Patent ID: 8178833
Filing Date: 2012-05-15
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. An atmospheric pressure ion sampling device for mass spectrometry comprised of: a. a tube, said tube with an entrance and an exit; c. a field-free or near field-free region disposed downstream of said entrance; d. an atmospheric pressure interface adjacent said field-free or near field-free region, said interface is an ion-selective aperture array; e. a means for establishing a gas flow at or near atmospheric pressure from said ion source, into and along the entire length of said tube, through said field-fee region to said aperture array; and; f. supplying direct current electrical potentials to said tube and aperture array for establishing and maintaining said field-free region; whereby substantially all gas-phase ions or charged particles from said ion source, are swept by concurrent viscous forces of said gas flow into said entrance and through said tube to said field-free region and introduced into said mass spectrometer through said ion-selective aperture array for subsequent collection and analysis.