US Patent Issued to ETH ZURICH on July 22 for "Ion source for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry" (Swiss Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 23 -- United States Patent no. 12,368,039, issued on July 22, was assigned to ETH ZURICH (Zurich, Switzerland).

"Ion source for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry" was invented by Bodo Hattendorf (Zurich, Switzerland), Detlef Gunther (Zurich, Switzerland) and Thomas Vonderach (Zurich, Switzerland).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "An ICP source (100) for generating ions using an inductively coupled plasma is configured to be coupled to a mass spectrometer (200). The sample is introduced into the plasma along a downwards-pointing vertical direction (G) under the action of gravity. In this manner, the sample can reach the plasma regardless of its condition, e.g., reg...