Patent ID: 8217341

Claim:
A gas ion separator for introducing ions into a spectrometer comprising: (a) an external ionization source, wherein one or more ions are formed by the external ionization source; (b) a grid; and (c) a jet separator, wherein the grid is operably connected to the jet separator, wherein one or more ions formed by the external ionization source are transmitted through the jet separator into the spectrometer, wherein the jet separator is made up of an inlet tube having a proximal end and a distal end and an outlet tube having a proximal end and a distal end; wherein the proximal end of the inlet tube is closest to and the distal end of the inlet tube is furthest from the external ionization source, wherein the inlet tube and the outlet tube are substantially co-axial, wherein the inlet tube is positioned in a region of approximately atmospheric pressure, wherein the outlet tube is positioned in a vacuum region.