ION ENRICHMENT APERTURE ARRAYS

Improvements have been made for collecting, focusing, and directing of ions and/or charged particles generated at atmospheric or near atmospheric pressu re sources, such as but not limited to, electrospray; atmospheric pressure discharge ionization, chemical ionization, photoionization, and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization; and inductively coupled plasma ionization. A multiple-aperture laminated structure is place at the interfac e of two pressure regions. Electric fields geometries and strengths across the laminated structure and diameters of the apertures; all of which act to optimize the transfer of the ions from the higher pressure region into the lower pressure region while reducing the gas-load on the lower pressure region. Embodiments of this invention are methods and devices for improving sensitivity of mass spectrometry when coupled to atmospheric, near atmospheric, or higher pressure ionization sources by reducing the gas-load on the vacuum system.