Abstract: A deposit-reducing ionization source for sample introduction to a mass spectrometer is provided. It comprises a heated vessel with a set of circulating hot gases to avoid any condensation to be formed within the volume of the vessel, keeping the vessel clean. The vessel has a tubular cross section with a conduit attached to its side wall. The vessel is placed in front of the orifice of a curtain cone. An exhaust port is on the opposite side of the conduit on the wall and close to the curtain cone. A nebulizer is placed inside the conduit. A nebulizing gas and an auxiliary gas are introduced in the conduit and a curtain gas is introduced in the curtain cone.

Abstract: The present system is a filament and an ion guide configuration. The ion source and an ion guide are combined in one system to create a fast release of ions, with increased efficiency of ion transport. The present device is a high-efficiency ion source operating at very low up to a few Torr pressure. Ions generated from the source immediately introduced into or created in an ion guide. The ions are introduced in or around the zero field lines of the RF field. Therefore, they will be trapped under the influence of the RF field there and can be transported to the next region of the mass spectrometer device. One method of transferring ions is by using ion-guides. Multipole ion guides have efficiently transferred ions through a vacuum or partial vacuum into mass analyzers. In particular, multipole ion guides have been configured to transport ions from a higher pressure region of a mass spectrometer to the lower pressure and then vacuum where the analyzer is operational.

Abstract: A combined ion discharge tube and an ion guide system is disclosed. The ion discharge tube comprises of a cathode tube and an anode surface. The discharge tube acts as the cathode, whereas the anode can be any number of different configurations. In one embodiment the discharge tube is set inside a quadrupole ion guide, with the walls of the ion guide being the anode. In other embodiments, the discharge tube is placed inside the rods of the quadrupole and the inner walls of the rods or a separate plate acting as the anode. In all configurations, the ions are formed by the discharge tube and are introduced into the RF confinement of an ion guide to increase ion transfer efficiency.