening of the grid electrode (15), reach the spray area under the effect of the electric field, and ionize sample components. Since the droplets are prevented from adhering to the needle electrode (14), the corona discharge is maintained in a stable state. The resultant primary ions are efficiently transported and used for the ionization of the sample.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer vacuum interface can include a skimmer apparatus having a skimmer aperture and an internal surface. A method of operating the mass spectrometer vacuum interface can include establishing an outwardly directed flow along the internal surface of the skimmer apparatus.

Abstract: A lid member 24 of a valve device 6 is detachably attached to a main body housing 21 fixed to a casing 5. A connection pipe is attached to the lid member 24. A pipe fitting 40 is connected to a pipe fixed to the casing 5. When the lid member 24 is mounted to the main body housing 21, the connection pipe is inserted in the pipe fitting 40 connected to the pipe 11. Thus, the lid member 24 can be mounted to the main body housing 21, with the lid member disposed at a fixed position relative to the main body housing 21. When the lid member 24 is detached from the main body housing 21, the connection pipe 25 is separated from the internal of the pipe fitting 40, and thus, the pipe 11 connected to the pipe fitting 40 does not move together with the lid member 24, and is maintained to be disposed at the fixed position in the casing 5. As a result, the pipe 11 can be prevented from hindering operation of an operator.

Abstract: A vacuum pump system for evacuating at least five volumes comprising a turbomolecular pump and a forevacuum pump arranged to pump an output of the turbomolecular pump arrangement to atmosphere. The turbomolecular pump has at least five pumping stages separated by rotor blades. Not more than three pumping stages have pumping speeds in excess of ? of the highest pumping speed when under vacuum and/or a pumping port cross section in excess of ? of the highest pumping port cross section, and at least two pumping stages have pumping speeds less than ¼ of the highest pumping speed when under vacuum and/or a pumping port cross section of less than ¼ of the biggest pumping port cross section. The ratio of pressures between the pumping stage with the highest pressure and the pumping stage with the lowest pressure is at least 100000:1 when under vacuum.

Abstract: A portable detection apparatus includes a fluid inlet to acquire a stream of fluid, a fluid outlet and a fluid flowpath therebetween. A pump circulates the fluid through the fluid flowpath. A gamma spectrometer and a mercury analyzer engage the fluid flowpath to analyze and detect radiation emitted by the fluid. A filter trap is in the fluid flowpath downstream from the gamma spectrometer and the mercury analyzer. The filter trap includes a valve assembly and at least a first and second filter for collecting gaseous constituents from the fluid. Each filter is removably connected to the first valve assembly. The valve assembly has a first configuration, in which the first filter is fluidly connected to the fluid flowpath and the second filter is fluidly isolated from the fluid flowpath, and a second configuration, in which the second filter is fluidly connected to the fluid flowpath and the first filter is fluidly isolated from the fluid flowpath.

Abstract: The invention provides a charged particle beam system wherein the middle section of the focused ion beam column is biased to a high negative voltage allowing the beam to move at higher potential than the final beam energy inside that section of the column. At low kV potential, the aberrations and coulomb interactions are reduced, which results in significant improvements in spot size.

Abstract: A charged particle beam instrument is offered which can easily perform an in situ observation in a gaseous atmosphere. The charged particle beam instrument (100) is used to perform an observation of a specimen (S) placed in a gaseous atmosphere and has a specimen chamber (2), a gas supply portion (6) for supplying a gas into the specimen chamber (2), a venting portion (7) for venting the specimen chamber (2), a gaseous environment adjuster (4), and a gas controller (812) for controlling the gaseous environment adjuster (4). This adjuster (4) has a gas inflow rate adjusting valve (40) for adjusting the flow rate of the gas supplied into the specimen chamber (2) and a first vacuum gauge (CG1) for measuring the pressure of the gas supplied into the specimen chamber (2).

