Patent ID: 8207494
Filing Date: 2012-06-26
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for mass spectrometry comprising a flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow ion source, a laser ablation sampler, and a mass spectrometer, wherein (a) the laser ablation sampler comprises a laser and a laser ablation chamber configured such that the laser can irradiate a sample to form an ablated sample, (b) the laser ablation sampler and the flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow ion source are operably connected so that the ablated sample can interact with a reactive species generated by the flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow ion source, thereby desorbing and ionizing atoms or molecules from the ablated sample to form an ion population having a mass-to-charge ratio distribution, (c) the mass spectrometer is operably connected to the laser ablation sampler and the flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow ion source so that the ion population is transmitted to the mass spectrometer, wherein the mass spectrometer separates the ion population according to the mass-to-charge ratio distribution, and (d) the flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow ion source utilizes an atmospheric-pressure, direct current glow discharge plasma.