Analytical Apparatus Utilizing Electron Impact Ionization

摘要

An analytical apparatus for mass spectrometry comprises an electron impact ionizer including an electron emitter and an ionization target zone. The target zone is arranged to be populated with matter to be ionized for analysis. An electron extracting element is aligned with an electron pathway defined between the electron emitter and the ionization target zone. The electron extracting element is configured to accelerate electrons away from the emitter along the electron pathway between the emitter and the extracting element and to decelerate the electrons along the electron pathway between the extracting element and the ionization target zone to enable soft ionization while avoiding the effects of Coulombic repulsion at the electron source.

主权项

1. A method of ionizing analyte molecules for analysis comprising:
supplying analyte molecules to a target volume; accelerating a flow of electrons from an electron source to the target volume to cause ionization of the analyte molecules to generate analyte ions using a first ionization electron energy; detecting the analyte ions generated by the first ionization energy; changing the electron ionization energy to a second ionization electron energy that is different to the first ionization electron energy to cause ionization and generate analyte ions using the second ionization electron energy; and detecting the analyte ions generated by the second ionization energy.