Abstract: Electron capture dissociation (ECD) is performed by transmitting an electron beam through a cell along an electron beam axis, generating plasma in the cell by energizing a gas with the electron beam, and transmitting an ion beam through the interaction region along an ion beam axis to produce fragment ions. Generating the plasma forms an interaction region in the cell spaced from and not intersecting the electron beam, and including low-energy electrons effective for ECD. The ion beam axis may be at an angle to and offset from the ion beam axis, such that the electron beam does not intersect the ion beam.

Abstract: An ion throughput pump (ITP) includes a pump inlet configured to communicate with a vacuum chamber; an ionization source fluidly communicating with the vacuum chamber via the pump inlet and configured for ionizing gas species received from the vacuum chamber; a pump outlet; ion optics configured for accelerating ions produced by the ionization source toward the pump outlet; and a roughing pump stage configured for receiving the ions from the ionization source, producing neutral species from the ions, and pumping the neutral species through the pump outlet.

Abstract: Electron capture dissociation (ECD) is performed by transmitting an electron beam through a cell along an electron beam axis, generating plasma in the cell by energizing a gas with the electron beam, and transmitting an ion beam through the interaction region along an ion beam axis to produce fragment ions. Generating the plasma forms an interaction region in the cell spaced from and not intersecting the electron beam, and including low-energy electrons effective for ECD. The ion beam axis may be at an angle to and offset from the ion beam axis, such that the electron beam does not intersect the ion beam.

Abstract: An ion source includes a plasma generator for supplying plasma at an ionization region proximate to a sample surface. The plasma generator applies energy that may be utilized for desorbing analytes from the sample surface as well as for generating plasma by which analytes are excited or ionized. Desorption and ionization/excitation may be controlled as individual modes. The ion source may be interfaced with an ion-based or optical-based spectrometer. A sample support may be provided, which may be capable of performing analytical separation.

Abstract: An ion throughput pump (ITP) includes a pump inlet configured to communicate with a vacuum chamber; an ionization source fluidly communicating with the vacuum chamber via the pump inlet and configured for ionizing gas species received from the vacuum chamber; a pump outlet; ion optics configured for accelerating ions produced by the ionization source toward the pump outlet; and a roughing pump stage configured for receiving the ions from the ionization source, producing neutral species from the ions, and pumping the neutral species through the pump outlet.

Abstract: A mass spectrometry (MS) system may be cleaned by generating plasma and contacting an internal surface of the system to be cleaned with the plasma. The system may be switched between operating in an analytical mode and in a cleaning mode. In the analytical mode a sample is analyzed, and plasma may or may not be actively generated. In the cleaning mode the plasma is actively generated, and the sample may or may not be analyzed.

Abstract: An ion source includes a plasma generator for supplying plasma at an ionization region proximate to a sample surface. The plasma generator applies energy that may be utilized for desorbing analytes from the sample surface as well as for generating plasma by which analytes are excited or ionized. Desorption and ionization/excitation may be controlled as individual modes. The ion source may be interfaced with an ion-based or optical-based spectrometer. A sample support may be provided, which may be capable of performing analytical separation.

Abstract: A plasma generation device, a system including a plasma generation device, and a method of generating plasma and vacuum UV (VUV) photons are described. In a representative embodiment, plasma generation device, includes: a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a resonant ring-shaped structure disposed over the first surface of the substrate, the resonant ring-shaped structure having dimensions selected to support at least one standing wave having more than one electric field maximum along a length of the resonant ring-shaped structure; a ground plane disposed on the second surface of the substrate; and an apparatus configured to provide a gas at locations of the electric field maxima.

Abstract: A mass spectrometry (MS) system may be cleaned by generating plasma and contacting an internal surface of the system to be cleaned with the plasma. The system may be switched between operating in an analytical mode and in a cleaning mode. In the analytical mode a sample is analyzed, and plasma may or may not be actively generated. In the cleaning mode the plasma is actively generated, and the sample may or may not be analyzed.

Abstract: An electron capture dissociation (ECD) apparatus includes a plasma source for generating plasma. Analyte ions are exposed to the plasma in an ECD interaction region, either inside or outside the plasma source. The apparatus may include one or more devices for refining the plasma in preparation for interaction with the analyte ions. Refining may entail removing unwanted species from the plasma, such as photons, metastable particles, neutral particles, and/or high-energy electrons unsuitable for ECD, and/or controlling a density of low-energy electrons in the plasma.

Abstract: A photon source includes a plasma source for generating plasma and a photon guide through which the plasma travels. The photon guide includes an inner surface configured for reflecting photons emitted from the plasma. As the plasma travels through the photon guide, plasma electrons and ions recombine at the inner surface, whereby the predominant species emitted from an outlet of the photon guide are the photons and neutral particles, with few or no plasma electrons and ions being emitted.

Abstract: An electron capture dissociation (ECD) apparatus includes a plasma source for generating plasma. Analyte ions are exposed to the plasma in an ECD interaction region, either inside or outside the plasma source. The apparatus may include one or more devices for refining the plasma in preparation for interaction with the analyte ions. Refining may entail removing unwanted species from the plasma, such as photons, metastable particles, neutral particles, and/or high-energy electrons unsuitable for ECD, and/or controlling a density of low-energy electrons in the plasma.

Abstract: A photon source includes a plasma source for generating plasma and a photon guide through which the plasma travels. The photon guide includes an inner surface configured for reflecting photons emitted from the plasma. As the plasma travels through the photon guide, plasma electrons and ions recombine at the inner surface, whereby the predominant species emitted from an outlet of the photon guide are the photons and neutral particles, with few or no plasma electrons and ions being emitted.

Abstract: A plasma generation device, a system comprising a plasma generation device, and a method of generating plasma and vacuum UV (VUV) photons are described.