Patent ID: 8283624
Filing Date: 2012-10-09
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. A mass spectrometer for elemental analysis of a particle, comprising a particle introduction system; a vaporizer, atomizer, and ionizer positioned downstream of the particle introduction system, the vaporizer, atomizer, and ionizer being configured to produce ions from elements associated with the particle; an ion mass-to-charge ratio analyzer positioned downstream of the vaporizer, atomizer and ionizer, the analyzer being configured to separate ions according to their mass-to-charge ratio; a main ion detector for detecting the separated ions and producing data output; a digitizer for digitizing the output; a data transfer channel for transferring the digitized data output; at least one of a data processor and a data recorder to receive the digitized data output; a particle presence detector in the mass spectrometer having an activation corresponding with the detection of the presence of a particle to be analyzed in the mass spectrometer; and a synchronizer having an activation input from the particle presence detector and that synchronizes with a command output to at least one of the main ion detector, the digitizer, the data transfer channel, the data processor and the data recorder; wherein the particle presence detector in the mass spectrometer triggers the synchronizer.