METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETECTING SAMPLE MOLECULES IN A CARRIER GAS

摘要

A method for detecting the presence of sample molecules in a carrier gas. According to said method, a divergent jet of carrier gas is produced in a vacuum by expanding gas through a nozzle and the sample molecules are ionised into sample molecules in an ionisation area of the carrier gas jet by means of photon absorption. The sample molecules are pulled into a mass spectrometer by an electrical field where they are detected. In order to improve this method, the distance between the discharge opening of the nozzle and the ionisation area can be chosen freely. The ions from the sample molecule are substantially pulled into the mass spectrometer in the direction of the axis of the carrier gas jet.