Abstract:
A method of ionizing a sample is provided, comprising providing a fluid sample, wherein the fluid sample contains an analyte, applying one or more pulses of acoustic energy to the fluid sample to cause a spray of the fluid sample to eject from the surface of the fluid sample, and applying an AC, RF or alternating voltage to the fluid sample using an electrode.
Abstract:
An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ultrasonic transducer which focuses ultrasonic energy onto a surface of a sample fluid without directly contacting the sample fluid.
Abstract:
A secondary ultrasonic nebulisation device is disclosed comprising: a liquid sample delivery capillary; a sample receiving surface arranged for receiving a liquid sample from the capillary; and an ultrasonic transducer configured for oscillating the surface so as to nebulise the liquid sample received thereon, wherein the device is configured such that the oscillations of the surface by the ultrasonic transducer cause charged droplets and/or gas phase ions to be generated from the sample.
Abstract:
An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ultrasonic transducer which focuses ultrasonic energy onto a surface of a sample fluid without directly contacting the sample fluid.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for mixing droplets of liquid sample and droplets of a diluent and/or a standard produced by droplet-on-demand generators for use with an analysis device. Two different liquids may be introduced to an analysis device for simultaneous analysis. The method preferably comprises using a first droplet-on-demand generator to provide a first stream of droplets of a first liquid; using a second droplet-on-demand generator to provide a second stream of droplets of a second liquid; and combining the first and second streams of droplets before they enter the analysis device.
Abstract:
According to some embodiments, systems and methods for surface impact ionization of liquid phase and aerosol samples are provided. The method includes accelerating a liquid or aerosol sample, colliding the sample with a solid collision surface thereby disintegrating the sample into both molecular ionic species (e.g., gaseous molecular ions) and molecular neutral species (e.g., gaseous sample), and transporting the disintegrated sample to an ion analyzer. Some embodiments of the method further comprise discarding the molecular neutral species. Such embodiments transport substantially only the molecular ionic species to the ion analyzer.
Abstract:
Provided is an ionization apparatus including: a holder configured to hold a sample; a probe configured to determine a part to be ionized of the sample held by the holder; an extract electrode configured to extract ionized ions of the sample; a liquid supply unit configured to supply liquid to a part of a region of the sample; and a unit configured to apply a first voltage between the probe and the extract electrode, in which the first voltage is pulse-modulated.
Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to mass spectrometry. The present invention relates more particularly to methods and systems for use in mass spectrometric identification of a variety of analytes, including high molecular weight species such as proteins. One embodiment of the invention is a method for analyzing an analyte. The method includes nebulizing a suspension of the analyte in a solvent with a surface acoustic wave transducer; and performing mass spectrometry on the nebulized suspension. The surface acoustic wave transducer can be used, for example, to transfer non-volatile peptides and proteins (as well as other analyztes, such as oligonucleotides and polymers) to the gas phase at atmospheric pressure. Nebulization using surface acoustic waves can be conducted in a discontinuous or pulsed mode, similar to that used in MALDI, or in a continuous mode, as in ESI.
Abstract:
The invention provides devices, device configurations and methods for improved sensitivity, detection level and efficiency in mass spectrometry particularly as applied to biological molecules, including biological polymers, such as proteins and nucleic acids. In one aspect, the invention relates to charged droplet sources and their use as ion sources and as components in ion sources. In another aspect, the invention relates to charged droplet traps and their use as ion sources and as elements of ion sources. Further, the invention relates to the use of aerodynamic lenses for high efficiency ion transport to a charge particle analyzer, particularly a mass analyzer. Devices of this invention allow mass spectral analysis of a single charged droplet. The ion sources of this invention can be combined with any charge particle detector or mass analyzer, but are a particularly benefit when used in combination with a time of flight mass spectrometer.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method and system for acoustically depositing a fluid on a surface of a cell sample. A reservoir containing a fluid is provided, and the cell sample surface is positioned in droplet-receiving relationship to the reservoir. Once the reservoir and the cell sample surface are appropriately positioned, focused acoustic energy is applied to eject a droplet of the fluid from the reservoir. As a result, the droplet is deposited on the sample surface at a designated site. Optionally, the fluid may be an analysis-enhancing fluid that contains a label moiety or a mass-spectrometry matrix material. When an analysis-enhancing fluid is used, the sample is typically subjected to conditions effective to allow the analysis-enhancing fluid to interact with the sample surface so as to render the sample surface suitable for analysis. Then, the sample may be analyzed at the designated site.