Ionization device, mass spectrometry apparatus, mass spectrometry method, and imaging system

Abstract

A mass spectrometry apparatus includes a holding table that holds a specimen to be ionized, a probe that identifies a portion of the specimen to be ionized, an ion extraction electrode that extracts ions obtained by ionizing the specimen, a liquid supplying unit that supplies liquid to between the specimen and the probe to form a liquid bridge between the specimen and the probe, a vibrating unit that vibrates one of the probe and the holding table, an electric field generating unit that generates an electric field between the probe and the ion extraction electrode, a mass spectrometry unit that mass analyzes ions extracted by the ion extraction electrode, and a synchronization unit configured to synchronize a time at which ions are generated from the portion with a time at which the mass spectrometry unit measures the ions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ionization device comprising:
 a holding table configured to hold a specimen to be ionized;   a probe configured to identify a portion of the specimen to be ionized;   an ion extraction electrode configured to extract ions obtained by ionizing the specimen;   a liquid supplying unit configured to supply liquid to between the specimen and the probe to form a liquid bridge between the specimen and the probe;   an electric field generating unit configured to generate an electric field between the probe and the ion extraction electrode;   a vibrating unit configured to vibrate one of the probe and the holding table;   a measuring unit configured to measure a vibration state of vibration of at least one of the probe and the holding table and output a signal of the vibration state;   a displacement calculation unit configured to input the signal of the vibration state, and output a control signal to the vibrating unit; and   a feedback circuit configured to maintain vibration of at least one of the probe and the holding table according to the signal of the vibration state.   
     
     
         2 . The ionization device according to  claim 1 , wherein the displacement calculation unit has the feedback circuit. 
     
     
         3 . The ionization device according to  claim 1 , wherein the vibration state is amplitude and a frequency of the vibration. 
     
     
         4 . The ionization device according to  claim 1 , wherein the vibrating unit repeatedly moves the probe close to the holding table and moves the probe away from the holding table. 
     
     
         5 . The ionization device according to  claim 1 , wherein the feedback circuit is configured to calculate a shift of the input signal from the measuring unit from a reference signal in the displacement calculation unit, generate a signal that corrects the shift, and output the signal to the vibrating unit. 
     
     
         6 . A mass spectrometry apparatus comprising:
 a holding table configured to hold a specimen to be ionized;   a probe configured to identify a portion of the specimen to be ionized;   an ion extraction electrode configured to extract ions obtained by ionizing the specimen;   a liquid supplying unit configured to supply liquid to between the specimen and the probe to form a liquid bridge between the specimen and the probe;   a vibrating unit configured to vibrate one of the probe and the holding table;   an electric field generating unit configured to generate an electric field between the probe and the ion extraction electrode;   a mass spectrometry unit configured to mass analyze ions extracted by the ion extraction electrode;   a measuring unit configured to measure a vibration state of vibration of at least one of the probe and the holding table and output a signal of the vibration state;   a displacement calculation unit configured to input the signal of the vibration state, and output a control signal to the vibrating unit; and   a feedback circuit configured to maintain vibration of at least one of the probe and the holding table according to the signal of the vibration state.   
     
     
         7 . The mass spectrometry apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the vibration state is amplitude and a frequency of the vibration. 
     
     
         8 . The mass spectrometry apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the vibrating unit repeatedly moves the probe close to the holding table and moves the probe away from the holding table. 
     
     
         9 . The mass spectrometry apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the feedback circuit is configured to calculate a shift of the input signal from the measuring unit from a reference signal in the displacement calculation unit, generate a signal that corrects the shift, and output the signal to the vibrating unit. 
     
     
         10 . The mass spectrometry apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a scanning unit configured to scan the probe relative to a surface of the specimen.   
     
     
         11 . An imaging system comprising:
 the mass spectrometry apparatus according to  claim 6 ;   an image forming unit configured to form image information used for imaging distribution of a component of a substance contained in a specimen using mass information analyzed by the mass spectrometry apparatus and information regarding a position in the specimen; and   an output unit configured to output the image information.