METHOD AND DEVICE FOR IONIZING PARTICLES OF A SAMPLE GAS FLOW

摘要

A device for ionizing particles (molecules or clusters) of a sample gas flow comprises a first flow tube for providing the sample gas flow, and a generator for producing reagent primary ions from particles of candidate reagent gas flow at a primary ion production region. The device also has an interaction region for introducing the reagent ions into the sample gas flow in order to arrange interaction between the reagent primary ions and the particles of the sample gas flow, thereby producing sample gas ions to be delivered to a detector. The generator for producing reagent primary ions is a non-radioactive soft X-ray radiation source.