Abstract: An apparatus includes a tubular connector having a longitudinal axis. The connector includes a first end that connects to a first analytical system, a second end that connects to a second analytical system, and a flexible portion between the first end and the second end that curves in a direction transverse to the axis of the connector such that the connector contains ion guides to transfer ions between the first analytical system and the second analytical system.

Abstract: An ion analysis system includes one or more ionization sources that produce ions, one or more analyzers that analyze the ions based on ion mobility or mass to charge ratio of the ions, and one or more ion transfer devices connected between the one or more ionization sources and the one or more analyzers, the one or more ion transfer devices include a plurality of electrodes that are configured to be flexible or flexibly connected to each other, and the one or more ion transfer devices are configured to be flexible or re-configurable while transferring the ions.

Abstract: A method for analyzing biological samples using mass spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry that includes producing gas-phase ions and neutrals from the sample in a proximity of the sample; transferring the produced ions from the sample to a distance via a flexible or re-configurable ion transfer device such that the flexible or re-configurable ion transfer device includes a plurality of electrodes configured to be flexible or flexibly connected to each other, and the ion transfer device is configured to be flexible while transferring the ions to allow the ion transfer device to form one or more curvatures; and separating the produced ions with a mass spectrometer or a mobility analyzer located at the distance to provide spectrometric results.

Abstract: An ion transfer device that receives ions from an ion inlet and delivers the ions to an ion outlet of the ion transfer device, the ion transfer device including: a plurality of electrodes disposed at least in part inside an enclosure such that one or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes are configured to be flexible or flexibly connected to each other, and such that the ion transfer device is configured to be flexible and is configured to form one or more curvatures while transferring the ions.

Abstract: An ion transfer device that transfers ions from at least one ion inlet to at least one ion outlet. The ion transfer device includes an enclosure configured to maintain reduced pressure, and a plurality of electrodes disposed at least in part inside the enclosure such that the ion transfer device is configured to be flexible or re-configurable.