| 摘要 |
Ions for analysis are formed from a liquid sample comprising an analyte in a solvent liquid by directing the liquid sample through a capillary tube having a free end so as to form a first flow comprising a spray of droplets of the liquid sample, to promote vaporization of the solvent liquid. An orifice member is spaced from the free-end of the capillary tube and has an orifice therein. An electric field is generated between the free-end of the capillary and the orifice member, thereby causing the droplets to be charged, and the first flow is directed in a first direction along the axis of the capillary tube. Two gas sources, or an arc jet of gas, provide second and third flows, of a gas, and include heaters for heating the second and third flows. The second and third flows intersect with the first flow at a selected mixing region, to promote turbulent mixing of the first, second and third flows, the first, second and third directions being different from one another, and each of the second and third directions being selected to provide each of the second and third flows with a velocity component in the first direction and a velocity component towards the axis of the capillary tube, thereby to promote entrainment of the heated gas in the spray, with the heated gas acting to assist the evaporation of the droplets to release ions therefrom. At least some of the ions produced from the droplets are drawn through the orifice for analysis.
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