US Patent 7119330 Plasma mass spectrometer

A plasma source mass spectrometer (20) having an ion beam extraction electrode (45) associated with a skimmer cone (40) to restrict the pumping of gas from a region (60) immediately behind the skimmer cone orifice (42) to provide a higher pressure (e.g. 1–10−2 Torr) in the region (60) compared to the pressure downstream of the electrode (45) (e.g. 10−3–10−4 Torr). This provides a collisional gas volume (60) for plasma (28) for attenuating polyatomic and multicharged interfering ions prior to extraction of an ion beam (49). In one embodiment a substance (e.g. hydrogen) can be supplied into the region (60) to assist attenuation of polyatomic and multicharged interfering ions by reactive or collisional interactions.