Robust, rapid, secure sample manipulation before during and after ionization for a spectroscopy system
First Claim
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1. A device for ionizing an analyte comprising:
- a chamber with at least one port to allow the analyte to enter the chamber and adapted to mix the analyte with a material;
a lid adapted to close and form a seal with the chamber;
a magnetic field source adapted to constrain the analyte mixed with the material within the sealed chamber; and
an ionization source directed at the analyte mixed with the material to form analyte ions.
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Abstract
This invention provides for the efficient positioning of a sample to be analyzed by using either magnetic or electro-mechanical fields to retain the sample in the ionization region. In an embodiment of the present invention, the sample is contacted with a sampler device, which is inserted into a chamber and accurately positioned using electro-mechanical devices. In an embodiment of the invention, the influence of an electro-mechanical field on the sampler device enables the sample to be positioned in the ionization region to be contacted by particles that result in ionization of the sample whereby rendering the resulting ions available for analysis.
243 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device for ionizing an analyte comprising:
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a chamber with at least one port to allow the analyte to enter the chamber and adapted to mix the analyte with a material; a lid adapted to close and form a seal with the chamber; a magnetic field source adapted to constrain the analyte mixed with the material within the sealed chamber; and an ionization source directed at the analyte mixed with the material to form analyte ions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of disposing of an analyzed sample comprising the steps of:
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receiving a sample mixed with a material that is heavier than the sample; sealing the sample in an analysis chamber adapted to close and form a seal such that no additional sample mixed with the material enters the analysis chamber; analyzing the sample in the analysis chamber the analyzing comprising directing an ionization source at the sample mixed with the material to form sample ions; determining the analysis of the sample in the analysis chamber is complete; and removing the sample mixed with the material using a magnetic field to eject the sample from the analysis chamber. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of disposing of an analyzed sample comprising the steps of:
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receiving a sample with a material that is heavier than the sample; inserting the sample with the material in an analysis chamber; sealing the sample with the material in the analysis chamber adapted to close and form a seal such that no additional sample mixed with the material can enter the analysis chamber; analyzing the sample in the sealed analysis chamber the analyzing comprising directing an ionization source at the sample mixed with the material to form sample ions; determining the analysis of the sample in the sealed analysis chamber is complete; and removing the sample mixed with the material using an electro-mechanical device to eject the sample from the analysis chamber. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification