Abstract: A method of mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed that comprises accumulating ions for a first period of time (T1) one or more times so as to form one or more first groups of ions, accumulating ions for a second period of time (T2) one or more times so as to form one or more second groups of ions, wherein the second period of time (T2) is less that the first period of time (T1), analysing the one or more first groups of ions to generate one or more first data sets, analysing the one or more second groups of ions to generate one or more second data sets, and determining whether the one or more first data sets comprise saturated and/or distorted data. If it is determined that the one or more first data sets comprise saturated and/or distorted data, then the method further comprises replacing the saturated and/or distorted data from the one or more first data sets with corresponding data from the one or more second data sets.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising providing a biological sample on a swab, directing a spray of charged droplets onto a surface of the swab in order to generate a plurality of analyte ions, and analysing the analyte ions.

Abstract: An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ultrasonic transducer which focuses ultrasonic energy onto a surface of a sample fluid without directly contacting the sample fluid.

Abstract: A method of ionising a sample is provided, comprising providing a fluid sample, wherein the fluid sample contains an analyte, applying one or more pulses of acoustic energy to the fluid sample to cause a spray of the fluid sample to eject from the surface of the fluid sample, and applying an AC, RF or alternating voltage to the fluid sample using an electrode.

Abstract: An analytical device for analyzing ions is provided comprising a separator for separating ions according to a physico-chemical property and an interface comprising one or more ion guides. A quadrupole rod set mass filter is arranged downstream of the interface. A control system is arranged and adapted: (i) to transmit a first group of ions which emerges from the separator through the interface with a first transit time t1; and (ii) to transmit a second group of ions which subsequently emerges from the separator through the interface with a second different transit time t2.

Abstract: A method of analysis is disclosed comprising providing a sample on an insulating substrate such as a petri dish (4) and contacting e.g. the rear surface of the insulating substrate with a first electrode (9). The method further comprises contacting the sample with a second electrode (2) and applying an AC or RF voltage to the first and second electrodes (9,2) in order to generate an aerosol from the sample.

Abstract: A method of analyzing ions by ion mobility separation is disclosed. The method comprises controlling the amount of charge within an ion trap and then pulsing the ions from the ion trap into an ion mobility separator. This enables the charge injected into the ion mobility separator to be controlled and hence prevents space-charge interactions between the ions from distorting the ion mobility peaks detected by the detector.

Abstract: A method of analyzing ions, comprising performing an initial multidimensional survey scan comprising separating parent ions according to a first physico-chemical property and separating said parent ions according to a second physico-chemical property, producing a two-dimensional data set comprising data corresponding to said first physico-chemical property and data corresponding to said second physico-chemical property, identifying one or more target ion species of interest and determining a mode of operation of a mass spectrometer for said target ion species of interest using data relating to said target ion species of interest in said two-dimensional data set, wherein said mode of operation comprises the location of fragmentation of said target ions of interest.

Abstract: An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ultrasonic transducer which focuses ultrasonic energy onto a surface of a sample fluid without directly contacting the sample fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus for mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising a first device arranged and adapted to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from a target and one or more second devices arranged and adapted to aspirate aerosol, smoke, vapour and/or liquid to or towards an analyser. A liquid trap or separator is provided to capture and/or discard liquid aspirated by the one or more second devices.

Abstract: A method of detecting one or more compounds, chemicals or contaminants in a substrate by mass spectrometry is disclosed. A non-living substrate is analysed by contacting the substrate with a diathermy knife. An electric current is applied to the diathermy knife such that the diathermy knife vaporises a portion of the substrate. The vapour is aspirated via a sampling tube pumped by a venturi pump into a vacuum chamber of a mass spectrometer. Analyte molecules are aspirated into the vacuum chamber whereupon they impact a surface of the vacuum chamber and are ionised to form analyte ions which are then mass analysed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising providing a biological sample on a swab, directing a spray of charged droplets onto a surface of the swab in order to generate a plurality of analyte ions, and analyzing the analyte ions.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising passing a signal output from a detector through a programmable attenuator or a programmable amplifier prior to digitizing the signal, and switching an attenuation factor or gain factor of the programmable attenuator or the programmable amplifier one or more times during a data acquisition period.

Abstract: A method of analysing a sample mass spectrum comprises comparing a sample mass spectrum of a sample with each reference mass spectrum of plural reference mass spectra. A similarity index is assigned to each reference mass spectrum of the plural reference mass spectra based on similarity between the sample mass spectrum and the reference mass spectrum. For each group of one or more groups of the plural reference mass spectra, the similarity indexes for the reference mass spectra belonging to the group are combined so as to provide a group index for the group at a first level of a hierarchy of sample characteristics. The reference mass spectra belonging to each group are mass spectra of reference samples that have a particular characteristic in common. The method provides a way to categorise a sample as belonging to a particular group of reference samples.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising: trapping ions in an ion trap (40); applying a first force on the ions within the ion trap in a first direction, said force having a magnitude that is dependent upon the value of a physicochemical property of the ions; applying a second force on these ions in the opposite direction so that the ions separate according to the physicochemical property value as a result of the first and second forces; and then pulsing or driving ions out of one or more regions of the ion trap.

Abstract: A method of calibrating or optimising an analytical instrument is disclosed that comprises analysing analyte from a sample using an analytical instrument, determining a sample type of the sample based on analysis of analyte from the sample, identifying one or more species of the analyte that are known to be endogenous to the determined sample type, and calibrating or optimising the analytical instrument using the one or more identified endogenous species.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising providing a first device and a second device disposed downstream of the first device. The method further comprises introducing a potential difference between the exit of the first device and the entrance of the second device and reducing the total potential drop across the first and second devices by applying a reverse axial electric field to the first device and/or the second device. Ions are driven through the first device and/or the second device against the reverse axial electric field.

Abstract: A method of analysis using mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising: using a first device to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of a first target of biological material; and mass and/or ion mobility analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said aerosol, smoke, or vapour, or ions derived therefrom so as to obtain first spectrometric data. The method may use an ambient ionisation method.

Abstract: A method of detecting one or more compounds, chemicals or contaminants in a substrate by mass spectrometry is disclosed. A non-living substrate is analyzed by contacting the substrate with a diathermy knife. An electric current is applied to the diathermy knife such that the diathermy knife vaporizes a portion of the substrate. The vapor is aspirated via a sampling tube pumped by a venturi pump into a vacuum chamber of a mass spectrometer. Analyte molecules are aspirated into the vacuum chamber whereupon they impact a surface of the vacuum chamber and are ionized to form analyte ions which are then mass analyzed.

Abstract: A method of separating ions according to mass to charge ratio is disclosed. The method comprises: providing a separation device comprising a plurality of electrodes; applying one or more transient DC voltages or potentials to at least some of said electrodes in order to urge ions in a first direction through said separation device; and providing a gas flow in a second direction which is substantially inclined or opposed to said first direction. The opposed gas flow unexpectedly improves the mass to charge ratio separation resolution of the device.