Patent ID: 6825464
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: B64G,F03H,H01J

Abstract:
A method of forming a stable electrospray of a volatile liquid in a low pressure environment comprising the steps of:a. supplying two or more liquids into an emitter electrode located in a low pressure environment, wherein at least one of said liquids is a volatile liquid and at least one of said liquid is an involatile liquid, wherein a tendency of said at least one volatile liquid to freeze, boil, or evaporate is diminished by covering substantially all free surfaces of said at least one volatile liquid with one or more layer of said at least one involatile liquid, so as to minimize direct exposure of said at least one involatile liquid to said low pressure environment, and b. establishing a voltage difference between said emitter electrode and one or more surrounding electrodes or grids, wherein a meniscus formed by said two or more liquids supplied to said emitter electrode forms one or more Taylor cones, from whose tip region at least one of drops and ions of said two or more liquids are ejected.