Focusing ions by viscous drag and weak electric fields in an ion guide

A new special ion guide has one or more grids at low electric potential in the space between nozzle and skimmer. Viscous drag caused by helium flow is used together with weak electric fields for focusing ions through the skimmer. A typical yield through the skimmer is 75% of that through the nozzle. The focusing device is called a "squeezer". Most properties of the "squeezer ion guide" are similar to those of an ordinary ion guide. Because the kinetic energies are only of the order of 10 eV, however, problems caused by ion scattering are greatly reduced as compared to ordinary ion guides.