Abstract: A mass spectrometric analysis method comprises: (1) processing a mass spectrum to reduce the signals to monoisotopic values; (2) creating a list of differences between the monoisotopic values; (3) creating one or more lists of theoretical mass-to-charge differences among known adducts, charge states and polymerization states whose formation may be expected from various analyte molecules; (4) comparing the theoretical differences (line or edge in the network) to the list of differences from the mass spectrum and, where applicable, make and tabulate tentative species assignments; and (5) assigning the mass spectral peaks to respective ion species in accordance with the redundancy of each assignment based on multiple independent calculated mass-to-charge differences pertaining to each peak.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided to allow rapid deflection of a charged particle beam. The disclosed devices can, for example, be used as part of a hadron therapy system to allow scanning of a target area within a patient's body. The disclosed charged particle beam deflectors include a dielectric wall accelerator (DWA) with a hollow center and a dielectric wall that is substantially parallel to a z-axis that runs through the hollow center. The dielectric wall includes one or more deformed high gradient insulators (HGIs) that are configured to produce an electric field with an component in a direction perpendicular to the z-axis. A control component is also provided to establish the electric field component in the direction perpendicular to the z-axis and to control deflection of a charged particle beam in the direction perpendicular to the z-axis as the charged particle beam travels through the hollow center of the DWA.

Abstract: An arrangement area of a transformer drive circuit, an arrangement area of a high-voltage transformer, and an arrangement area of an ion generating unit are two-dimensionally divided from each other in a casing. A connection terminal is electrically connected to the transformer drive circuit and is formed of a conductive film arranged to be exposed to the outside of the casing. Accordingly, an ion generating device whose size and thickness can be easily reduced and an electrical apparatus including the ion generating device can be provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of welding a vitreous biological sample at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of approximately ?137° C. to a micromanipulator, also kept at a temperature below the glass transition temperature. Where prior art methods used IBID with, for example, propane, or a heated needle (heated resistively or by e/g/laser), the invention uses a vibrating needle to locally melt the sample. By stopping the vibration, the sample freezes to the micromanipulator. The heat capacity of the heated parts is small, and the amount of material that stays in a vitreous condition thus large.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for imaging within the scope of a radiation therapy. In at least one embodiment, the method includes preparing one or more contrast agent-enhanced x-ray image data records; and using the contrast agent-enhanced x-ray image data record during an irradiation planning and/or during an irradiation session.

Abstract: A method of investigating a sample surface. A probe is brought into close proximity with a first sample and scanned across the first sample. A response of the probe to its interaction with the sample is monitored using a detection system and a first data set is collected indicative of said response. The probe and/or sample is tilted through a tilt angle. The probe is scanned across the first sample or across a second sample after the tilting step, and a response of the probe to its interaction with the scanned sample is monitored using a detection system and a second data set is collected indicative of said response. The method includes the additional step of analyzing the first data set prior to tilting the probe and/or sample in order to determine the tilt angle.

Abstract: A method of scanning a surface of an object using a particle beam comprises: determining a surface portion of the surface of the object, wherein the surface portion is to be scanned; determining initial positions of a set of raster points within the surface portion; changing the positions of at least some raster points of the set of raster points; and then scanning the surface portion by directing the particle beam to the positions of the raster points.

Abstract: A lens for electron capture dissociation may include: a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from each other and arranged along a first direction; and a third electrode and a fourth electrode spaced apart from each other and arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first electrode and the second electrode may be disposed in a space in which a magnetic field is formed in the first direction and trap electrons. The third electrode and the fourth electrode may be in the form of a flat plate and may apply an electric field to the trapped electrons in the second direction.

Abstract: A broadband ion beam analyzer, used for isolating required ions from a broadband ion beam, comprises an upper magnetic pole (1), a lower magnetic pole (2), an upper excitation coil (3), a lower excitation coil (4), an analysis grating (7), and a magnetic yoke (5 and 6). The upper magnetic pole (1) and the lower magnetic pole (2) are both provided with a camber-shaped incident-end boundary (101) and a camber-shaped emergence side boundary (102). The camber radii (Rb) of the incident-end boundary (101) and of the emergence-end boundary (102) are equal to the deflection radius (R) of the required ions in the magnetic field. The required ions in the broadband ion beam are allowed to focus ideally at the mid-section of the magnetic field, to acquire an ideal focal spot having a size that equals to zero.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mass spectrometers and, in particular, multipole ion guides and control units that set the RF and DC potentials at the ion guide to, among other uses, radially confine an ion beam. In an exemplary embodiment, the ion guide includes circumferentially arranged elongated rods disposed about a common axis that form longitudinally traversing segments. At least a first and a second subset of the segments have an equal number of elongated rods and are physically configured to receive respective first and a second set of RF voltage waveforms from a control unit that produce a field distribution of a first order and a field distribution of a second order, respectively, different from the first order. The ratio of the number of rods to the order of the field distribution produced is an integer number.

Abstract: Fine structures of isotopic peak clusters of substances are determined using ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry, e.g, FT-ICR mass spectrometry. Resolved individual peaks in the fine structure of the non-monoisotopic peak clusters of organic substances usually contain the additional elemental isotopes 13C, 15N, 17O, 18O, 2H, 33S, 34S, and combinations thereof. In each of a series of experiments, one of the non-monoisotopic peak clusters is isolated and the corresponding fine structure spectrum acquired. Abundances of the resolved fine structure peaks and their positions on the mass scale are recorded and, after measuring some or all of the isotopic peaks, the atomic composition of the measured substance is calculated. By excluding the monoisotopic peak and isolating only one isotopic peak cluster at a time, the number of ions in the FT-ICR cell is kept low, which avoids resolving power losses due to space charge effects and ion-ion interaction phenomena.

