An improved ion source for collecting and focusing dispersed gas-phase ions from a reagent source at sub-atmospheric or intermediate pressure, having a remote source of reagent ions separated from a low-field sample ionization region by a barrier, comprised of alternating laminates of metal and insulator, populated with a plurality of openings, wherein DC potentials are applied to each metal laminate necessary for transferring reagent ions from the remote source into the low-field sample ionization region where the reagent ions react with neutral and/or ionic sample forming ionic species. The resulting ionic species are then introduced into the vacuum system of a mass spectrometer or ion mobility spectrometer. Embodiments of this invention are methods and devices for improving sensitivity of mass spectrometry when gas and liquid chromatographic separation techniques are coupled to sub-atmospheric and intermediate pressure photo-ionization, chemical ionization, and thermal-pneumatic ionization sources.