Method and apparatus for mass spectrometric analysis
US7863559B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 15, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jan 4, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 23, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N30/7233
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for examining a sample by means of mass spectrometry. According to the method, the solution comprising the sample to be examined is vaporized in a vaporizer, the vaporized sample solution is sprayed, using a gas flow, into a corona discharge zone, where the examined sample is ionised according to the APCI method, using a corona discharge, to generate gas phase ions, and the ions are separated and directed to a detector. According to the present invention, a vaporizer is used, which is fabricated as a micromechanical structure which comprises the flow channels for the solution and for the carrier gas possibly used for feeding the solution, as well as the heater of the vaporizer, and which are all included in a monolithic structure. The solution is especially suitable for cases in which a very sensitive analysing technique is needed, or in which the available sample quantity is very small (less than 1 μL).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.