Abstract: A mass analyzer is provided comprising a plurality of electrodes having apertures through which ions are transmitted. A plurality of pseudo-potential corrugations are created along the axis of the mass analyzer. The amplitude or depth of the pseudo-potential corrugations is inversely proportional to the mass to charge ratio of an ion. Transient DC voltages are applied to the electrodes in order to urge ions along the length of the mass analyzer. The amplitude of the transient DC voltages applied to the electrodes is increased with time and ions are caused to be emitted from the mass analyzer in reverse order of their mass to charge ratio. Two AC or RF voltages are applied to the electrodes. The first AC or RF voltage is arranged to provide optimal pseudo-potential corrugations while the second AC or RF voltage is arranged to provide optimal radial confinement of ions within the mass analyzer.

Abstract: A Direct Sample Analysis (DSA) ion source system operating at essentially atmospheric pressure is configured to facilitate the ionization, or desorption and ionization, of sample species from a wide variety of gaseous, liquid, and/or solid samples, for chemical analysis by mass spectrometry or other gas phase ion detectors. The DSA system includes one or more means of ionizing samples and includes a sealed enclosure which provides protection from high voltages and hazardous vapors, and in which the local background gas environment may be monitored and well-controlled. The DSA system is configured to accommodate single or multiple samples at any one time, and provide external control of individual sample positioning, sample conditioning, sample heating, positional sensing, and temperature measurement.

Abstract: An openable gas passage provides for rapid pumpout of process or bake out gases in an inductively coupled plasma source in a charged particle beam system. A valve, typically positioned in the source electrode or part of the gas inlet, increases the gas conductance when opened to pump out the plasma chamber and closes during operation of the plasma source.

Abstract: An ion inlet for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a housing having a sampling orifice and an atmospheric pressure orifice. One or more gas outlets are provided in the housing. Gas is drawn through the sampling orifice by a pump so that the gas exits via the one or more gas outlets.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a quadrupole rod set ion trap wherein a potential field is created at the exit of the ion trap which decreases with increasing radius in one radial direction. Ions within the on trap are mass selectively excited in a radial direction. Ions which have been excited in the radial direction experience a potential field which no longer confines the ions axially within the ion trap but which instead acts to extract the ions and hence causes the ions to be ejected axially from the ion trap.

Abstract: Vacuum gauges are arranged in intermediate vacuum chamber and analytical chamber 10 in which collision cell is installed, and gas pressure determination unit determines whether or not the gas pressures detected by vacuum gauges are at or below a threshold value prior to analysis, and issues an alert if they are at or below the threshold value. If the supply of CID gas into collision cell stagnates, the quantity of CID gas flowing out into the analytical chamber will decrease, and the degree of vacuum in the analytical chamber will thus become too high. Furthermore, if the heated capillary becomes clogged, the quantity of gas flow into the intermediate vacuum chamber from the ionization chamber, which has an ambient pressure atmosphere, will decrease, and thus the degree of vacuum inside the intermediate vacuum chamber will become too high.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an ion analysis apparatus comprising an ion guide having an ion optical axis extending from an ion inlet to an ion outlet, the ion guide being configured to guide ions from the ion inlet to the ion outlet along the ion optical axis, wherein the ion guide comprises at least one extraction region located between the ion inlet and the ion outlet, the at least one extraction region being configured to extract ions moving along the ion optical axis of the ion guide in an extraction direction, the extraction direction being substantially orthogonal to the ion optical axis of the ion guide, wherein the apparatus includes ion radial confinement means that in use confine the ions in the radial direction within the ion guide.

Abstract: Person-portable mass analysis instrumentation configured to perform multidimensional mass analysis is provided. Mass analysis instrumentation can include a housing encompassing components of the instrumentation with the housing of the instrumentation defining a space having a volume of equal to or less than about 100,000 cm3. Instrument assemblies are also provided that can include a housing coupled to an instrument component isolation assembly, wherein the component isolation assembly is isolated from an environment exterior to the housing. Exemplary instrument assemblies can include at least first and second components configured to provide analysis with a housing of the instrument at least partially encompassing the first and second components and the first component being rigidly affixed to the housing. An isolation assembly can also be provided that is rigidly affixed to the second component with the isolation assembly being isolated from received inputs of the housing.

Abstract: An atmospheric pressure (AP) interface for a spectrometer includes wall for separating an ionization chamber from a reduced-pressure region of the spectrometer, an ion inlet defining an ion path from the ionization chamber to the reduced-pressure region, and a passage defining a gas path from the ionization chamber to a gas outlet external to the reduced-pressure region. The passage may have a greater gas conductance than the ion inlet such that most gas into the passage and not the ion inlet. The interface device is configured for applying a static electric field effective for focusing ions in the ionization chamber preferentially into the ion inlet.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein an ion signal is split into a first and second signal. The first and second signals are multiplied by different gains and are digitized. Arrival time and intensity pairs are calculated for both digitized signals and the resulting time and intensity pairs are combined to form a high dynamic range spectrum. The spectrum is then combined with other corresponding spectra to form a summed spectrum.

Abstract: A mass spectrometry method of the present invention is such that a sample is heated to generate a gas and an ion that is produced from the gas is introduced into a mass spectrometer by using DART so that mass spectrometry is conducted.

Abstract: An ionization chamber side voltage contact point is formed so as to protrude from the compartment in the ionization chamber, a mass spectrometric unit side voltage contact point 92 is formed in the hole created in the housing of the mass spectrometric unit, and a predetermined distance is provided between the inner periphery of the hole and the outer periphery of the mass spectrometric unit side voltage contact point in the structure, which allows the ionization chamber side voltage contact point to be inserted into the hole so to be connected to the mass spectrometric unit side voltage contact point when the ionization chamber is in the analysis position and allows the ionization chamber side voltage contact point to be pulled out from the hole so as to be disconnected from the mass spectrometric unit side voltage contact point the ionization chamber is in the maintenance position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for improving ion mobility spectrometry by using a fast and spatially wide ion gate based on local RF field barrier opposed to a switching DC field. The improvement accelerates the ion mobility analysis and improves charge throughput and dynamic range of the IMS. The invention is particularly suited for rapid dual gas chromatography. In one important embodiment, the accelerated IMS is coupled to a multi-reflecting time-of-flight mass spectrometer with a fast encoded orthogonal acceleration. There are described methods of comprehensive and orthogonal separation in multiple analytical dimensions.

Abstract: An ion manipulation method and device is disclosed. The device includes a pair of substantially parallel surfaces. An array of inner electrodes is contained within, and extends substantially along the length of, each parallel surface. The device includes a first outer array of electrodes and a second outer array of electrodes. Each outer array of electrodes is positioned on either side of the inner electrodes, and is contained within and extends substantially along the length of each parallel surface. A DC voltage is applied to the first and second outer array of electrodes. A RF voltage, with a superimposed electric field, is applied to the inner electrodes by applying the DC voltages to each electrode. Ions either move between the parallel surfaces within an ion confinement area or along paths in the direction of the electric field, or can be trapped in the ion confinement area.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a gas diffuser for use in a mass spectrometer is disclosed that can provide a controlled expansion of an ion-containing gas so as to reduce gas velocity for entry into subsequent stages of the mass spectrometer, e.g., a mass analyzer. In some embodiments, the controlled expansion of the gas is provided by flowing the gas through a channel whose cross-sectional area change, e.g. progressively increases, in the direction of the gas flow so as to provide controlled expansion of the gas.

Abstract: Looped ionization sources for ion mobility spectrometers are described. The ionization sources can be used to ionize molecules from a sample of interest in order to identify the molecules based on the ions. In an implementation, an electrical ionization source includes a wire that is looped between electrical contacts. The wire is used to form a corona responsive to application of voltage between the wire and the walls of an ionization chamber. The corona can form when a sufficient voltage is applied between the wire and the walls. A difference in electrical potential between the wire and a wall forming an ionization chamber, in which wire is contained, can be used to draw the ions away from the wire. In embodiments, the wire can be heated to reduce the voltage used to strike the corona. The ions, subsequently, may ionize the molecules from the sample of interest. The looped corona source can also be used in mass spectrometers (MS).