Abstract: Provided is a sealed AFM cell in which measurement accuracy does not decrease and the types of observation liquids are not limited. A sealed AFM cell according to the present invention includes: a cantilever including a probe; a sample holder for fixing the sample; a scanner for moving the sample holder; a lid part which holds the cantilever so as to position the probe near a measurement surface of the sample; and a main body part which is a component for holding the scanner and positioned opposite the lid part with the sample in between, in which the lid part and the main body part are joined via a sealing liquid to seal the observation liquid inside a space formed by the lid part, the main body part, and the sealing liquid, the sealing liquid being different from the observation liquid and not in contact with the observation liquid.

Abstract: An instrument (and corresponding method) performs AFM techniques to characterize properties of a sample of reservoir rock. The AFM instrument is configured to have a probe with a tip realized from reservoir rock that corresponds to the reservoir rock of the sample. The AFM instrument is operated to derive and store data representing adhesion forces between the tip and the sample at one or more scan locations in the presence of a number of different fluids disposed between the tip and the sample. The AFM instrument is further configured to perform computational operations that process the data representing the adhesion forces for a given scan location in order to characterize at least one property of the rock sample at the given scan location. The properties can include total surface energy of the rock sample as well as wettability of the rock sample.

Abstract: Disclosed is a scanning electron microscope provided with a calculation device (403) for measuring the dimension of a pattern on a sample (413), characterized in that the amount of change of a pattern shape, caused by electron beam irradiation, is calculated and stored, and a pattern shape contour (614; 815; 1512) before the sample is irradiated with an electron beam is restored from a pattern shape contour (613; 814; 1511) in a scanning electron microscope image (612; 813; 1510) after the sample is irradiated with an electron beam using the calculated amount and, then, the pattern shape contour (614; 815; 1512) is displayed. Thus, the shrinking of a resist and/or the effect of electrostatic charge caused when a sample is irradiated with an electron beam are eliminated, so that the shape contour of a two-dimensional pattern before irradiating an electron beam can be restored with a high degree of accuracy, and the dimension of a pattern can be measured with a high degree of accuracy, using the restored image.

Abstract: An ionization method for use with mass spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry is a small molecule compound(s) as a matrix into which is incorporated analyte. The matrix has attributes of sublimation or evaporation when placed in vacuum at or near room temperature and produces both positive and negative charges. Placing the sample into a region of sub-atmospheric pressure, the region being in fluid communication with the vacuum of the mass spectrometer or ion mobility spectrometer, produces gas-phase ions of the analyte for mass-to-charge or drift-time analysis without use of a laser, high voltage, particle bombardment, or a heated ion transfer region. This matrix and vacuum assisted ionization process can operate from atmosphere or vacuum and produces ions from large (e.g. proteins) and small molecules (e.g. drugs) with charge states similar to those observed in electrospray ionization.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a dual channel Solvent Assisted Inlet Ionisation (“SAII”) interface.

Abstract: Electron-activated photon emission materials are disclosed. A first electron source emits a first electron having a first predetermined energy at a first nanoparticle of a photon emission material that includes a first layer of a plurality of nanoparticles. A first photonic response of the receipt of the first electron by the first nanoparticle is determined. The first photonic response is interpreted as a first numeric value.

Abstract: A mass analysis system including a sample inlet arranged to introduce a sample and an ion source coupled to the sample inlet and arranged to ionize a portion of the sample into ions. The system also includes a sampler element having a sample orifice arranged to receive the sample ions into a first vacuum chamber. The system includes a skimmer element having a skimmer orifice arranged to receive the sample ions from the first vacuum chamber into a second vacuum chamber where the skimmer orifice is of a first size. The system further includes a third cone element having a third cone orifice of a second size arranged to receive the sample ions from the second vacuum chamber into a third vacuum chamber where the third cone is configured to allow a continuum flow of ions through the third cone orifice. The third chamber includes an ion optics assembly and mass analyzer.

Abstract: An apparatus including a scintillator panel which absorbs X-rays radiated from an X-ray generator and converts the X-rays into visible light; an image detector including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix array and charging the plurality of pixels with electric charges proportional to intensity of the visible light converted by the scintillator panel; a gate driver which selects a line in the image detector and applies a drive signal to pixels in the selected line; an automatic exposure request signal generator which generates an automatic exposure request signal as a trigger signal informing of X-ray radiation through detection of X-rays radiated from the X-ray generator; and a controller which controls a time point of performing an exposure operation depending on a state of the drive signal applied to the pixels of the selected line in response to the automatic exposure request signal is disclosed.

Abstract: A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) apparatus that includes a scanning electron microscope, an x-ray detector, and an auxiliary acceleration voltage source. The scanning electron microscope includes a sample holder, and a layered electron beam column arranged to output an electron beam towards the sample holder at an initial beam energy. The auxiliary acceleration voltage source is to apply an auxiliary acceleration voltage between the sample holder and the layered electron beam column to accelerate the electron beam to a final beam energy. At the final beam energy, the electron beam is capable of generating x-rays at multiple wavelengths from a larger range of atomic species than the electron beam at the initial beam energy.