A thin laminated high transmission electro-optical lens populated with a
plurality of apertures in communication with its laminates used to
improve the collection, focusing, and selection of ions generated from
atmospheric pressure sources, such as electrospray, atmospheric pressure
chemical ionization, inductively coupled plasma, discharge,
photoionization and atmospheric pressure matrix assisted laser desorption
ionization. The laminated lens is made of alternating layers of
electrically insulating and metal laminates. The geometry of the lens may
be planar or shaped into various curve shapes, any of which act to
optimize both the direct current (DC) and alternate current (AC) electric
field geometries and strengths across the lens for transferring virtually
all the ions from the ion source into an ion-focusing region adjacent and
upstream of a high pressure or atmospheric pressure interface to a mass
spectrometer, ion mobility analyzer, or combination thereof. Embodiments
of this invention are methods and devices for improving sensitivity of
mass spectrometry when coupled to high pressure or atmospheric pressure
ionization sources.