Patent ID: 9666423
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: G01N,H01J

Claim:
1. An apparatus, comprising: a chamber having a conductive inner wall; means for providing a first voltage to said inner wall; a source of gas-borne atmospheric pressure ions; a region into which said source directly injects said ions; a first nozzle that is completely electrically grounded and has a first end and a second end wherein said first nozzle is non-insulated and is electrically conductive from said first end to said second end, wherein said first nozzle is configured to direct said gas-borne atmospheric pressure ions from said source into said chamber, wherein said first end of said first nozzle is connected to said region and wherein said second end of said first nozzle is located within said chamber; a vacuum pump operatively connected to reduce the pressure within said chamber to a pressure that is sufficiently low to provide flow conditions of said gas-borne atmospheric pressure ions at said first nozzle to form an ion-laden jet of gas in said chamber; and a second nozzle positioned in said chamber to control said ion-laden jet of gas.