US 12,488,976 B2
Atmospheric pressure ionisation source
Nicola Lumley, Wilmslow (GB); David Douce, Wilmslow (GB); and Gareth Rhys Jones, Wilmslow (GB)
Assigned to Micromass UK Limited, Wilmslow (GB)
Appl. No. 17/998,009
Filed by Micromass UK Ltd, Wilmslow (GB)
PCT Filed May 5, 2021, PCT No. PCT/GB2021/051083
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 4, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/224616, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 11, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2006668 (GB), filed on May 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0178353 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. H01J 49/04 (2006.01); H01J 49/16 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 49/0477 (2013.01) [H01J 49/0404 (2013.01); H01J 49/168 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An atmospheric pressure ionisation source comprising:
an ionisation chamber, comprising an inlet for receiving at least the distal end of a capillary into the ionisation chamber in use;
a desolvation heater including a heating element, for directing a stream of heated gas onto the distal end of the capillary in use;
a corona discharge device arranged in the ionisation chamber; and
a control system configured to operate the source in a selected one of:
an analytical mode, in which the ionisation chamber is configured to receive at least the distal end of the capillary with the addition of a sample, wherein the heating element is heated to a first temperature within a first temperature range, and in which a first current within a first current range is supplied to the corona discharge device; and
a capillary priming mode, in which the ionisation chamber is configured to receive at least the distal end of the capillary prior to the addition of a sample, wherein the heating element is heated to a second temperature within a second temperature range, and in which a second current within a second current range is supplied to the corona discharge device, wherein the lower limit of the second temperature range is higher than the lower limit of the first temperature range, and the second current range is higher than the first current range.