Abstract: A RF only quadrupole rod set mass filter or mass analyzer and a linear quadrupole ion trap with axial ejection are disclosed comprising a first pair of rod electrodes, a second pair of rod electrodes and an energy filter. The first pair of rod electrodes is longer than the second pair of rod electrodes. Ions having desired mass to charge ratios experience fringing fields at an exit region which results in the ions possessing sufficient axial kinetic energy to be transmitted by the energy filter. Other ions possess insufficient axial kinetic energy to be transmitted by the energy filter and are attenuated.

Abstract: A miniature, low cost mass spectrometer capable of unit resolution over a mass range of 10 to 50 AMU. The mass spectrometer incorporates several features that enhance the performance of the design over comparable instruments. An efficient ion source enables relatively low power consumption without sacrificing measurement resolution. Variable geometry mechanical filters allow for variable resolution. An onboard ion pump removes the need for an external pumping source. A magnet and magnetic yoke produce magnetic field regions with different flux densities to run the ion pump and a magnetic sector mass analyzer. An onboard digital controller and power conversion circuit inside the vacuum chamber allows a large degree of flexibility over the operation of the mass spectrometer while eliminating the need for high-voltage electrical feedthroughs. The miniature mass spectrometer senses fractions of a percentage of inlet gas and returns mass spectra data to a computer.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer comprising means for producing a primary beam of ions for bombarding a sample under vacuum, and a detector for detecting a secondary beam of ions released from the sample. The primary beam of ions includes water clusters where each water cluster contains between 1 and 10,000 water molecules.

Abstract: An ion detector system for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ion detector comprising an array of detector elements. The ion detector system is arranged to correct for tilt and non-linear aberrations in an isochronous plane of ions. The ion detector system generates separate first mass spectral data sets for each detector element and then applies a calibration coefficient to each of the first mass spectral data sets to produce a plurality of second calibrated mass spectral data sets. The plurality of second calibrated mass spectral data sets are then combined to form a composite mass spectral data set.

Abstract: An object is to measure both cations and anions with high duty cycle. In a mass spectrometer comprising an ion source (1), an ion guide part (31), and an ion trap (32), while ions are being mass-selectively ejected from the ion trap, ions having a polarity reverse to that of the ions trapped in the ion trap are introduced into the ion guide part.

Abstract: In order to provide an analysis method that is capable of determining a glycan structure with high detection sensitivity, a method of the present invention includes the steps of: carrying out triple quadrupole mass spectrometry at various values of CID energy; creating an energy-resolved profile including yield curves representing relationships between (i) a value of the CID energy and (ii) measured amounts of specific types of product ions; preparing a reference profile, and identifying a glycan structure of a test material by comparing the energy-resolved profile with the reference profile.

Abstract: Vacuum gauges are arranged in intermediate vacuum chamber and analytical chamber 10 in which collision cell is installed, and gas pressure determination unit determines whether or not the gas pressures detected by vacuum gauges are at or below a threshold value prior to analysis, and issues an alert if they are at or below the threshold value. If the supply of CID gas into collision cell stagnates, the quantity of CID gas flowing out into the analytical chamber will decrease, and the degree of vacuum in the analytical chamber will thus become too high. Furthermore, if the heated capillary becomes clogged, the quantity of gas flow into the intermediate vacuum chamber from the ionization chamber, which has an ambient pressure atmosphere, will decrease, and thus the degree of vacuum inside the intermediate vacuum chamber will become too high.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a quadrupole rod set ion trap wherein a potential field is created at the exit of the ion trap which decreases with increasing radius in one radial direction. Ions within the ion trap are mass selectively excited in a radial direction. Ions which have been excited in the radial direction experience a potential field which no longer confines the ions axially within the ion trap but which instead acts to extract the ions and hence causes the ions to be ejected axially from the ion trap.

Abstract: A system and method for mass spectrometry including a curtain gas chamber defined by a curtain plate having an aperture for receiving ions from an ion source and an orifice plate having an inlet into a mass spectrometer. At least one barrier separates the curtain chamber into a first curtain gas chamber region and a second curtain gas chamber region. At least one gas source provides a gas inflow into the second curtain gas chamber region and a gas outflow into the first curtain gas chamber region, a portion of the gas outflow directed out of the aperture. A heating element heats the gas inflow, a portion of the heated gas inflow directed into the inlet of the mass spectrometer wherein the portion of the heated gas inflow can be at a substantially higher temperature than the portion of the gas outflow.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electrospray ionization source that provides improved temperature control compared to prior sources. A combination of a continuous flow sample design and the use of a long heat shield combine to improve thermal control and reduce memory effects observed with prior designs. The temperature-controlled source is particularly useful for the study of biomolecules, particularly the study of protein aggregation.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein an ion signal is split into a first and second signal. The first and second signals are multiplied by different gains and are digitised. Arrival time and intensity pairs are calculated for both digitised signals and the resulting time and intensity pairs are combined to form a high dynamic range spectrum. The spectrum is then combined with other corresponding spectra to form a summed spectrum.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a first storage ion trap arranged upstream of a high performance analytical ion trap. According to an embodiment ions are simultaneously scanned from both the first and second ion trap. At any instant in time the quantity of charge present within the second ion trap is limited or restricted so that the second ion trap does not suffer from space charge saturation effects and hence the performance of the second ion trap is not degraded.

Abstract: The invention provides a mass spectrometer system (10) comprising a mass spectrometer (12) comprising a plurality of mass spectrometer stages (16, 18, 20, 44) in fluid communication from a low vacuum stage (16) to a higher vacuum stage (44). A split flow multi-stage pump (14) evacuates the mass spectrometer stages. The pump comprises a pump envelope (28) in which a plurality of pumping stages (20, 32, 34) are supported for rotation about an axis X generally parallel to the direction of flow in the mass spectrometer stages for pumping fluid from a main pump inlet (36) to a main pump outlet (38). At least part of a higher vacuum stage (44) is located within the pump envelope at the main pump inlet.

Abstract: An electrostatic trap such as an orbitrap is disclosed, with an electrode structure. An electrostatic trapping field of the form U? (r, ?, z) is generated to trap ions within the trap so that they undergo isochronous oscillations. The trapping field U?(r, ?, z) is the result of a perturbation W to an ideal field U(r, ?, z) which, for example, is hypologarithmic in the case of an orbitrap. The perturbation W may be introduced in various ways, such as by distorting the geometry of the trap so that it no longer follows an equipotential of the ideal field U(r, ?, z), or by adding a distortion field (either electric or magnetic). The magnitude of the perturbation is such that at least some of the trapped ions have an absolute phase spread of more than zero but less than 2 ? radians over an ion detection period Tm.

Abstract: An ion beam processing system (100) processes the sample (S) mounted on a sample stage (30) by irradiating the sample with an ion beam in a sample chamber (2). The system has a sample container (20) including a cover portion (26) formed to be detachably mountable to a base portion (24), the sample stage (30) on which the container (20) is detachably mountable, and cover mounting/dismounting apparatus (40) for mounting and dismounting the cover portion (26) from outside the sample chamber (2).

Abstract: A mass spectrometer system and method of operating same are provided. The system comprises an ion conduit for receiving ions; a boundary member defining a curtain gas chamber containing the ion conduit; a curtain gas supply for providing a curtain gas to an inlet of the ion conduit to provide a gas flow into the conduit, and a curtain gas outflow out of a curtain gas chamber inlet; a mass spectrometer at least partially sealed to, and in fluid communication with, the conduit for receiving the ions from the conduit; a vacuum chamber surrounding the mass spectrometer operable to draw the gas flow including the ions through the conduit and into the vacuum chamber; and, a gas outlet for drawing a gas outflow from the gas flow located between the conduit and the mass spectrometer to increase the gas flow rate through the conduit.

