Patent ID: 8487245

Claim:
A sample analyzing system, comprising: a plasma ionization source configured to ionize an analyte sample under ambient pressure; an ion mobility spectrometer configured to operate under ambient pressure, wherein the ion mobility spectrometer comprises an inlet, an ionization region, a ion separation region, and a detector, arranged such that the ionization region is downstream of the inlet, the ion separation region is downstream of the ionization region, and the detector is downstream of the ion separation region; and a sample transport assembly configured to transport the analyte sample through the inlet of the ion mobility spectrometer and to the ionization region, wherein the sample transport assembly is in physical communication with the plasma ionization source; wherein ionization of the analyte sample occurs in-situ within the ionization region of the ion mobility spectrometer; and wherein an electric field at the inlet of the ion mobility spectrometer is greater than an electric field produced by the plasma ionization source when both the ion mobility spectrometer and the plasma ionization source are activated.