Abstract: The gas conductance on the ion injection side of a collision cell is made larger than the gas conductance on the ion exit side by providing two ion injection apertures 23, 25 in the collision cell. Due to the different gas conductances, a CID gas supplied through the gas supply tube 31 generally flows in a direction from the ion injection side to the ion exit side in the collision cell, namely, in the ion's passage direction. When the ions injected in the collision cell 20 slow down upon contacting with the CID gas, their progress is assisted by the gas flow, so that the delay of the ions in the collision cell 20 is alleviated. As a result, it is possible to avoid a deterioration in the detection sensitivity of a target product ion and to prevent a ghost peak caused by the stay of the ions.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer having a resolution improved by introducing ions into a mass spectrometry part with a high efficiency is provided with a small-sized, simple configuration. The mass spectrometer includes an opening/closing mechanism provided between a sample introducing piping part for introducing a sample into the mass spectrometry part and the mass spectrometry part to conduct gas introduction intermittently and control sample passage. The mass spectrometer further includes a pump mechanism to evacuate a high pressure side of the sample introducing piping part, that is, an opposite side of the opening/closing mechanism to the mass spectrometry part to have a pressure in a range of 100 to 10,000 Pa.

Abstract: A quadrupole mass spectrometer for use in analyzing gas components in a test piece is made in a constitution in which resistance heating of a grid is materialized, and in which a high-accuracy analysis of the gas components is possible at a low cost while preventing the sensitivity from lowering. A quadrupole mass spectrometer is provided with a sensor section which can be detachably fitted to the test piece.

Abstract: IMS apparatus has an inlet with a preconcentrator opening into a reaction region where analyte molecules are ionized and passed via a shutter to a drift region for collection and analysis. A pump and filter arrangement supplies a flushing flow of clean gas to the housing in opposition to ion flow. A pressure pulser connects with the housing and is momentarily switched to cause a short drop in pressure, in the housing to draw in a bolus of analyte sample from the preconcentrator. Just prior to admitting a bolus of sample, the pump is turned off so that the flushing flow drops substantially to zero, thereby prolonging the time the analyte molecules spend in the reaction region.

Abstract: When an SIM measurement for ions originating from a target component separated by a chromatograph is performed, the measurement is performed while the mass-resolving power is switched among a plurality of levels of resolving power, with the mass-to-charge ratio fixed at a target value (S2), and an extracted ion chromatogram is created based on each of data obtained corresponding to respective mass-resolving powers (S3). After the extracted ion chromatograms are obtained, an S/N ratio is calculated for a peak of the target component on each of the chromatograms (S4), and a mass-resolving power which yields the highest S/N ratio is selected (S5). The selected mass-resolving power is set as the mass-resolving power in the subsequent measurements of the same target component in the same kind of sample (S6), and the quantitative determination of the target component is performed using the extracted ion chromatogram obtained with the selected mass-resolving power (S7).

Abstract: In order to provide an analysis method that is capable of determining a glycan structure with high detection sensitivity, a method of the present invention includes the steps of: carrying out triple quadrupole mass spectrometry at various values of CID energy; creating an energy-resolved profile including yield curves representing relationships between (i) a value of the CID energy and (ii) measured amounts of specific types of product ions; preparing a reference profile, and identifying a glycan structure of a test material by comparing the energy-resolved profile with the reference profile.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for introducing ions into a vacuum chamber of a mass spectrometer includes producing ions in an ionization chamber of an ion source. The ions are sampled into an intermediate pressure chamber via a first ion transfer tube. In particular, the pressure within the intermediate pressure chamber is maintained at a value that exceeds a maximum pressure for being sampled into the vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer. Some of the ions are sampled from the intermediate pressure chamber via at least a second ion transfer tube, the at least a second ion transfer tube having an outlet end that is in communication with a low-pressure chamber. In particular, the pressure within the low-pressure chamber is maintained at a value that is less than a maximum pressure for being sampled into the vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer. Some of the ions are sampled from the low-pressure chamber into the vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a quadrupole rod set ion trap wherein a potential field is created at the exit of the ion trap which decreases with increasing radius in one radial direction. Ions within the ion trap are mass selectively excited in a radial direction. Ions which have been excited in the radial direction experience a potential field which no longer confines the ions axially within the ion trap but which instead acts to extract the ions and hence causes the ions to be ejected axially from the ion trap.